A clattering commotion echoed from the hallway behind her. The demon glanced at her and cocked its head toward the sounds.
Iniru lowered into a fighting stance; the pink towel began to slip. She pointed her sickle at the demon. “Get — away — from — him!”
“I’d run if I were you,” Lu Bei said. “That girl’s big time trouble. Part demon herself, and all killer.”
Foolishly taking his advice, the demon dashed toward the window and leapt outside, fading away into the early night.
“Whew,” Lu Bei said, panting. “Close one. Thanks for the assist, cat-girly.”
Iniru cinched the towel back, and then waved her hands at him. “You too!”
“What?”
Iniru glanced back out into the hallway. “Out the window! Quick or you’ll be seen!”
“Oh, right-o.”
Wings beating, he sped out the window and dove into the bushes. Wait, that heavenly smell? He peeked into the room. Ooh, half a bowl of choice beverage — the Zangaiden mint green he’d dreamed about. He darted in and back out just as other people entered. Hopefully no one had seen him.
He glanced around. The wizard leech was nowhere in sight — it would probably wait until everything died down before making another attempt, once it got over its surprise and realized Iniru was just a k’chasan girl. Hopefully the other six weren’t free. If so, all the wizards in Ekaran would be dead come morning. Only Kahenan was safe, thanks to the demon barrier enchantments on Chonda Tower. And if they weren’t stopped, come the morning after that, half of Ekaran’s Inner Ward, men and women and children, would be dead. And after that …
Loud voices bounced around Turesobei’s bedroom. Lu Bei ignored them. They were imprinted magically into his memory. If he needed to know what was said, he could concentrate and summon up the information. For now, he just wanted to try to take in all that had happened — and drink his tea. With trembling hands, he lifted the bowl to his lips and took a large gulp. Normally, he took his time and savored the experience. Not this time. Sighing, he leaned back against the side of the house and finished off the bowl.
Chapter Four
Enashoma woke groggily to see the strange, little storm-marked demon say something to Iniru, fly outside, dash back in to steal her tea, and then dash back out once more. The tall, lanky shadow demon had vanished. Iniru was dripping water onto the floor and wearing a pink towel that barely covered her sufficiently.
What in Torment was going on?
Enashoma sat up. “Niru, what’s —“
Four armed guards burst into the room. Normally, their house only had one guard, but King Ugara himself had paid for increased security given recent events and Turesobei’s condition. Behind the guards hovered two gray-skinned, zaboko teens: Imi and Shurada, their youngest household servants. Enashoma liked them a lot, though not nearly so much as they liked Turesobei. Enashoma was just as nice to them — probably nicer — but they thought Turesobei was cute, and Enashoma couldn’t compete with that.
Weapons drawn, the guards paced around the room. Their anxiousness quickly turned to confusion.
“What in blazes is the matter?” one said. “We heard a horrible screeching noise.”
Eyeing Enashoma, Iniru shook her head, almost imperceptibly. No one else noticed.
“Nothing, really,” Enashoma said. “I … I fell asleep by accident and had a terrible nightmare and … and when I woke up, Turesobei was glowing and I … freaked out and screamed a bunch. I’m really, really sorry.”
Dubious, the guards narrowed their eyes. One said, “Could’ve sworn I saw … well, something small … go out the window when I came in.” He walked to the window, glanced outside, and muttered to himself. He turned to Iniru. “You got here first …”
“I didn’t see anything,” Iniru said. “You must’ve seen a shadow.”
The guards relaxed … and then noticed what Iniru was wearing — rather, how little she was wearing. Two stared slack-jawed, one turned every shade of crimson, and the fourth spun away and muttered a chastity prayer. Imi and Shurada giggled. Enashoma would’ve done the same, if she hadn’t just seen one demon come out of a book and another out of the wall.
To make matters worse, her mother swept into the room. Distracted by Iniru, the servants and guards bowed too slowly. Wenari’s jaw set, and her eyes narrowed. As always, Enashoma's mother was impeccably attired and made up. Wenari always looked too perfect, as if she were a doll and not real. Seething, Wenari glanced around the room.
