Felicitas_Ivey_ _Back_to_the

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"We will help you join Keno, if he is gone," Inukai
promised. "We are just counseling you to wait."
"How long?" I asked after a few heartbeats.
"About a week," Inuyama said. He knew I was asking how
long I had been unconscious, not how long before I could kill
myself. "Okita-san sent for Mother as soon as he could. She
cared for you, keeping you unconscious until you were able to
make some sort of sense. This is the first time you have done
more than scream."
I nodded. I didn't care. "But...."
"Mother came alone," Inukai said. "Then she sent for us."
"How many of you are here?"
"Just myself and Dousetsu," Inukai told me. "Our other
brothers are busy and will join us later."
"Why?" I asked.
"Think!" Inuyama snapped. "Neither one of us has claimed
a kuni. If needed, we can keep the people here protected by
claiming it. What Iida has done, however, has brought war
back to us."
"I don't believe you," I said dully.
"Do you think that any of us would not avenge the death
of our brother Keno?" Inukai asked me gravely. He sounded
very unlike the man he was, a man of the pleasure quarters.
"Shino and the others are gathering their forces to attack
Iida-sama. This will tear Nippon apart to avenge our brother,
and it will be as it was when we were alive.
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"And I don't doubt that Iida knew this. While it is not
widely known who Sakura actually is, there was what
happened in the spring, when Mother was being so friendly to
Tamazusa-sama. Iida-sama might have believed he had to
move soon if the rumors were true, that Tamazusa-sama was
willing to take one of us as a consort. If he wanted to ruin
Nippon, this was one way to do it. However, he might have
tipped his hand too soon, which will be the only thing that will
save Nippon."
"So all of you are going to be here?" I asked.
"This place isn't defendable," Inuyama told me. "We're
taking you to your capital."
"Keno was happy here."
"We know that," Inuyama grated. "And he is not coming
back here to bury you."
"He's gone."
Inukai didn't say anything else, and I knew Inuyama
wanted to shake me. I didn't believe them. Keno was gone,
and the land was looking for another lord. It could be one of
them or Iida, I didn't care. I just wanted to be with Keno
again.
"Iida's idiocy will weaken us, and so then others will want
to see how weak Nippon is," Inuyama said sharply. "The
Southerners for one."
"Or whatever Iida has allied himself with," Inukai added. "I
don't doubt that he has allies like Tamazusa-sama's Reavers."
"I've never seen them," I said. "The Reavers followed my
lady around like loyal dogs. Iida was usually alone."
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"If they can't breathe air, then you wouldn't see them. I
don't doubt that Iida has also made bargains with unclean
things," Inukai said. "There are rumors that his villages house
things that are evil, that his peasants have a habit of
disappearing. That certain nights of the year, maidens and
young boys are staked out on the beach, never to be seen
again."
"Keno," I whispered brokenly, remembering my first
glimpse of him, broken from the abuse he had been subjected
to.
I threw back my head and started screaming, not wanting
to think about him, about anything anymore. I barely felt the
blow Inuyama gave me, welcoming the darkness it brought.
* * * *
Keno
"Egil claims that you used witchcraft against him," Wolf
said.
It was just after dinner. Egil had spent most of it glaring at
me, while Tholf just looked thoughtful. I wore my swords still,
because I didn't want them to disappear. I didn't trust anyone
here. "He made a complaint to Njalsson about you. Since you
seem to be part of my group now, Njalsson talked to me
about it. The only thing that seems to be saving you from a
charge of witchcraft is that Tholf said you fought without
magic, just in a strange style. I tried to explain to him that is
your way of fighting, but I still think there will be trouble."
"I don't know what you are talking about," I lied. I wasn't
going to tell anyone here I had the ability to cast spells, that I
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just needed some training to do so. I wasn't in any hurry to
get it. I enjoyed exploring other things in my life like
Samojirou too much right now. "I don't know how to cast
spells. I also agree with Egil that blood magic is a bad thing."
Mason looked indecently relieved to hear that, while
McGann acted guilty. Wolf was clearly upset about the whole
thing. He hadn't been happy to hear I had beaten up two men
to get a pair of swords, whether I was going use them or not.
I knew he wanted to protect me still. But I didn't need it, and
I didn't know if that was making him more upset. I wanted
these people to know I wasn't someone who could be pushed
around. Mason shouldn't be the one protecting my lord. That
was my duty. It was annoying that these people looked at me [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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