Tengoku Page 3

  “Is it because I don’t have a mon to show?” she asked, with a tinge of apprehension. “I know most cities aren’t exactly welcoming to those without a clan or a master, but I thought Mirai was different.”

  “Mirai is different. You wouldn’t be the first to come here for that reason.” The smirk on Lady Homura’s face grew bigger. “But I have to admit, you’re the most memorable visitor I've met so far, and not just because of the wolf-clan who travels with you. That's why I wanted to talk to you.”

  Kaede gulped. The castle drew nearer, and she feared Lady Homura would lead her there. When she had come to Mirai, she certainly hadn’t planned on visiting its daimyo, especially not in dirty clothes and smelling like the countryside. "You aren't taking me to see Lord Homura, are you? Surely a daimyo of his status doesn't need to concern himself with petty scuffles."

  Lady Homura shook her head. "I would hardly call it a petty scuffle, but no, I'm not taking you to see my father yet. I think I'd like to keep you to myself for a while longer. This way." She gestured ahead of them, not at the castle, but to a wide street running along the outer wall of the daimyo’s residence.

  Once they turned, the branches of the ume trees lining the road closed above their heads. The dark-rose and pastel-pink petals placed a curious shade upon the ground, blocking some of the sunlight and carrying a sweet scent. Walled-off houses stood on either side, curving with the street. The bustle of the market faded away, leaving a peaceful sort of silence.

  Lady Homura moved to one of the first houses with its own moderately raised wall some short distance away. "I've decided to put you up in the Hibana household for a few nights. The Hibana brothers are two of my closest friends. They won't mind hosting you as a favor to me."

  Kaede took a closer look. Past the bending boughs of the overhanging trees that skirted the top of the wall, she could make out a large, three-roofed house beyond. With a wall like that, and so close to the castle, these Hibana brothers had to be important. "That's incredibly kind of you, Lady Homura, but it isn't necessary. I'm just glad you didn't have me thrown out of the city. I know I don't have a mon at present, but I can afford to pay for my own lodgings."

  Lady Homura waved her off. "Nonsense. As of right now, you're officially my guest. Think of it as repayment for the rude welcome Kato-san gave you. One of my father's samurai really should’ve known better. Please, allow me to correct his mistake."

  Kaede started to protest once more, but Rin spoke up first. "Say yes, Kaede. It's the polite thing to do, and you need at least one proper night of rest."

  "All right.” She sighed, giving Rin an affectionate scratch behind her ears. “Thank you, Lady Homura. Your generosity is appreciated, and I'll be sure to extend my thanks to the Hibana brothers for housing me when I have the pleasure of meeting them."

  "You've already met one of them, in a way," Lady Homura said. "Hibana Takeshi, the older of the two, was standing beside me while I watched your duel. He has a protective streak, but he isn’t as unreasonable as most karo."

  Kaede remembered the tall, dark-haired samurai who had acted as Lady Homura's escort. Takeshi had looked awfully young to be an adviser to Lord Homura, but it wasn't her place to question. He couldn't have been more than a few years older than she and Lady Homura were.

  Her musings were cut short when they arrived at the entrance to the house, a grand affair with an impressive square archway that led into a lovely green garden. "This way," Lady Homura said. “Hibana Kenta should be around. I’ll introduce you.”

  When they passed through the entryway into the courtyard, a man hurried out to greet them. He was tall, with broad shoulders and large muscles, but his bright eyes and slightly chubby face made him seem anything but intimidating. From his clothes and blades, Kaede could tell he was a samurai like his brother.

  "Imari!" he said, offering Lady Homura a wide smile on his way.

  Kaede glanced over at the daimyo’s daughter in surprise. Imari? So, that's her given name. Pretty.

  Noticing the two other figures, Kenta stopped, giving one of the most energetic bows Kaede had ever seen. "I mean, Homura-dono! I saw you coming up the path. Who is this? A wolf?" He gaped at Rin, not even trying to conceal his stare.

  "You’re happy as ever, I see," Lady Homura said with a laugh. "This is Iori Kaede, and her companion, Rin. If it's no trouble, I'd appreciate it if you'd let them stay in your household for a few nights. They're new to Mirai, and in need of a friendly atmosphere."

