Sunstone - Dishonor's Bane (Book 2)

by Guy Antibes

He scratched his head and tried to frame his thoughts. “I’m proposing that exposed White Rose members come with me to North Isle. I know of a valley that we might be able to relocate to. It has an outcropping where the nexus comes to the surface. The lord of the prefecture, where I used to live, is rather tolerant about magic and I think that living on the South Isle might become too dangerous for your group.”

  Mako turned red. “Who are you to come in here and tell us what we have to do! We’ve lived in peace for many years. I, for one, am not willing to pick up and leave our cottage.”

  Gorisha gave her friend a worried look. “Regardless of what Mako says, I’ve been anxious about this happening for some time. When I heard of the White Rose members being taken in the west, I felt it only a matter of time before the same thing happened here. The lords of the east are no friends to women with power, especially Lord Udishi, horrible man that he is.”

  Chika’s absence seemed fortuitous. He didn’t know how she’d react to Gorisha’s statement about her father. If they joined in the group, Shiro would have to let the women know that Chika was Udishi’s daughter.

  “Count me in,” Gorisha said. “Mako, if you wish to stay here, I won’t blame you. I wish life could always remain blissful.”

  “I’ll join up,” Ishura said. Shiro didn’t even know when Ashiyo and she had stopped talking and began to listen.

  Miroshi just nodded her agreement. He counted her as the shy one of the group since she hadn’t said anything.

  “I’m not sure what we will do. We can’t gather as a traveling group,” Gorisha said.

  “Why don’t you and Ashiyo transport to the north and make a few arrangements. If we travel by twos or threes, we should be able to make it,” Miroshi said.

  Gorisha nodded in acquiescence. So Miroshi led the group and not Gorisha. Shiro would have never guessed until the group made the decision.

  “Himura didn’t have the power to transport,” Shiro said, looking over at his friend.

  “He didn’t, did he?” Ashiyo smiled. “Ashiyo can and I think the Lady Miroshi has a wonderful idea.”

  Shiro cleared his throat. “But I don’t know how.” He didn’t want to admit his lack among these people, but he didn’t want to disappoint them. Perhaps Ashiyo could do it himself.

  “Ten minutes worth of instruction Shiro. You are more than powerful enough. Do you remember where we need to go?”

  Shiro nodded. He knew exactly where the nexus lay and the inn owned by the old woman. Perhaps he could get things started by knowing how much money they would have to raise to buy the nexus valley or one close to it. “We’ll go midday tomorrow. If you could think of any good approaches to collect the Society members who wish to relocate, I would appreciate it.”

  Miroshi pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. “I think we can come up with something, young man.” Her gaze drifted to Ashiyo. “You might think about how we might stymie the Guild.”

  “Certainly,” Ashiyo said, bowing to Miroshi.

  “Now that our business is concluded for this night, I suggest we turn our thoughts elsewhere until we have more to talk about. Shiro, what kind of winter do you predict…”

  ~

  “Ashiyo. Now are you Ashiyo or a crafty Himura?” The pair walked back from the witches’ house an hour later.

  “I am Ashiyo. I had no idea little Ishura would turn out so well,” he said. “You saw the power marble.”

  “But Himura could have a great deal of power as well.”

  Ashiyo shook his head. “No. The Guild is too sensitive in the south. An untrained man with much Affinity won’t go unnoticed for very long here. Himura had enough for a few good spells, but,” Ashiyo shook his head. “Not powerful. You, on the other hand have more than what’s good for you. I’m tempted to quit the smithy and spend all of my time training you so you won’t kill yourself.”

  Shiro shook his head. He had to believe that the man in front of him was Ashiyo. An idea came into his mind. “If you know so much, can you see through a disguise?”

  Ashiyo laughed. “Indeed I can. Oh! You probably wondered why I would pay attention to Ishura. She is a very beautiful woman and was even as a girl. You’d like to learn that as well?”

  “Before we leave. I’d like to know what you really look like.”

  “Fine,” he said as he opened the gate to their house.