“What is the meaning of all this?”
“Sorry, Mother,” Enashoma replied. “I woke screaming from a nightmare, and Turesobei was glowing, you know, like he does. It’s nothing. Everyone’s fine.”
“Everything checks out, madam,” said one of the guards, forcing himself to meet her demanding gaze.
“Enashoma,” her mother sighed, “it is hardly befitting a lady to scream or behave in any such manner. To be so undignified is —”
Wenari shrieked.
Startled, the guards clutched their weapons, while everyone else jumped. Except Iniru, who had been slowly creeping back toward the doorway, trying not to draw attention to herself as she made an escape. But Wenari had spotted her.
“By all the gods, what are you doing in here — naked like that, you — you — harlot?!”
Enashoma cringed all the way down into the core of her being. Why? Why would she say that to anyone who was a guest in her home — especially an assassin?
Iniru’s eyes narrowed. She started to say something but then bit her lip. That actually frightened Enashoma more.
“Get out — everyone!” Wenari commanded. But then she pointed to Enashoma and Iniru. “Not you two.”
The guards and servants hurried out, and Wenari shut the door behind them. She was carefully avoiding looking directly at Iniru. But women were allowed to see each other naked in the baths — how was this different? Because Iniru was a k’chasan … because she had fur and not smooth ivory skin? Yeah, that was probably it. The average baojendari looked down on everyone who was beneath their social station, which included all other races. But Enashoma’s mother made an art of it. She’d only let Iniru into the house in the first place because of Lord Kahenan and King Ugara.
“Mother, Iniru’s only wearing a towel because she heard me screaming. She jumped out of the bath and ran to help. You can ask Imi and Shurada.”
“She should have dressed first.”
Iniru clearly couldn’t take any more of this nonsense. “You would rather me take the time to get dressed and risk having your son and daughter get killed?”
Wenari nodded. “Yes.” And after a moment of Iniru and Enashoma staring at her open-mouthed she added, “We do have guards, you know. Four of them. They were right behind you. Next time, you will let them handle any problems.”
Iniru stepped toward her and snarled, “I am not one of your —”
Enashoma stood, shakily. “Stop!” They both turned to her. “You two are not going to agree on what’s right — ever — so there’s just no point in arguing. Mother, Iniru was doing her best to save us. That’s a good thing. She doesn’t know our rules and ways. How could she, growing up in the rainforests a thousand leagues from here? Just let it go. It was an emergency.”
Wenari stared at them, fuming, then turned and stalked out without another word. She slammed the paneled door shut behind her. Enashoma took Iniru’s hand, which was still shaking as Iniru restrained her anger.
“This is just how she is, Niru. Let it go. We have bigger things to deal with than my mother, don’t you think?”
Sighing, Iniru glanced down at herself. “Everything … important … is covered.”
“Well, just barely. Now, tell me, what was that thing?”
“I don’t know. Never seen anything like it.”
“Not the shadowy demon — the book demon. The one that talked to you, the one that stole my tea.”
“Oh, the fetch. Yeah … you’re not suppos
ed to know about him.”
“You said the book wasn’t dangerous …”
“He’s not really,” Iniru replied. “And he just saved your life, I think.”
The little demon grabbed onto the windowsill and popped his head over. “Saved Master’s life, actually. The demon didn’t care about the young Lady Enashoma.”
“Master?” Enashoma asked.
“He belongs to your brother,” Iniru answered.
The demon tossed the tea bowl to Iniru. “Can I come in?”
Iniru caught the bowl. “Yes, get in here. But stay out of sight!”
The little beast hopped inside and bowed before Enashoma, moving his hand as if he were removing a hat from his head. “Allow me to introduce myself properly, Lady Chonda Enashoma. I am the illustrious, storm-marked, diary-turned-fetch, master of tea blending, recording specialist fetch of Master Chonda Lu — the one and only — Lu Bei.”