  "Well, friendly is my taken name!" Kenta said, resting a flat palm against his chest. "Nice to meet you, Iori Kaede. I'm Hibana Kenta, but my lady probably already told you that." He resumed gawking at Rin, who faced him eye to eye. "So, how long have you been traveling with a wolf-clan yokai? How did you get him to stay with you?"

  "You mean she,” Kaede said.

  "And she can speak for herself.” To Kaede's relief, Rin didn't appear threatened by Kenta's enthusiasm. In fact, she seemed amused by his interest in her. "I think I like you, human. At least your greetings are friendlier than some of the others we’ve received in this city."

  "I'm sorry if I offended you. Some yokai live in the mountains around the city, but they usually don’t come close enough to talk to the humans here. I knew some of you could speak, but…it's just…you're a talking wolf! You're so lucky to have such a strong connection with spirits, Iori-san. Have they always followed you around, or is Rin-sama special?"

  That question hit a bit too close to home. Kaede fumbled for an answer, unwilling to reveal too much. Kenta seemed friendly, but the last thing she wanted to do was talk about the mess she had left behind. "Rin's special." Kaede gave the wolf a fond look. "I've never met another like her, yokai or otherwise." That statement was true enough, even though it wasn't an entirely honest answer.

  Thankfully, Kenta didn't pry. "So, Rin-sama, what do you eat? Do yokai even need to eat? I can show you where the kitchen is if you're hungry."

  As Kenta continued rambling, Kaede's gaze wandered back to Imari. She had stepped back, observing the lively conversation with interest. The sight made Kaede strangely uncomfortable, although she couldn't put her finger on why.

  "Thank you, Homura-dono," she murmured, in a softer voice so Imari would know the words were meant only for her. "You could’ve thrown me out of the city or had me arrested after what happened, but instead, you've been nothing but welcoming. I don't know why you've taken an interest in me, but I'm grateful. If there's any way I can repay your kindness."

  "There might be," Imari said, studying her with sharp eyes. "The two of us can discuss it in private tomorrow. For now, I want you to eat and get some rest. You will be well taken care of here until I can meet with you again."

  Kaede's heart sank at Imari's words. The two of them didn't know each other, and she had suspected Lady Homura's interest in her wasn't idle curiosity but hearing it confirmed was strangely disappointing. I guess it's always the same. Every time someone shows me kindness, they always want something from me in return. Hopefully, whatever Lady Homura wants is something I can easily give.

  ***

  Hayate approached the mouth of the cave with slow, steady steps, his eyes tracking along the ground. The crisp layer of snow should have been white, but instead it was stained with sluggish rivers of red and black. Droplets fell from the point of his katana, hissing as they hit the top layer of frost and leaving a dark, dotted trail alongside his footprints.

  From a short distance away, a patient set of eyes followed his progress. Kaze had slipped away as soon as the fight had begun, but he hadn't wandered far. Hayate could feel the wolf watching, as well as his friend's disapproval. It weighed heavily on his shoulders. Kaze was his beloved companion, but Setsuna held his fate—the fate of the whole kingdom. His loyalty to her had to come first.

  He arrived at the black mouth of the cave but didn't enter immediately. Instead, he looked back over his shoulder at the battlefield he had crossed. The few Yukimura samurai who hadn’t been
hurt tended the injured, but the “lucky” survivors didn't look well off. Some were missing limbs, and others sat in fresh pools of blood and snow—and those were the ones who weren't dead. One of the banners had been broken in the fight, and the painted piece of cloth lay crumpled atop the snow. Three pinecones in a white circle on a green field, one of the most ancient mons in Akatsuki Teikoku, the Empire of the Dawn, had been stained red. Not a good omen.

  Hayate squared his shoulders. Any pity he felt was worthless. A distraction. Their deaths were regrettable but necessary. There was nothing he could do. With a slow blink to regain his focus, he turned his attention to the other corpse on the ground. The bear's massive form lay heavy and crumpled against the cold grey stone. Life had already left its body, but its great head and the giant cudgels of its paws were a reminder of the power it possessed. The open wounds slashing across the creature’s belly and sides still smoked, and thick, oily trails of black blood leaked onto the cave floor.