  They stood in the middle of the main room of the house. Ashiyo gave the proper words and mental picture. Shiro intoned the spell and Himura’s disguise faded to show Ashiyo’s face.

  “I can still see traces of the disguise.”

  “Certainly. That’s the brilliance of my spell. Then you won’t make the mistake of letting on how the person looks underneath their disguise. You do need to incant the spell each time you seek to see through it. I know it’s a bit inconvenient.”

  Shiro nodded and cancelled the spell and then invoked it again to make sure he would remember it. “Amazing. Do the sisters know of this?”

  Ashiyo shook his head, smiling. “No and don’t you tell them. I devised this when I met with Shiuki. We will need every advantage we can get with those women.”

  “What women?” Chika stepped into the house. “Where were you two tonight? I got worried so I cooked some extra food for the evening and left early feigning sickness.”

  Shiro had to suppress a smile, seeing through Chika’s middle-aged disguise and seeing the young woman beneath. “We visited the local White Rose Society.”

  “The witch house?” Chika said.

  Ashiyo nodded. “They will come with us,” he said.

  “I don’t think so,” she shook her head. “Too dangerous.”

  “We’ve decided not to travel as a group. Twos or threes, one of them said. We’ll give them directions and off they will go to the North Isle.”

  “If they have the money and if they don’t get caught,” she said. “I’m afraid for us all.”

  Shiro pursed his lips and wondered. “What will happen if we don’t do anything?”

  Chika blushed. “They’ll be caught and killed, eventually.”

  “That’s the ugly reality. We need to spread the word, but I don’t know how best to do that. The ‘witches’ are going to think about it.” Shiro peered into Chika’s lovely eyes. She averted his gaze. “Any progress on your decision?”

  She lifted her chin. “No. Not yet. I’m just glad you haven’t yet been killed or captured by the Guild.”

  “Thank you,” Ashiyo said and bowed. “I’m glad you are of that opinion.” He chuckled. Chika merely grunted. “So what’s next?”

  Should Shiro tell her about Ashiyo? It really wasn’t his to tell so he just feigned a yawn. “Time for sleep for me. You might do well go to sleep a bit earlier. You are sick, you know.”

  Chika looked a bit put out, but nodded. “I think you’re right. I am tired and there’s always lots to do in the kitchen.” She threw her hands in the air. “I shudder to think how it will look when I return tomorrow.”

  With that, they all retired. Shiro tossed and turned for a while, with Chika’s real face blazing at him in his mind until he finally drifted off.

  The house was empty when Shiro rose in the morning. He yawned and went outside to wash and prepare for the day. He made his way to Yori’s house. After a morning working on the damaged dike, he spied the figure of Ashiyo walking towards him with a shovel in his hand.

  “Is this better?”

  Shiro looked at the edge and then tried out a few shovelfuls. “Much.”

  “Took me an hour. The smith had other business this morning so I took advantage of getting this done before we left. My work on the shovel even drew the attention of the blacksmith.”

  “Good. I’m ready to get going.” They walked to the tool hut and stood in the middle. Shiro had brought his pack along with his sword. “Teach me.”

  Teleportation requires that you have been to where you are going. You need to visualize your destination. The spell is simple, but
you must have the power.”

  “Why did they need the entire Guild council to transport Boreko and I?”

  “If you push someone to another location, you need a great deal of power. If you were on a horse, you could take the horse with you and feel some fatigue, but if you transported a horse without you, the act would make you faint and it might take a day or even a week to recover.”

  A bit of anxiety made Shiro’s breath a little short. “Do we hold hands?”

  “Why Shiro!” Ashiyo laughed, and then nodded. “The closer the contact, the easier. You will transport both of us since I’ve never been to the North Isle.” He gave Shiro the words and described the mindset.

  Shiro extended his hand and didn’t waste any time. The sun changed places in the sky and it was now earlier in the day. “I guess we made it.” His stomach revolted at the change and Shiro fell to his knees, retching.

  “You get used to it,” Ashiyo said, looking a little ill, too.

  “Like seasickness?”