He looked up at her expectantly. Was he waiting for applause? Recognition? “Er … hi,” she responded blankly.
With a slight frown, he said, “Hi, indeed. So … you are wanting an explanation, I think.”
“I’d like one, too,” Iniru said. “Where did those sparks come from?”
He tapped the storm mark. “New powers.”
“That why you grew?”
“Indeed.”
“You grew?” Enashoma said with surprise. “How small were you?”
“Pipsqueak’s almost double what he was before,” Iniru replied. “Used to be about the same mass as the book that he turns into.”
“Technically,” he said, “I am a book that turns into a fetch, not the other way around. A common misconception.”
“Common misconception?” Iniru asked. “No one knows about you save Turesobei, Lord Kahenan, Onudaka, and me.”
“I used to be widely known millennia ago.”
“You’re — you’re that old?” Enashoma asked.
Iniru pulled off her pink towel and started drying her hair. “Better give her the whole story, fetch.”
“Aiyee!” The fetch threw his hands over his eyes and muttered, “Madam, that is most indecent. My eyes were not meant for such …”
“Wonders?” Iniru added.
“Hardly,” he replied. “Your scrawny sights are most ordinary.”
Iniru took the towel by one corner, flicked it, and popped Lu Bei in the rear. He hopped forward and started to scream. Enashoma slapped a hand over his mouth. Smiling deviously, Iniru continued toweling off.
“My thanks,” Lu Bei said as Enashoma removed her hand.
“That was mean,” Enashoma scolded, poking him in his soft belly. “Her sights aren’t common, and she’s not scrawny — she’s well-muscled.”
“Thank you, Shoma,” Iniru said. “But don’t sweat it. The fetch and I … we don’t get along.”
“Ours is a working relationship,” said Lu Bei. “It works only because Master says it must.”
“How about that explanation,” Enashoma said.
“Of course, miss. The short of it is: Turesobei, all of the Chonda Clan’s wizards, and this entire city are in danger.”
“How bad?” Iniru asked.
“Bad bad,” Lu Bei replied. “And only the three of us can stop it.”
Chapter Five
The fetch, talking so fast Enashoma could barely keep up, explained who and what he was. He popped back into and out of his diary form and then said, “Any questions?”
“You were created by Chonda Lu, and you went away when he died. You came back by design, but too early — after sleeping for centuries — to guide my brother toward a secret special destiny?”
“Indeed, miss.”
Enashoma chewed on her thumbnail, a habit her mother deplored and griped about constantly. “I’m not sure I trust you.”
Lu Bei puffed out his chest. “As I said, I was made by the founder of your clan — Chonda Lu himself.”
“Exactly. I’ve read my history books. While he was no doubt a great man, one of the best Kaiaru ever to have lived, I’m not certain I would trust him either.”
Lu Bei’s eyes went wide as saucers. “Lady Enashoma! It is an insult to speak so. Your history books know little of the whole picture, I assure you. Anyway, you can trust me. I promise.”
“He does seem trustworthy,” Iniru said, “even if he’s annoying. Lord Kahenan approves of him, anyway.”
“Well, if you’re good enough for my grandfather, you’re good enough for me … for now,” Enashoma said.
“Thank you, miss. Thank you. If I might add, I wanted to meet you most of all.”
“Why is that?”
“Because you are sweet and kind and beautiful beyond compare and, most especially, because you brew your tea properly.”
Enashoma snorted. “Thank you. I noticed you drank all my Orichomo mint tea.”
“Zangaiden mint, my lady.”
“I bought it myself. It’s Orichomo.”
“Did you pay for Orichomo?” Lu Bei asked, and she nodded. “Most unfortunate. Tea merchants … they never change.”
“This danger we have to stop?” Iniru prompted impatiently as she slung the towel back around her midsection.
“The demon is a tukukagi, a wizard leech. Yes, that means pretty much just what you think, cat-girly. How one got loose, I’ve no idea.”
“I’ve never heard of a wizard leech,” Enashoma said dubiously. “Turesobei’s told me about every kind of demon that could possibly get into the city. He used to frighten me that way.”
