I gulped audibly, memories of Sabine's friend lying in the dirt stabbing me in the heart. I hadn't even thought of her when I got the hell out of Dodge. Hopefully, she didn't get eaten. "They must be late for class, too. C'mon, Roki. I don't want to get yelled at."
"Since when?"
I grabbed his hand and pulled him through the front door, practically dragging him down the hall and into our classroom.
"Miss Tanaka, so good of you to join us." Welheim sounded a little too pleased with herself. "Unfortunately, the headmaster would like to see the both of you in his office. Discreetly," she whispered, still loud enough for the rest of the class to hear. I knew because the first three rows started snickering.
Roki pulled his hand from my grasp. "A walk?"
"Yes. We should go for a walk. To the headmaster's office. Apparently."
He stiffly turned and headed for the door. I meekly followed, grabbing the back of his jacket in my fingers, subserviently, letting him lead the way. When he opened the door, the twins and David were already standing there.
"You are to follow us–."
"To the headmaster's office. Already got the memo."
The twins turned and started walking, Roki following without question as David gave me a sad, somewhat disgusted look. "Why? All you had to do was stay away." He turned and shook his head, staying by my side, probably to ensure I didn't run. I won't lie, I kind of wanted to. A lot.
"I was drunk and ended up there. It wasn't like I was planning on ending up at the cave." I think.
"You have no idea what could have happened…"
Yeah. I kind of do. In fact, I already did. "I know."
"No. You don't."
I let it go. David's anger was probably nothing compared to what probably awaited me at the hands, claws, whatever of Uncle Tatsuo. I bet he was regretting his decision of talking my parents into sending me to Aesir Academy. If I hadn't already doomed the world to destruction. Then I might be the last of his worries.
"Sorry," I said meekly and reached for him with my free hand. As soon as I touched his arm, he pulled away and sped up, trailing behind the twins in front of Hiroki.
"Do not run," Roki whispered. "It will only make things worse. I assume you went to the cave?"
"No. But that's where I ended up. It wasn't planned."
"It usually never is with you. I will protect you if it is in my ability."
"No. This time you take care of yourself," I whispered. He'd caught enough shit for my behavior. This was the biggest fuckup of my lifetime. Anybody's lifetime, probably. I'd take the heat.
We walked in silence until we reached the double wooden doors of Tatsuo's office. Without so much as a knock, the twins each pulled one open, motioning for us to enter. Sabine and her mother were standing off to the side and my uncle sat behind his desk, looking very unhappy.
I opened my mouth to unleash a tirade of apologies when he held up his hand for silence. "Do you know what is in that cave?"
I nodded.
"You remember the stories I told you as a child?"
I nodded again, not trusting my voice to answer.
"Do you understand what you could have unleashed upon this world?"
"I do." I managed to get the words past my trembling lips.
"Good. Luckily he still sleeps…"
Uh… Maybe I should tell him. I should tell him. I can't tell him. He'll kill me. "Whew. That was a close one."
He narrowed his eyes at me. "Yes. Too close. How did you realize who slumbered in the temple? Was it the engravings that gave it away?"
"Yep. Totally. Saw the little wolves and I was like, 'Fenrir lives here.'"
"There are no engravings. Perhaps it was something else. Maybe the book on the altar? You remember it from my description don't you."
"Yep. That was it. I must have imagined the wolves."
"There was no book, Kaede. How did you know?"
Slick old bastard. I sighed. "He spoke to me." Might as well come clean.
There was an eruption of noise in the office as everyone but David, Hiroki, and Uncle Tatsuo started yelling at the top of their lungs. The headmaster just stared at me the entire time.
"This is horrible. She must be punished! If she has undone all that we have strived to do for all of these centuries…"
He held up his hand and everyone quieted down. "Has he spoken to you since you left the cave?"
I shook my head.
"Kaede…"
"Honest kitsune, Uncle. He hasn't." I held up my hand and made a Vulcan gesture.
