Samurai Son (40 page)

She stood again. “Would those talents have anything to do with the Tengu smell?”

Akira froze.
 
He hadn’t expected her to detect the Tengu on him.
 
He couldn’t see any reason to lie to her.
 
The Shinobi knew his secret; she would find out quickly.
 
“Yes.”

“Really?”
 
She considered him thoughtfully.
 
“Then perhaps we can help each other.”

He nodded.
 
“The Shinobi want me to join them.”

“Do you want to?”

Akira almost laughed but caught himself when he saw she was serious.
 
“No,” he said.
 
“I must get back to Tsuitori.
 
My father will be looking for me.”

Kasumi studied him.
 
“I can help you leave here, but I need your help.
 
If you have the power of the Tengu, then perhaps you can help my family’s clan.”

Akira shook his head.
 
“I don’t have nearly the powers you think I do,” he said.
 
“In order for them to let me go, I had to promise not to use Tengu magic.”

“Then we are doomed.”
 
Kasumi turned away.
 
Akira started forward and put his hand on her shoulder.
 
She pulled away and he could see the tears running down her face.

“Kasumi, I...”

Careful,
Windspirit growled.
 
Don’t fall for her trap.

What trap?
Akira almost snapped out loud.
 
All he could see was a lovely woman crying because he could not do what she needed to save her people.

She’s samurai and kami.
 
Would a samurai show such weakness?

Akira hesitated.
 
He hadn’t thought that this might be some form of manipulation, just like the tricks the Tengu played on him to get him to join them.
 
He looked at Kasumi, biting his lip in indecision.
 
Was she really trying to trick him?
 
As a Tengu, he could use his magic to find out if she lied…

No,
Windspirit said.

Akira frowned.
 
It was much harder than he remembered to be human.
 
Of course, that was before the Tengu and now the ninja captured him.
 
“Kasumi-san,” he said softly, knowing full well her hearing would be better than a human’s.
 
“There are some things I can do, although there are many things I can’t.
 
If you help me escape, I will bring your request to my father, Takeshi daimyo.”

She slumped in resignation.
 
“Thank you.
 
You are very kind.
 
But I fear we may be too late.”

“Why?”

She turned to him and buried her head in his chest.
 
He could smell the sweet fragrance of jasmine flowers on her skin.
 
“I received word from my mother.
 
Nanashi is already gathering troops to attack Neko-shima.
 
Our people will be able to hold out for a while but not forever.”

“With such powers, certainly you can thwart Nanashi’s attack?”

Kasumi looked up and smiled bitterly.
 
“My people have dwindled in number.
 
There are few warriors and even fewer who can change as I do.
 
We’ve held off invaders for so long, but our people have inbred to a point where we’ve had to seek other mates.
 
Hence, I am the daughter of Naotaka, just like Jiro.
 
My mother is one of Naotaka’s wives.”

“So you came here to find me?
 
Why didn’t the ninja kill you?”

Kasumi sighed.
 
“They respect the Neko.”

“Then why don’t they help you?”

“Because the Shinobi help only themselves—and whomever have their interests,” she said.
 
“I asked.
 
Shigeko works for Nanashi currently.
 
She won’t betray me, but unless the Neko can counter Nanashi’s offer, they will continue to be his assassins.”

Akira frowned.
 
This was not the way of bushido, the way of the samurai.
 
And the Shinobi would force him to become one of them, to work for Nanashi, a rival daimyo?
 
His grip tightened around her, despite himself.

They are truly without honor,
Windspirit said.

Akira wasn’t so certain of that.
 
He knew that Shigeko had been honest with him, despite being ninja.
 
The fact that she worked for his father’s rival was of no consequence.
 
When one sold oneself to the highest bidder, morality had little to do with it.
 
Yet the Shinobi had been forced into this position because the other samurai had refused to acknowledge their victory.

Inconsequential,
Windspirit said.

“No, that is the point,” Akira said out loud.

Kasumi cocked her head.
 