  He made to move past it, wincing as the gashes along his arm stung in response. The fangs of the bear-clan had ripped through his sleeve, and he could feel the bite of cold air on his wounds. Not too high a price to pay for the final blow that had spared many of his warriors. He would need some heavy bandages once he arrived back at the city, but more importantly, he would need to cleanse the wound.

  "Another failure." The low voice made Hayate’s head jerk up. Setsuna stood at his shoulder, staring down at the bear with similar intensity. The dim light filtering in through the mouth of the cave made the angles of her gaunt face look sharper than usual. Her kimono was a dark shade of blue and her hair was done up in an older, more traditional fan. Pinned to one side was a kanzashi, flower-shaped, and its light blue petals protected a milky-white pearl at its center. It gleamed, drawing Hayate’s eyes as she spoke again. "This one was too weak."

  Hayate pursed his lips. "The men or the yokai?"

  "Both, perhaps." Setsuna knelt to study the butchered bear more closely. "The process corrupted this one. Maybe your warriors weren't strong enough, or maybe the yokai was unwilling."

  The words made Hayate falter. He understood the importance of sacrifice, but that hadn't made watching such destruction any easier. He sighed, exhaling a stream of breath from his mouth. "There has to be a better way to do this. Not a single yokai has survived the trial so far, and we lose more men each time we try."

  "Then we haven't been using the right methods." Setsuna turned toward the mouth of the cave, and Hayate thought he saw something like sadness on her face. The expression strengthened his own resolve. If Setsuna saw something worthy in this despite the sacrifices, surely she had to be right.

  As if she could read his mind, she stood and put a hand on his shoulder. "I know watching these failures is difficult, Hayate, but this goal is too important to give up on. The yokai have always served humans they deem worthy. If our entire society could benefit from their powers, just think of the possibilities. As the shogun of the northern provinces, it is my duty to harness that power for our betterment."

  Still, Hayate couldn’t forget the body lying on the ground or those of his men outside. "I understand, but what if it isn't possible? Only legends exist of humans bringing yokai under their control. What we're trying to accomplish is important, but with just stories to go on—"

  Setsuna pressed her lips together in agitation. She was not an emotive person, and the rare display of impatience gave Hayate pause. "I know these past few weeks of failure have been difficult, but that doesn’t mean our goal is impossible. Perhaps it is time to seek out my prodigal niece again and put her back on the right path. She may be the key to our success."

  Once again, Hayate's doubts crept in. His failure to capture Kaede during her escape from Yukimura weeks ago, weighed on him, but he was nervous for other reasons as well. "You don't know for certain that Kaede can do this." He pointed at the spirit’s corpse. "And even if she can, do you really want to see her like that? She was precious to you once." Perhaps even more precious than me.

  "Spirits are drawn to her like no one else I have ever seen. I know she has some power over them. But then she grew short sighted. The first failure left her shaken. After the second, she ran. She was immature, incapable of understanding the importance of what we're doing."

  From Setsuna's tone, Hayate could tell it was a warning. For what felt like the thousandth time, he forced down his doubts. "Of course, if you think Kaede is vital to our success, perhaps I should retrieve her."

  He received a pleased nod, yet Setsuna’s gaze remained focused on something far away. "I was just about to suggest that. You're right in that we can't afford to sacrifice any more people or waste any more time."

  Hayate turned away to conceal his frown, removing the cloth tucked in his obi to wipe away the blood dripping from his katana. The slight movement aggravated the open wound along his arm, and he flinched, fighting away the stinging memory of the bear spirit’s teeth.

  A strong hand clasped his other shoulder, urging him to stop. “Come. Let me cleanse your wound before it gets infected.” Hayate tensed, preparing to argue, but Setsuna continued. “I will not allow my son be put in danger because of careless, unnecessary bravery.” Her face wasn’t gaunt anymore, but tender. “You will leave in the morning, after a good night’s rest.”

  He bowed his head, obeying her as he always did. “As you wish, Okaa-sama.”