Lu Bei bobbed his head. “The tukukagi are unique. Master made five of them out of liquid shadow — centuries before we came to Okoro. He intended them to be his ultimate weapons against his worst enemies. But —”
“They didn’t work the way he planned?” Enashoma asked.
“Not exactly. When released, a tukukagi is supposed to attack the nearest wizard or Kaiaru and suck the kenja right out of them while ignoring any other targets. Problem is, after they finish with their intended targets, they don’t stop. They go haywire and start killing anything and everything they can get their claws into — babies and cats, pigs and roaches … everything.”
“That’s awful!” Enashoma said. A pang of worry knotted her stomach. “Wait, what about my grandfather? Won’t he be in danger, too?”
Lu Bei shook his head. “Not at the moment. The things aren’t strong enough to break through the powerful enchantments on Chonda Tower — not yet.”
Iniru’s eyes went wide. “Wait a second, if these things steal the kenja wizards use to work magic, can spells even kill them?“
“Only a truly powerful spell could destroy one,” said Lu Bei, nodding.
“What about white-steel?” Enashoma suggested.
“A tukukagi struck by white-steel would disperse like any other shadow demon. But here’s the brilliant bit: if dispersed, the leech reforms on the next night and resumes its attack. And it will keep coming — night after night, year after year.”
“So how did Chonda Lu stop them?” Iniru asked.
“He developed a secure magic vessel that attracts them … as if the vessel were … well, a tasty wizard. A command orders them back inside.”
“Do you think all of them have been released?” Iniru asked.
Lu Bei sighed. “If one’s out, all of them are out …”
Enashoma frowned. “You think the vessel stopped working?” Lu Bei nodded glumly. “But couldn’t someone have just let a single one out?”
“It’s not impossible, but it is rather unlikely. No one alive knows about the tukukagi. Master only used them once before locking them away. He never spoke of them to anyone. Too much risk. He was afraid the containment vessel might not work a second time.”
“So all the other Chonda wizards are in danger, too,” Iniru said. “We have to notify them immediately, while they still have a chance … if they still have a chance.”
“No,” Lu Bei said authoritatively. “You can’t tell them �
�� you can’t tell anyone.”
“But they might get killed,” Enashoma said.
“Then so be it,” Lu Bei said. “They absolutely cannot find out about the tukukagi. No wizard should know about them.”
Enashoma was horrified. “But why?”
“Because the tukukagi are weapons … terrible, powerful weapons,” Lu Bei said, “and the Chonda Clan is almost at war with the Gawo. Your leaders would never be able to resist setting the tukukagi against the Gawo wizards, but doing so would doom thousands and thousands of innocents.”
Enashoma’s heart dropped into her stomach. This was bigger than anything she’d ever been a part of. The things she said now … the decisions she made … could affect thousands of people. Her heart hammered. Fear swam through her gut. She almost liked the feeling. Whatever she thought, whatever she did, would matter for a change. But this was way too much responsibility … and way too fast.
“Surely Grandfather and King Ugara would realize they shouldn’t be used,” she said.
“I think your grandfather could be trusted … maybe. But he’s unconscious.” Lu Bei shook his head. “But these other wizards … if the clan were desperate, the tukukagi would get used. That’s just how the world works.”
“But what can we do?” Enashoma said.
Lu Bei made a fist and flicked out one finger. “First, we need to get the vessel.” He flicked out another finger. “And second, we must use the command phrase to return the tukukagi back to the vessel.” He tapped his bald head. “Fortunately, I have perfect memory and know the phrase required.” He looked at Enashoma. “You can speak and read Old Tengba Ren, right?”
“I — I take lessons,” she replied, cringing. “I can read and write it very well. But speaking it …”
“No worry, I will teach you how to say it right. That should work. Iniru, you will get the vessel and return here.” He glanced around. “Where’s Sumada?”
“Father’s white-steel sword is in the High Wizard’s Tower.”
Storm Phase Series: Books 1-3 Page 32
