He took a deep breath and looked once more at the corpse. He knew this woman. It was Rin’s maid, Yuri. This has to be a terrible coincidence. He could not look at her blank staring eyes any longer. He looked across the crowd for the captain. He found him with three of his men. He gave a few quick commands and the men went into the crowd, shooing them away.
“Captain Sadao, what happened here? Who did this?” Hikaru asked. His voice shook. No matter how he tried to remain in control, he was terrified. There are enemies among us. He hated himself for it, but his mind jumped to Rin first. She was the only outsider in the palace. He had heard stories all his life about Yokai that tricked humans and caused mischief inside a household. If Yokai were real, he doubted they troubled themselves with humans. Besides, this went beyond some simple mischief, this was murder. He stared at the captain, willing him to implicate anyone other than Rin. He could not imagine her doing such a thing.
“My lord, we are questioning the servants. But it appears her throat was torn out by some beast.”
“An animal did this? How is that possible?” he asked. He felt as if his world had been turned upside down as of late. Nothing made sense anymore. Murder within the castle walls? Because despite the captain’s assessment, Hikaru knew in his gut this was murder. A wild animal could not reach this far into the palace without help.
Captain Sadao’s expression was difficult to gauge. He looked at Hikaru as if he saw past him. He had seen Hikaru vomit at the sight of blood and thought little of him for it, he suspected. Hikaru stood a little straighter in an attempt to look more imposing and worthy of respect, though he feared he was failing at it miserably.
“My lord, perhaps someone let the animal into the palace.”
Hikaru scowled. He had been thinking the same thing. And he sensed the answer was hidden behind the captain’s shuttered expression. “And who would be able to let a wild animal into the palace without anyone noticing? Or without being attacked themselves.”
Captain Sadao’s expression did not change, but he said in a slow deliberate manner, “There have been rumors of Lady Nishimori being seen with a wolf. Perhaps…”
“That is not possible,” Hikaru said and slashed his hand in the air. “She is a lady and a friend of this court. For you to say that is an insult to me and to my family.”
The captain bowed. “I do not mean to offend, my lord.”
But you doubt still. The captain was difficult to read, but Hikaru sensed he knew something about Rin that he was not telling Hikaru. The question was on the tip of Hikaru’s tongue. Who is she really? But he lacked the courage to ask because once the truth was revealed, he could not go back. This sweet torture, taunting himself with the idea of Rin, consumed him and he dared not ruin the fantasy world he had crafted for himself. Captain Sadao looked to Hikaru as if waiting on an order or a response.
“We’ll find this culprit. And if anyone spreads these rumors about Lady Nishimori, I will have them flogged. Is that understood?”
The captain gave him a curt nod. Hikaru turned to storm away, but as he did he saw Rin standing on the veranda that overlooked the garden. Did she hear us arguing? He hoped not, he would hate for her to get the wrong impression about his clan. He hurried up the stairs to her.
“My lady Nishimori, you should turn away. There has been a terrible incident this night.”
She looked past him to the courtyard beyond. She had not changed into her nightclothes and her hair was still styled. He looked at her, trying to imagine her as a powerful witch. He could not see her calling down a curse or unleashing a bloodthirsty beast on an innocent.
He thought once more of that strange woman he had met in the woods. Rin did seem to resemble her, but with each passing day he grew more uncertain. Had that woman been real at all? He wanted to shake himself. There was no such thing as Yokai or witches.
The guards lifted the body up to take it away. Rin’s gaze was transfixed on Yuri. There was no fear in her expression, however, just a sadness, one that spoke of loss and deep sorrow. It seemed impossible, but those eyes seemed to have seen ages beyond imagining, and death was just one painful truth among many.
“Rin.” He touched her gently on the elbow.
She flinched. She looked at him with terror in her eyes.
“I did not mean to frighten you. It is not right for a lady to see such things.”