  Chapter Three

  TAP. SCRRRRAPE.

  “IMARI!”

  TAP. Scrrrrape.

  Imari yawned, reaching up to rub her blurry eyes before she realized she was using the wrong arm. With a sigh, she lowered it and switched. Sometimes she still forgot, even three years later. Her dreams had been of dragons and fire, but they filled her heart with hope. If she was lucky, Iori Kaede’s arrival in Mirai might lead to several interesting possibilities, and perhaps even a solution.

  Tap. Scrrrrape.

  “Imari, wake up!”

  Although alone, Imari recognized the noise and the voice calling out to her. She left her futon, tightening the sash of her soft sleeping yukata. It was a little looser than she would have liked, but tying it properly with only one hand would take more effort than she cared to put in. “Coming,” she called. The balcony door was open, and although the sun hadn’t risen, she could make out a figure in the garden below.

  Unfortunately, it didn’t seem as though her early-morning guest had seen or heard her. A pebble flew by her head, and she barely managed to duck out of the way in time. “Kenta, stop throwing pebbles. The door’s already open.”

  Kenta cleared his throat in embarrassment. “Oops. Probably should have checked first, huh?”

  “Probably.” Imari scanned the gardens below. From the looks of it, Kenta appeared to be alone. “Takeshi isn’t with you, is he?”

  “Nope. He’s back at the house to keep an eye on things.”

  Imari sighed. By “things,” Kenta surely meant Kaede. She had known Takeshi wouldn’t approve of Kaede’s presence in his home, but she also knew he was far too polite to object. At worst, his behavior would be slightly stiff and formal. “That’s no surprise. He hates the thought of anything that could put me in danger.”

  “That’s exactly what he said this morning.” Kenta pushed a hand through his hair to make it stand up more like Takeshi's. “‘I don’t see why Imari is paying attention to this ronin.’” He jutted out his jaw in pretend annoyance as he imitated his brother. “‘What do we know about her, anyway? She could’ve been thrown out of her clan for failing her last master, or worse. And that wolf spirit. Its jaws are bigger than Imari’s head!’”

  It was a fairly good impression, and Imari laughed. “I’ll talk to him.”

  Kenta gave an apologetic shrug. “Better you than me. For an adviser, he isn’t always the best listener, especially when it’s his younger brother talking.”

  “He doesn’t always listen to me either, you know,” Imari pointed out with a snort of sympathy. “I’m
lucky he agreed to stay behind and calm the crowd yesterday afternoon instead of following Iori-san everywhere, trying to look intimidating.”

  Kenta shrugged. “If you need a break from the whole ‘protective older brother’ thing, you can always train with me. You know I’ve got the time.”

  “I did train with you,” Imari reminded him. “The day before yesterday, as a matter of fact.”

  “I know, it’s just…you’re always so busy lately.” His smile faltered, and Imari caught a glimpse of sadness in his brown eyes. “I miss how it used to be, you know? Just the three of us, before the engagement ended and you started acting like a proper heir, spending all your time in the library.”

  Imari bent further over the railing so Kenta could see more of her face. As much as she enjoyed the library, she did feel a pang of wistfulness for the days before her injury, when she hadn’t been quite so devoted to her studies. “I miss it too, Kenta, but at least things are getting a bit more exciting around here, huh? Between Iori-san and Rin, I have a feeling the next few days are going to be entertaining.”

  Kenta seemed to brighten at the reminder. “Yeah. Do you think wolf yokai play fetch? Or do you think Rin-sama lets Iori-san ride her? She’s definitely big enough.”

  “You’ll have to ask them,” Imari laughed. Although she had long since accepted the responsibilities that came with being the heir apparent to Mirai and was eager to take on more of her father's duties, she knew Kenta felt differently. He was much more of a free spirit, and preferred playing his shamisen or tending his garden to most other activities.

  “And you’ll get the chance, too. I’m taking you off guard duty for the next few days. Your new job is to keep Iori-san company and get her accustomed to Mirai.”

  “Friendly tour guide!” he said with a grin. “Got it. You can count on me. But what about you? You could use a break, too. Being in the library so often, sometimes I wonder if you ever sleep."