Page 76 of Shadow of the Fox

Denga, if you could see me now, I thought, smiling as I met the gazes of Daisuke, Okame and Reika in the crowd.My good-for-nothing fox trickery just fooled the most powerful person in all of Iwagoto, and his entire court. I’ve come a long way from making the teapot dance around the room.

“Brilliant!” As the applause died down, the emperor stepped off his platform, beaming in my direction. “Astonishing. What remarkable talent, Yumeko-san. Would you consider using it in service to the country?” My brows rose, and he smiled, gesturing over the trees toward the palace, glimmering gold against the night sky. “There is an opening in my court for a royal onmyoji. I could certainly use someone with your skills.”

Oops. Well, I suppose there’s such a thing as doingtoowell.I thought quickly, knowing that refusing the emperor, even now, could have terrible repercussions. “His Highness honors me,” I said with a low bow. “I am grateful for the offer, but there is a...very important task that I must complete, a vow to fulfill, before I can accept.”

“Ah. Of course.” The emperor nodded; even he would not dare suggest one break a promise and risk the dishonor that came with it. “Well, when you are finished with your task, consider returning to the palace, Yumkeo-san. You are always welcome within my court.”

I bowed. “His Highness is too kind.”

“My last onmyoji told me of the coming of the Great Dragon,” the emperor went on, making my stomach leap to my throat. “I thought the story was simply an ancient myth, but he was certain he saw the Dragon rising in one of his visions.” The emperor frowned. “Sadly, he was discovered to be a practicioner of blood magic and executed, and the words of a blood mage are tainted and cannot be trusted. But it would please me to have another onmyoji in my court, to inform me if the Harbinger is indeed approaching, and what I can do to claim its power for my own.”

I felt a crawling sensation under my robes, and looked up into Lady Satomi’s dark eyes, glittering with hostility over the emperor’s shoulder. Only for a moment, before she turned to the emperor and smiled, all traces of menace vanishing beneath a beautiful porcelain mask.

“My lord,” she crooned, gazing at him from beneath long, thick lashes. “The moon is rising. Would you not like to view it from the lake pavilion? The water is very clear tonight—you should be able to see his reflection from above and below.”

“Ah, of course. Everyone!” the emperor called, clapping his hands and bringing the court’s attention to him. “Lord Moon has begun his journey across the heavens. Let us retire to the edge of the lake, so that we may wish him well. I am eager to hear the fine poems you have composed to honor his journey tonight.”

The crowd dispersed, heading in the direction of the lake. Including the emperor, who seemed to forget about me as soon as he stepped away, his yojimbo falling into step around him. Lady Satomi, however, did not leave, but continued to watch me, a faint smile on her face. None of the other nobles, guards or samurai seemed to notice her; all continued to move toward the lake edge, leaving us alone.

“Well.” The woman’s cruel gaze raked me up and down, spreading the sensation of dirty claw marks across my skin. “That was amusing.”

I stifled the sudden wave of panic, feeling the weight of the scroll under my robes, wondering if Satomi could somehow sense it. If she would summon an oni, right here, to crush me like an egg. I shivered, then took a breath to loosen the cold knot in my stomach and looked Satomi in the eye.

“The...the emperor thought so.”

“The emperor is a child who is easily impressed with illusion and cheap tricks. He does not know the difference between a charlatan and true power.” One corner of a pouty red lip curled up in a smirk. “You will not find me so gullible.”

I felt fox magic surge to life and clenched my fists to keep kitsune-bi from springing to my fingertips. “You’ve been following us,” I accused in a whisper. “Those dead birds are yours, aren’t they?” She raised an elegant, mocking eyebrow, and I bit back a growl, knowing I couldn’t fly at her and force the truth from her pouty red lips. “You’ve been watching me and Tatsumi ever since we left the forest,” I said in a low voice. “Were you the one who sent the demons to the temple?”

“What an awful thing to imply.” Lady Satomi touched a hand to her chest, as if appalled. “Certainly you would not expect one of my station to engage in such things. Dead birds? Demons?” One corner of her lip curled, and her voice dropped to a menacing whisper. “Blood magic is punishable by death, little fox. As is lying to the emperor of Iwagoto. Your little performance worked only because I allowed it. This is a court of puppets, and I manipulate all the strings. Who do you think they will believe, if certain things come to light?”

“Satomi-san.”

Daisuke’s voice echoed behind me, even as I fought to hold my ground, to not step back from this evil woman. Lady Satomi’s malicious look vanished, as she smiled at the noble who joined us, switching faces so quickly that she seemed to cast off a mask. Okame and the shrine maiden appeared beside me as well, and a tiny, barely audible growl rippled up from the ground, as Chu took one look at the woman and bared his teeth. Lady Satomi didn’t even glance at the dog.

“Good evening, Taiyo-san,” she greeted, bowing to Daisuke, who nodded in return. “Did you see the remarkable performance of our talented onmyoji?” She turned her smile on me, and it looked completely genuine. “I cannot remember the last time I was so amazed. I could hardly believe it was real.”

“Lady Yumeko is indeed talented,” Daisuke agreed, with a small smile in my direction. “It is an honor to have her here.” He turned back to Satomi, and his words became forcibly polite. “Satomi-san, if we could trouble you but for a moment. It will not take long.”

“Of course, Taiyo-san,” Lady Satomi said. “It is my pleasure. What can I do for the son of the honorable Hironobu-sama?”

Reika stepped forward, her scowl indicating she was not fooled in the slightest. “Master Jiro, of the Hayate shrine,” she said without preamble. “Does this name mean anything to you?”

“Hmm? Should it?”

“You called him here,” Reika went on, as anger flickered through me, knowing the woman was playing with us. “Three days ago, he received a summons from the palace to come and meet with you. He never made it back to the Hayate shrine. That was the last anyone saw of him.”

“Master Jiro,” Lady Satomi said thoughtfully, as if trying to remember. “Master Jiro. Oh, yes, I remember now. I called him to the palace for tea, and to answer a few simple qustions I had. Horrible, offensive little man. He was quite rude to me.” She smiled faintly at Reika. “Aren’t priests supposed to be the pillars of humility and wisdom? I found him terribly wearisome and repulsive, to tell you the truth.”

The miko regarded the other woman without expression, refusing to be goaded. “Where is he?” she asked, her voice remarkably calm. Lady Satomi’s lips curled even further.

“Oh, he’s safe,” she replied, waving her fan in an offhand manner. “He is fairly close by, actually. Though I’m afraid you’ll never find him without me. Even your lurking little shinobi watching us from the shadows will not be able to uncover his location.”

I drew in a sharp breath, making Satomi turn her smile on me. “Did you think I was unaware that the Kage demonslayer had infiltrated the palace?” she purred, her voice very low. “Nothing happens in this court without my knowledge. I know he is listening to us right now, and if he strikes me down, you will never find your precious Master Jiro, and he will never complete his mission.”

“Then you’ll take us to him,” Okame said, and she raised a brow in his direction. “Right now.”

“Interesting.” Lady Satomi gazed at the ronin like she might a particularly obstinate dog. “And what, may I ask, do you think you can do to me? Attack me here, in the emperor’s garden?” She chuckled. “With the exception of Taiyo-san, who would certainly face a terrible blow to his family’s honor and reputation, the lot of you would be executed before dawn.”

---