She gave him a defiant stare. That vulnerable girl disappeared behind a mask.
He shook his head. “I do not mean to insinuate you are delicate. In fact, I am certain you could handle this better than me. There has been some gossip and I would protect you from it. Would you indulge me?”
She tore her eyes away from the garden beyond and he led her away. She walked beside him, and though he wanted to reach out and comfort her, he kept his distance. He did not need to tempt fate any further. He should not even be spending this much time with her. He should have summoned a servant to do such a menial task. Why do I continue to torture myself this way?
When they reached her chamber, he thought he saw something moving within. Could the beast have come here as well?
He held up his hand to stop her from entering. “Do not move. I saw a shadow beyond the doorway. Wait here,” he whispered.
The color drained from her face and her eyes darted to the room. She reached out as if to stop him. But he held her hand between his. Just the touch of her warm skin against his was enough to bolster his confidence.
“Do not worry, I will be fine.”
He slid open the door just enough to let him pass through. Inside the chamber was dark; there was her futon, made up and untouched. She had not slept. He crept into the room and unsheathed his sword. The sleeping platform was pegged in by a reed screen that hung from the ceiling. He walked past the sleeping area to her sitting room. From the corner of his eye, he saw a shadow slip past the open doors leading into the garden. He took a deep breath and approached the garden with his sword raised. Then someone grabbed his hand.
He spun around, his sword at the ready. Rin grinned at him. He lowered his sword.
“Rin, you should not be in here. I saw something in the garden. It may be that beast that killed poor Yuri.”
She shook her head. She took him by the hand and led him out onto the veranda. The shadow he had thought was a monster lurking in the dark turned out to be the bare branches of the tree, cast along the floor by the moonlight. He exhaled.
“I may have overreacted,” he admitted. He laughed to dissipate the awkward tension.
She smiled and brushed her hair behind her ear. It was an innocent gesture, but one that caught his eye and he could not help but wonder if it was done on purpose. She must know his eyes were drawn to every move she made. He wanted to be that hand that could carelessly touch her face. The space between them seem suddenly charged. They were alone in her room, with an empty futon. He swallowed hard. How can I be thinking about this when there is a woman who has just lost her life? The worst part was he knew if he made any attempt, she would accept, and that thought sat like a stone in his stomach.
Rin moved closer, her lips parted in an enticing way.
He stepped back. “I should go.”
He rushed out of the room before he could change his mind. He hurried back to his room, ignoring his brothers’ jibes and the questions from his relatives. He slammed his door behind him and slid down the wall. He rested his head on his palms and a shaking laugh escaped his lips. Either I am a fool, or I have too much honor. I do not know any longer.
11
Rin slid out of the silk layers of her kimono. She had sent away the new maid, who tried to undress her. The feel of unfamiliar hands made her skin crawl. She kept thinking about poor Yuri, killed by a Yokai, she was certain. And as much as she wanted to pretend she did not care about the humans, she felt guilty for the girl’s death. And now the servants watched her as if she were about to grow a third eye and sharp pointed teeth. I cannot stand this. Footsteps thumped on the gr
ound and she spun around, clutching the silken fabric to her chest to conceal her naked body.
Shin looked her up and down slowly, starting with her feet and heading up. She scowled and pulled a hairpin from her hair. It had a sharp point. She spun it towards him, and it flipped over and over before grazing his ear as he dodged it. It embedded in the wall behind him.
“Don’t stop on my account,” he said with a barking laugh.
Rin snatched up her sleeping gown and went behind the privacy screen to finish dressing. I am going to get you for this, Shin, just you wait.
When she emerged from the other side of the screen, she found Shin lounging on her futon, twirling a scroll in his hand. She crossed her arms over her chest and made a gesture with her hand, indicating he should explain his presence. I had hoped he would not come back. I suppose it was too much to hope for.