“What?”

He looked down and realized that he was still holding her.
 
Her warm body felt good against his, and for a fleeting instant, he longed to spend the night with a woman again.
 
He released her.
 
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
 
“I was just thinking.”
 
He heard the no-dachi snort but ignored it.

“What?” she asked.

“Listen, our first step is to get out of here.
 
I have a feeling that if we don’t escape, both our problems will be the least of our concern.”

Kasumi nodded and her brow furrowed as she looked around.
 
Akira suspected she was considering their options.
 
“You cannot change form?”

Akira shook his head.
 
“To do so would be my death.”

Kasumi chewed her lip.
 
“It’s too bad.
 
Maybe Tenko would have a better idea how to get you out.”

“Who is Tenko?”

“He’s a kitsune,” she said.
 
“He was able to convince a dragon to take us to Shinobi-jima.”

Akira frowned.
 
He had heard stories of the kitsune.
 
They were wily creatures capable of much deceit, but they were also capable of much good.
 
Still, it made him nervous that he was trusting not just one but two shapeshifters.

You’re a shapeshifter, yourself,
Windspirit reminded him.

The thought did not cheer him.
 
“Why is this kitsune helping you?”

“I needed help and he was willing to give it.”
 
She paused.
 
“Listen, the ninja now know that there is a tiger among them.
 
It will not take long before they look for me.
 
They know I’ve been looking for you.
 
They will come here.”

“But they’ve already been here.”

“Use your brains or have the birds muddled them?
 
They’ll come back and Shigeko will use her magic.
 
I won’t be able to hide from her again.”

They heard a single chirp from the nightingale floors.
 
Akira’s head snapped around, and he strained to listen.
 
He heard soft footfalls approaching.
 
His hand slid onto the no-dachi’s hilt.

Akira heard the soft rasp of Kasumi’s katana as she drew it from its sheath.
 
He glanced once at her and saw her making a face.
 
Her nose was wrinkled up, and her mouth was slightly open as she breathed through it.
 
As he watched her, he could see her eyes widen a bit.
 
The door began to slide open.

Chapter Seventy-Seven

An odd, musky scent permeated his Tengu-enhanced senses.
 
It didn’t smell like ninja; it didn’t quite smell human.
 
Kasumi lowered her weapon.
 
“It’s Tenko,” she whispered.

The old man stepped in and looked from Akira to Kasumi and nodded.
 
“I thought I would find you here.”

“You are that old man I met before I killed the dragon,” Akira said.

Tenko shrugged.
 
He turned to Kasumi.
 
“I see you found the boy.
 
Let’s get out of here.
 
The ninja will be looking for you.”

“How did you get through the door?” Kasumi asked.

Tenko shrugged again.
 
“You broke the door when you charged in here.”

Akira stared at the old man.
 
“You were the one who helped me out earlier.”

“I am called Tenko,” he bowed to Akira.

Akira stared at the old man.
 
“You are a kitsune?”

Tenko nodded as he took a blanket to cover himself.

Kitsune are not to be trusted,
Windspirit said.

But what other choice do we have?
Akira said.
 
Tenko looked harmless enough, but kitsune were known to be wily.
 
He started to get nervous about his new companions.
 
“What’s the plan?”

Silence ensued as Kasumi looked at Tenko and Tenko looked at the female samurai.

Akira frowned.
 
“There was no plan?”

Kasumi shook her head.
 
“I hadn’t planned that far ahead.
 
You see, I really didn’t expect to see you here.”

“All right,” Akira said, trying to keep the exasperation out of his voice.
 
“If we’re careful, we may be able to leave without the ninja seeing us.
 
We’re all kami, in one way or another.”

“But so are the ninja,” Kasumi reminded him.

“We’ll just have to be better,” Akira said.
 
“I’ll lead.”

With that, Akira slid the door open and peered down the darkened hall.
 
Although it was dark, his Tengu vision told him that no one lurked in the shadows.
 
He turned to his companions.
 