  “Exactly. Now where are we?”

  Shiro looked around. “The road is over the hill. I ate a meal here.” He pointed to the stream. “And filled up my skin. The inn is just over there about half an hour’s walk.” He looked to the south. “Let’s talk to the innkeeper, first.”

  They entered a wood. The inn was nestled on the other side. As they turned a corner, the inn lay inert, dormant, like a dead thing. Windows looked like the pits in a skull. The thatch roof no longer existed and filled the leaning blackened plaster walls halfway up with ashes.

  “I don’t believe she lives here anymore,” Ashiyo said.

  “That’s disappointing. I had the impression that she was White Rose and someone special.”

  “She might still be special, but living somewhere else.”

  “Let’s head back north to the valley and the nexus.”

  It took them an hour and a half to make it to the valley. Their progress sped up once Shiro found the track that he used so many months ago. At the side of a stream, a little hut sat with a tendril of smoke curling up into the sky.

  “Is that your old lady?” Ashiyo said.

  “I hope so, I’m hungry and as I recall she cooked rather well.”

  Shiro stopped them ten paces from the house. “Hello.”

  The old woman Shiro remembered put her head through a window. “Who’s there? Oh, you returned. I thought you would. Come on in.”

  “My name is Shiro and this is…”

  “Himura, my lady,” Ashiyo said, smiling and bowing deeply.

  “Sit and rest your bones, mine certainly need it,” she cackled away as she put water in a pot and hung it over the coals in the brazier.

  “I am Tishi. I imagine you saw my inn? Cooking fire. That’s what happens to an old woman. What brought you back? I thought you’d be in sorcerer’s robes by now.”

  Shiro lifted the sleeve of his tunic, showing only one blue dot.

  “Oh. You didn’t make it and have gone rogue? I’m surprised you survived.”

  “They tried twice to kill me, but obviously failed.”

  “Obviously,” Ashiyo said. Shiro couldn’t believe the personality change in the man once he revealed his true identity. Gone was the servant and here was the smart-aleck master.

  Shiro leaned forward. “What do you know about the White Rose Society?”

  “I’ve heard of a group of women sorcerers. Their purpose is to stay hidden. The world’s openness to females with Affinity waxes and wanes. Like the moon, but not as regular,” she said.

  “Do you know who owns this valley?” Shiro said.

  “Are your questions connected?”

  “They are. The antipathy towards the society is waxing in the South Isle and I’d like to find a home for them. There is more tolerance in this prefecture, so I’d like to bring them to this valley. They can keep their powers filled up and defend themselves.”

  Tishi laughed without humor. “What makes you think that? You saw my inn. The truth is roving bandits who have no tolerance for independent women came to my door. They tried to make their way with me…with me! I had to use my power to kill the one who attacked me. The others ran outside and torched my thatch.” She shook her head.

  “No cooking fire?” Shiro said.

  The woman shook her head.

  “So you are of the White Rose?” Ashiyo said.

  “We don’t have the society up here, but intolerance exists here as well as in the south.”

  “If there were other sisters nearby, you would not have feared roving bandits. Sisters, banded together, can defend themselves even against the Guild,” Shiro said.

  “They probably can,” she admitted. “But why do you care?”

  Shiro gave her his story from when he left her until he ended up at the village.

  “Are you in love with the warrior-cook?”

  “I wouldn’t say love…” Shiro said, not happy about Tishi perceiving his one-sided relationship with Chika.

  “I wouldn’t either,” she said, “but that story isn’t over. You’ve convinced me of your sincerity. I’m not convinced of his,” she glanced at Ashiyo, “but it matters not at this point. I own the valley, not directly, but you can settle here. You can bring your society here, but I will approve any buildings and their placement. Nothing within three hundred paces of the nexus outcropping. It is unique in the world.”

  “Very well. We will bring two other women with us tomorrow, if that’s okay. You may ask them any questions.”

  “Oh, I will,” Tishi said. “Are they in Hoksaka?”

  Shiro smiled. “No on South Isle. I might not have made it as a sorcerer, but I am not without my own power.”