“I’ve been intercepting messengers,” he said, showing her the scroll. “Lord Kaedemori is not very trusting. But no need to worry, when a third came through in a week, I knew he would not be sated until he had an answer. I used all my forgery skills to send a letter explaining your presence. It should appease them until we can find a way to break this curse.”
Rin rolled her eyes. He could be so arrogant. She plucked the scroll from Shin’s hand and skimmed it over. He was not mistaken. It seemed Lord Kaedemori was more suspicious of her than she initially thought. I will need to move quickly, before he gets it in his head to do something more drastic than writing a letter. She took the document over to a brazier and held it to the flames. The fire caught and curled up the paper before she dropped it inside, destroying the evidence.
“Before you ask, no, I have not found out anything about breaking your curse, but do not fear, I will find the answer soon enough.” He sat on her futon and grinned at her. She gave him a halfhearted smile. She knew he was trying to stay positive for her. But without knowing anything about the spell, it would be difficult for him to find any way of helping her. She hoped he would go on a wild-goose chase while she worked on ending the treaty. She had not accounted for how damnably persistent Shin could be.
He continued, “I tried going to Akio for help, but he would not even let me through the forest. What did you do to anger him?”
She shrugged her shoulders and plopped down next to Shin. Go back to the Dragon’s palace. You’ll be safe there. She couldn’t say that, of course, and Shin was too stubborn to realize when he was in the way. Hikaru had almost seen him tonight. She sighed and flopped back on her futon. Shin hogged up most of the space, making it difficult to get comfortable. She elbowed him and kicked until they were lying side by side. Their hands brushed against one another and he pulled back. She rolled over to face him. She raised a brow in question. There’s something you’re not telling me.
“I could get used to the quiet,” he said. “You were always blathering on before.”
She slapped him playfully on the arm.
He laughed and the vibrations rolled over Rin. His laughter subsided and they stared up at the ceiling for a few moments. It was nice, almost as if things were back to normal.
“The Dragon returned to the palace. That’s the reason it took me so long to return.”
Rin sat up and stared at Shin with wide eyes. Please say you did not tell him I was turned into a human. I could not face the humiliation.
“I covered for you; he doesn’t know anything about this,” he said, responding to her unspoken question. He would not look at her.
He’s holding back. She tugged on his ear.
He pretended it hurt, yowling in mock pain. Rin gave him another playful swat. Grow up, you big baby.
He chuckled and then sighed before saying, “He’s not the same. He’s been moping around the palace. He won’t eat or sleep. Something’s happened.” He looked at Rin from the corner of his eye. “Do you know anything about it?”
Her stomach constricted. It would be vain to think the Dragon is pining for me. Rin closed her eyes. When I get back to the way I was, I’ll have to face him. But everything is different now. I cannot go back to where I was, not with the court’s judgmental looks and their whispers. She wasn’t sure which was a worse fate: living out a brief human existence, or an eternity trapped with gossiping Yokai intent on ruining her reputation more than she had already.
She covered her eyes with her arm. Shin drummed his fingers along it, and she lowered it and peeked up at him.
“You’re being overdramatic again. Why not go to him?”
Rin tried to laugh, but no sound came out. She rolled over and punched the futon in frustration. The witch had a powerful curse. She never knew how much she would miss her ability to speak until it was gone. Or how demoralizing it would be to not be able to utter a single sound. Shin grabbed her wrist to stop her from punching. She panted as he gently lowered her fist.
“I’ll find a way to break your curse, I promise, and then you can go back to the Dragon.”
She touched his face, stroking his cheek, and smiled. You’ve always been there for me. What would I do without a friend like you?
He turned away from her touch. “Go to bed, Rin. I’ll watch over you while you sleep.”
She shook her head and tugged him down on the futon beside her. She draped his arm around her waist and snuggled up close. Just like when we were kids. He always used to sneak into my bed whenever it thundered. I miss those days. They were much simpler.
He coughed. “Rin, we’re not little kids anymore. What if I took advantage of you?”