"One would assume he has gone back to sleep. Kaede, if you ever go near that cave again…"
"Not gonna happen in this kitsune's lifetime. His spiritual energy was…he engulfed me. I was lucky to get out of there alive. And I also promise it wasn't my intent to go there. I was a little upset with Sabine trying to eat me last night, so I went for a walk. I just happened to end up there, I swear."
Everyone looked at Sabine. She started turning red and sputtering. "She…she…"
Uncle Tatsuo closed his eyes and snapped his fingers. A shiver ran down my spine, and judging from everyone else in the room, so did theirs. "Gag order is now in effect on everyone in this room, since Kaede just admitted to her true nature. That should spare us from any other incorrect, yet whimsical, guesses in the future.
Wanting to change the subject, I asked Sabine, "Is your friend okay?" I'd only meant it half teasingly. I really did feel kind of bad for leaving her behind."
"Like you fucking care! What the fuck did you do to her?"
"Got out of the way. She hit the wall pretty darn hard. I felt bad for leaving her there, but Fenrir scared the piss out of me. Tell her I'm sorry."
"That is very gracious of you, Kaede," Uncle Tatsuo said with a nod.
"You're taking her side?" Sabine stared at him incredulously.
"If I recall correctly, it was I who said we should tell her what was in the cave to begin with. It was the four guardians who said we should not." He paused to look around the room at the four Laterans. Remy gave him a nod. "Had she known who was enshrined there, she would not have set one paw in there. Had one of you," he paused to stare at Sabine, "Not been so careless with travelling to the cave, she would not have known where it was to begin with. So, yes. I am taking her side. You do not understand the kitsune like I do. It was almost as if you did everything in your powers to lure her there. Next time maybe you should heed my advice."
I resisted the urge to cheer.
"Everyone may leave now," he said angrily. I turned tail to run. "Not you, Kaede. Sit. Hiroki, you may stay if you wish."
"Hai."
"This is ridiculous. She almost ended the world and she's not even in trouble!"
"Sabine!" Her mother tried to warn her.
Too late. Uncle Tatsuo stood behind his desk, eyes smoldering with fire. His shadow slid up the wall and changed shape, wings fanning out and darkening the room. In an unearthly voice, he growled in his chest. The assistant headmistress stepped in front of her daughter. "Forgive her impudence," she said and bowed her head.
The room brightened as his shadow slid back behind him, returning to the shape of plain old Uncle Tatsuo in his robes. "That is all, Isabella."
She nodded, turned, and ushered her children and David from the room. David didn't even look at me as he left.
As soon as the doors were closed, Uncle Tatsuo waved his hand and they locked behind them. With another wave of his hand, the spiritual power surrounding us coalesced into a shield. He stared at me intently as it settled into place.
"What?"
"Just making sure the connection to Fenrir was severed and he wasn't eavesdropping in his sleep. Did you feel anything when I sealed the room?"
"No? Should I have?"
"Just a precaution. I trust you had the shit scared out of you and all of that was not just an act?"
"No friggin' way. You were right. I wish you had told me what was in there. I remember the story."
"There is more to it. Do you wish to hear it?"
"Is it bad?"
"No. But it might explain everybody's roles a little better."
"Then yes?"
"You remember the three children of Loki?"
"Fenrir, Jormungandr, and Hel?"
"Yes. Very good. Fenrir you met. Unfortunately. What do you remember of Jormundandr?"
"The dragon that encircles the world. When he grows large enough, Fenrir wakes and destroys the earth in Ragnarok."
"Yes. And Hel?"
"The god of the underworld."
"Goddess actually."
"My bad," I said with a grin, impressed at how much I had remembered. "But what does that have to do with all of you?"
"What I did not tell you is that each of the children of Loki are the progenitors of their own races…"
"Dragons? You?"
"A descendant, nothing more. As are the rest of the dragons who live in the mountains above the school."
"But you're Japanese?"
He chuckled. "And if I were human, I would be Japanese and look nothing like my Icelandic cousins. Yet we are all dragons."
