Page 99 of King of Tides

“I miss you too.”

I hang up and stare back at Kenji. I’m still cautious of him even though he’s been nothing but kind. He sits with such stillness and his gaze is razor sharp.

Suddenly, he moves his hands in a gesture as if he’s placing a napkin in his lap, ready to eat. Then he places his hands on his knees. The action is slow and methodical.

I can’t help feeling like he’s just started some type of spell for one of his illusions. Telling myself to relax, I take a deep breath and remain quiet.

“You have no desire to train here at Ji Dojo?”

“I didn’t know I could,” I reply.

He purses his lips and shakes his head. He lifts one hand gracefully before placing it right back on his knee. I notice this time his pointer finger and thumb remain lifted.

“You are always welcome to train here. My assassins have skills that are unmatched. You will leave with the same skills.”

“Thank you. It is kind of you to offer. I did have to interrupt my training to come here. I’ve been in mixed martial arts since I was little, so I didn’t think much of the time off.”

He lifts his hand again, this time holding it in the air as if calling for the check in a restaurant. When he lowers it, he holds it palm side up. One of the servants who’s just as pretty as the assassins, walks in with a box.

I’ve learned you can tell the difference between the staff and the assassins by the uniforms they wear. All of the staff members wear beige as the assassins wear black or gray. I wasn’t shocked to find out all servants behind these walls are as lethal as the assassins. Although, I believe the working staff all have their souls from what I can tell.

“Ardan and I have been friends for a very long time. He has known me in many forms and stations. There was once a time when I forged weapons for powerful beings,” Kenji says as he waves for the large box to be placed in my lap.

I stare down at the box, not sure if I should open it. Ardan’s cautionary warning rings in my ear. I could be opening Pandora’s box with this guy.

“I, in fact, forged his. I believe inInyo. Do you know what this is?” he asks.

“No, I’m not sure I do.”

“You Americans know it as yin and yang—from the Chinese. The weapons I forged used to sing to me. They would tell me when they were meant to have a partner or counterpart if you will. I have held the partner to Ardan’s weapon for a very long time. Many centuries, many moons, many tides.”

“Are you saying that’s what’s in this box?”

“Ah, yes. You are following just fine. It has been singing since your arrival.”

“I can’t take this.”

“Why not?”

“I’m just learning to use my magic. I wouldn’t know what to do with this.”

He lifts his left hand and makes a swiping motion from his right side to his left. The motion is so graceful and effortless. When he places his hand back on his knee, he again keeps his pointer finger and thumb lifted.

“You haven’t opened the box to know whatthisis. How can you know you would not know what to do with it?”

I chew on my lip as I look down at the ornate box. I try to think of if I’ve ever seen Ardan’s weapon. Although I’ve seen his avatar and knights, I can’t remember ever seeing him wield a weapon.

Curiosity wins out. I flip the latches on the box and slowly lift the lid. My brows knit as the intricate metal comes into view. I’m not sure what it is at first.

It looks like an elaborate bow although there is no string to shoot an arrow. As I examine it further. I realize that althoughthere are cutouts in the steel on each end, this is not necessarily a bow at all.

One end curves in one direction and the other end curves in the other. Each end is sharp and ornately carved as if the tips of a double sides blade. I’ve seen a lot of weapons, but I haven’t seen anything like this one.

The engravings, the attention to detail. The artistry of the blades. I reach in and lift it by its ornate handle in the center. It fits nicely as the grip of a bow, but I see it for what it is as it’s in my palm. I go with my instincts and push the little release that my thumb fits in as if made just for me.

Just as I thought, they come apart into two naginata blades. As I hold them in my palms they begin to glow, then a humming starts to come from them. I quickly secure them together as one weapon again and return them to the box as if they burned me.

“It knows it has found its home,” Kenji says.

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