  Tishi’s eyes widened a bit. “Teleporters? You two?” She produced a throaty laugh. “Come, bring me knowledge and I will provide sanctuary.”

  ~~~

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  ~

  “DID YOU LOOK THROUGH HER DISGUISE?” Ashiyo said.

  “Not quite. She is younger, but I couldn’t tell how much. Her disguise spell is different.”

  Ashiyo winced. “I couldn’t either. I guess my spell isn’t perfect. She’s not my type, anyway. I think she is a worthy opponent of Miroshi.”

  “May it not come to that.” They approached the orange rocks. “Feel the power?”

  “Not yet.” In a few more paces he said, “I do now. It sings like an instrument.”

  Shiro smiled. “My first thought. We won’t go further. This will restore our full power before we transport back to the village.” Shiro felt his body synchronize with the nexus and felt the expansion he had before. It soothed him like a hot bath. “It’s time,” Shiro said as he reached out with his hand. He spoke the words and…

  They stood in the front of their little house. Late afternoon in the north had given way to the beginning of twilight in the south. Shiro felt no ill effects.

  “That was easy.”

  “I think you could move the old lady’s house without ill effects.”

  Shiro thought for a moment. “By twos and threes, Ashiyo.”

  “Indeed.” His friend grinned. “Easy.”

  “We’ll visit the witches tomorrow,” Shiro said.

  Chika ran into the yard. “Where have you been this afternoon? The village had a visit from my father’s troops. They have violated the borders of this prefecture, but I’m afraid nothing will be done to stop them.”

  “The witches?” Ashiyo said.

  “They weren’t taken, but the soldiers promised to return tomorrow. I’m afraid you will have to help them.”

  “What about you?” Shiro looked into her eyes.

  “I’m with you. I can’t bear any more of this.”

  “Good. Gather your things. We are leaving tonight,” Shiro said. The timing of everything just became immediate.

  “But they’ll catch us on the road!” Chiba said. “They know about you. The smith left to get them this morning. Something about a shovel.”

&n
bsp; Shiro put his hands to his face. “It’s my fault.”

  “Our fault, I’m afraid,” Ashiyo said. “Shiro tried to sharpen a shovel with his magic and ruined it. Any smith would figure out what happened. He evidently doesn’t like sorcerers.”

  “Or witches,” Chika said as if the words tasted badly. She followed the two men into the house as they gathered their meager belongings.

  They made their way to Yori’s house. “We are leaving town,” Shiro said.

  “I figured that you would. That was nasty business with the ladies. They are shaken up, but I fear for them tomorrow.”

  “We are taking them with us. I won’t tell you where, but we’ll be far from here by the time the soldiers come. I didn’t get much done,” Shiro said.

  Yori bowed to Shiro. “Anything was worth it. Do you need money?”

  Shiro shook his head. “But I thank you for the opportunity to meet you.” They all bowed to each other and the three of them hurried to the witches’ house.

  “I thought you’d never arrive,” Miroshi said.

  “We’ve got good news. I’ve successfully arranged for you to go to the valley in the North Isle.”

  Miroshi shook her head in defeat. “I’m afraid we’ll not be able to travel far enough to avoid the soldiers. Either way around the desert will bring us closer to peril.” She sat down on her porch and put her head in her hands. Sobs shook her. “We’ll never get out of here in time.”

  “What did they do to you?”

  “We are shaken up, is all. No broken bones, but we all have bruises. They broke our furniture and made a mess of things.”

  “How long until you can be ready to leave? I’m transporting you and your possessions to the North Isle. I’d try to take your house, but I’m afraid I’d make a bigger mess of things than the soldiers.”

  Ashiyo laughed. “You are beginning to feel your power, Shiro.”

  “Bundle things up. Ashiyo and I can make as many trips as we need. Who would like to leave right now?”

  Ishura stepped up. “I was leaving with them or without them. Just wait.” She ran into the house and brought out two large bundles wrapped in quilts.

  “How far did you think you’d get carrying those?” Ashiyo said with a grin.