"True. Let me guess, werewolves are descended from Fenrir?"
"You are right. I assume you know what David is?"
"Yes."
"Yet you did not guess."
"No. We all agreed not to."
"Admirable. Can you guess the descendants of Hel?"
"The big doggies?"
This time his laughter was more relaxed. "Yes. The big doggies. You do not know what they are, do you?"
"Nope."
"Think on it."
"Yeah. I suck at stuff like that. Can you just tell me?"
He sighed but nodded. "Hounds. Hounds of Hel. Hellhounds you would call them."
"No shit."
"I would not lie."
"It's all of them. The Laterans and Sabine's friends?"
"One of them. The other is a wolf like young David."
"Why are they all here? Because of Fenrir?"
"As am I. The school serves two purposes. To train supernatural youth to blend in. That part is factual. The second duty is to keep Ragnarok from becoming a reality."
"What about Jormungandr?"
"Vanished. After the first Ouroboros. The progeny of the Children of Loki managed to subdue Fenrir, but the losses were great. His body and soul split, and one of them sealed beneath the shrine for thousands of years, but he stirs. And is fitful."
"I know. I could feel it."
"What did he say to you?"
"He asked me my name."
Tatsuo frowned and stroked his chin. "Did you give it to him?"
"I tried not to. I told him it was Sabine, but he saw right through that lie and knew my real name."
"He could probably smell it on you."
"He felt angry and comforting at the same time. It was weird."
"There is no greater comfort than death, Kaede."
I shuddered at the morbid thought. "You have all been in the cave. Has he never spoken to any of you?"
"No. We are too akin to him for him to notice. It is why I did not want you to enter the cave. You are also a spiritual messenger. A being created by the gods for the gods. You are lucky he did not use you as a vessel."
"Like an aircraft carrier?"
"No. Like a suit of skin for him to walk around in. He would have devoured you and replaced your consciousness with his."
"Oh. That kind of vessel."
"Kaede-sama…"
We both turned and looked at Hiroki. "Yes?"
"Do not go into that cave again…"
"I won't."
"Do you promise?"
"I do. Cross my heart and hope to not…become a skin suit."
Chapter 14
"Very good, Kaede. You're only a couple cents off."
I looked up from the dummy check register to Professor Jones. She was our very human accounting instructor and one of the nicest people I had ever met. It was one of the few classes I enjoyed. I didn't even balk at the idea of filling out a check register. I didn't have the heart to break it to the rest of the class that online banking basically did all of it for you.
"Thank you."
"See if you can figure out where you made a mistake with your debits. Don't go crazy though, it is only a couple of cents. We'll just call that savings," she said and gave me a wink before looking over Hiroki's shoulder. He was practically beaming at me.
My day had started out shitty, but quickly turned around. Uncle Tatsuo had practically let me off the hook with a stern warning. Everything was copasetic between Hiroki and I, Sabine got yelled at, I didn't completely wake up a god, and Hiroki was proud of me. Now if I could just get David to forgive me, everything would be peachy fucking keen.
"Perfect, Hiroki! Excellent work!" Professor Jones patted him on the head and moved away.
He leaned over. "The check for the cleaners was fourteen dollars and twenty-eight cents. Not twenty-six."
I looked at my register. Of course, he was right. "You suck."
"Sometimes. But so do you."
"I do not."
"I was on the couch next to you…"
Heat crept up my cheeks. "You saw?"
"It was a little hard not to notice," he said with a grin.
I sighed. "You're just jealous."
"Perhaps."
I blinked in surprise. "You want to suck David, too?"
It was his turn to blush. "That's…no. I meant…"
I started giggling. "I know. I was kidding."
He chopped me on the top of my head, softly. "You are incorrigible."
"I'm not the one talking about blowjobs."
"No, but you were the one giving them."