She twisted around to press her finger to his lips, and shook her head. You would never dare. We’re friends and I love you like a brother. She knew he could not read her thoughts, but she thought the message was clear.
He huffed. “You’re right, you’re the one woman I could never take advantage of. You’re too stubborn.”
She ignored him and listened to his breathing. The steady in and out made her drowsy and her eyelids sagged. For just a little while she wanted to forget about the curse, forget about Hikaru and his damn honor.
Shin wriggled behind her. She peeked an eye open. There was something on his mind. She could not ask him directly, so she had to settle for him being ready to tell her. After a few moments of silence, he said, “I smelled blood. A human died here tonight and they were killed by a Yokai. You’re not safe here.”
I know and that’s what scares me. Because I can’t leave, the witch’s spell won’t let me.
The restless energy in the palace kept Hotaru awake. Through the thin walls he heard the muttered conversations between his relatives, who were terrified there was a murderer in their midst. Whispers had exploded in the palace moments after the scream. Second and thirdhand accounts were being tossed about, without substance or proof. But Hotaru had a sinking feeling they were right. It has to be that woman, the one pretending to be Lady Nishimori. We’ve never had this happen before; it cannot be mere coincidence. Waiting for more information gave him cause to fidget. He folded and unfolded his arms for the tenth time in the past few minutes. Then he saw the shadow outside his door. He stood, too eager to pretend he hadn’t been anticipating bad news.
“Come in,” Hotaru said.
Rokuro bowed from the waist as he entered. Hotaru clutched his hands at his sides with difficulty. The lieutenant knelt low at Hotaru’s feet and he waved his hand to dispatch with ceremony.
“Tell me, Rokuro, are the rumors true?” Hotaru asked.
“Yes, my lord, Lady Nishimori’s maid was killed—they say by a wild animal.”
Hotaru heard the doubt, the accusation. The rumors about Lady Nishimori were rampant, and now with blood on the ground, the clan would be even more terrified than before.
He swallowed hard and folded his arms over his chest to hide their shaking. He felt like he was living in a nightmare. How could Hikaru do this to them? By bringing that woman, no, that monster, into the clan, Hikaru had endangered them all. He never would have let this happen. He had seen what she
was from the start—inhuman, dangerous. If he was in charge, he would have expelled her from the palace. Why his father had allowed her to stay, he could not understand. It was probably a fatherly indulgence to his heir, but this favoritism could ruin them all. Nothing had been the same since Hikaru brought that woman into the castle. His brother was obviously under her spell. How else could he be so blind to her otherness? This must be her revenge. Sayuri’s taint still clouds the palace and left its mark on Father. Hikaru cannot rule; no child of hers would be fit to lead the clan.
“Have they found the creature that did this?” Hotaru asked as a formality. He knew the beast was resting comfortably in her chambers, waiting for her next victim.
“No, my lord.” He clamped his lips shut; there was more to it he would not say. Hotaru saw the truth written in his expression. He liked Rokuro, he was a good lieutenant, and the men respected him. Hotaru also knew he was loyal to him alone, a valuable trait in a man.
“But you have doubts?”
Rokuro nodded slowly, eyes focused on the ground. Hotaru could see how it pained him to speak against his superiors.
“Do not hold anything back,” Hotaru said, coaxing him into expanding on his previous statement.
“My men have reported seeing a wolf going in and out of Lady Nishimori’s chambers late at night. We’ve investigated time and again, but each time we find nothing, not even a footprint. We believe she may have something to do with the girl’s death.”
This confirmed his own suspicions, but he did not want to appear overeager to accuse her. “What would she have against her maid?”
The warrior looked around the room as if he expected the walls to have ears. And he supposed in some ways the walls did. Spies abounded; Hotaru was not the first second son to aspire to greater things. He focused instead on the warrior in front of him.
Kitsune: A Little Mermaid Retelling Page 9