I wiggled my eyebrows. "It's almost lunch. We could arrange a little foray into the bathroom. We can pretend I'm the headmistress…" I had meant it as a joke, and I knew he'd say no. Hopefully. I couldn't cheat on David, even with Hiroki.
He chuckled and the bell rang. Thankfully. I'd been too depressed to eat breakfast and my stomach was gnawing on my backbone.
"Food," I practically groaned and salivated on myself.
"Okay, class. Dismissed. I shall see you tomorrow."
I sprang from my seat and headed for the door, not waiting for my babysitter to catch up. First one to the door, I flung it open and winced when it didn't go as far as it should have and stopped with a thud. Hopefully it wasn't anybody important…
"Sorry," I said as I looked around the edge of it at a very irate looking Headmistress Lateran. The stack of papers she had been carrying were ruffled and creased, but still clutched tightly between her hands. I groaned when I realized my life was over.
"Of course, it's you."
"I'm really sorry, Headmistress."
"Go. Just…go."
Snapping my mouth shut, I stopped myself from apologizing again and got while the getting was good. Roki slid up next to me, chuckling.
"That wasn't funny. I'm lucky she didn't shorten my tails."
"Yes. It was."
We headed for the dining hall and were almost there when he reached out and grabbed my arm. "Do you wish to find David and eat with him?"
"Probably not. He was pretty pissed. Let's just eat and we can sit at one of the larger tables. He can join us or not."
"Are you sure? It might be better to seek him out and apologize."
"Why, Hiroki Nishimura. Are you worried about my relationship?"
He gave me a strange glance. "Hai?"
"That's sweet."
"No. It keeps you preoccupied, and my chastity is safer."
I chuckled. He wasn't lying. "Come on. I really need to eat."
We entered and filled our plates, sitting at one of the tables meant for four people, just in case. I was hoping we'd need the extra room. Really, really hoping. My toes were crossed under the table and I kept glancing around nervously as I munched my sandwich.
"Relax," Roki said calmly
from across the table.
I took a deep breath and choked on a piece of lettuce, but stopped breathing when David and the twins walked in. His eyes cut across the room and settled on mine. Something passed between us, a feeling. I felt relief, and I hoped he did to. Nausea would have been bad.
Smile. Smile at me, David, I thought at him with all my might.
The corners of his lips started to curl, but then Rome pushed him toward the buffet. I sighed and nibbled my food.
"I thought you were hungry."
"I'll eat. When I know what he's feeling. Either way. I just need to know."
After five minutes of waiting, I had my answer. He sat across the room with Rome and Remy. The sandwich fell from my hand and the tears from my eyes.
"Kaede…"
"It's okay. I'm not feeling that well. I'm going to go lie down."
I got up from my seat and headed toward the door, wiping the tears from my face with the back of my hand. As I was slipping through the door, I face planted into Sabine's chest.
"Watch it, bitch."
I ignored her and went to walk around her when her hand shot out and grabbed my shoulder. "I'm supposed to be having lunch with David, have you seen him? He seemed like he really wanted to talk." I probably would have wished her well if she hadn't started laughing. Her friends, too.
Kill her. Show me you're worthy.
The voice echoed in my head and just goaded me into doing what I already wanted to do. I pulled my hands back and let my foxfire fill them before I hit her with a double open palm hit to the chest. She screeched, crashed into her friends, and then screamed as the fire burned her blazer and blouse. "Fuck you and fuck him. Fuck all of you bitches. And I mean that literally."
I stepped around them as her friends started slapping at the flames and headed to my room, stopping by the Home Economics room to pick up a fresh batch of rice and a new jar. I didn't even bother grabbing a mug. I wasn't going to need it.
When I got to my room, I filled the jar with rice and then poured water over it from the pitcher on my dresser. The one that had been magicked to always be full. Holding my hand over it, I sent a little prayer to the Inari-kami begging him to give me a reprieve from the pain in my chest. The hurt and sadness.
A Tail of Woah: A Reverse Harem Academy Tail (The Fox and the Hounds Book 1) Page 12