“These are nightingale floors,” he said.
 
“Do you know how to walk over them without making a noise?”

Kasumi nodded but Tenko looked worried.
 
“I am an old man,” he said.
 
“As a fox, I could slip by.
 
But not in my human form.”

“How did you get here?” Akira asked.

Tenko changed into a fox, dropping the blanket.

Come on.
 
Let’s go,
Tenko said in mindspeak.
 
The little fox stepped out into the hall and dashed toward the stairwells.

He’s a bit bold, isn’t he?
Windspirit remarked.

Akira looked at Kasumi, who shrugged and gestured for him to walk ahead.
 
He stepped carefully along the nightingale boards, willing his body to become light and soft footed.
 
It was slow going.
 
He glanced back and saw Kasumi almost directly behind him.
 
He quickened his pace.

Don’t,
said Windspirit softly in his mind.
 
One false step and you’ll bring the ninja upon us.

Akira gave the no-dachi a mental nod and stepped slowly, letting the minute vibrations within the floor tell him where to put his feet.
 
At one time, he would’ve marveled at the sensation, but now it was merely life or death—an instinct he could not have fail.

He made his way to the stairwell and looked down.
 
The kitsune was sitting at the bottom of the stairs, swishing his tail impatiently.
 
Akira smiled despite himself.
 
He found the little fox amusing, even in this dire situation.
 
He walked down the steps and gave the kitsune a nod before looking down the darkened hallway.
 
He could see nothing in the hall, even with his Tengu sight.

He glanced behind and, seeing Kasumi right there, motioned her and the kitsune to follow him.
 
He crept carefully through the corridor, listening for anything that might alert him to a trap.
 
He made it to the door without issue, but before he could touch the door, Kasumi grasped his arm.

“There are two ninja guards beyond the door,” she whispered.

He cocked his head.
 
“How do you know this?”

“I can smell them.”
 
She snuffed the air, holding her mouth open in an unusual position, with her tongue lightly pressed against her upper lip.

Akira tried to smell the guards.
 
His Tengu-enhanced senses were better than a normal human’s, but his sense of smell was nowhere near as sensitive as Kasumi’s.
 
“I’ll take the guard on the left if you take out the other guard,” he said softly.

Kasumi shook her head.
 
“We can’t kill them.”

“Why not?”

“If we do, then all hope for the Neko will be gone.
 
We’re hoping for help from the Shinobi.”

Akira frowned.
 
“I thought you said the Shinobi worked for Nanashi.
 
Have the Shinobi promised their aid?”

“Not exactly...”

Akira hesitated.
 
Without the Shinobi’s promise, he doubted they would help the Neko.
 
He felt the no-dachi grow heavy on his shoulders.

The word of the Shinobi can’t be trusted,
said Windspirit.
 
Their loyalty lies with whomever gives the most gold.

Akira nodded.
 
“Kasumi, you can’t trust the ninja.
 
They do not follow bushido, and their word means naught.
 
We need to leave here.
 
If you want my father’s help—if you want my help—we’re going to have to fight our way out.”

Kasumi shook her head.
 
“No.”
 
She turned and walked away.
 
“I can’t jeopardize the lives of my people because you killed those of the clan Shinobi.
 
We’re going somewhere else.”

Akira stared as the little kitsune gave him the fox equivalent of a shrug and followed her.
 
He glanced at the door then at Kasumi.

You don’t need her,
Windspirit said in his mind.

Akira wasn’t so sure.
 
He followed her, careful to be as quiet as possible.
 
When he at last caught up, he saw that her jaw set and her eyes focused straight ahead.
 
“Kasumi,” he hissed.
 
“Kasumi!”

Only when he caught up to her and gripped her arm did he realize how angry she was.
 
She turned on him.
 
“I’m sure it doesn’t matter to you, the great Takeshi-sama, that a smaller clan would be wiped out by our daimyo.
 
After all, internal affairs probably don’t matter to you.”

Akira was speechless.
 
He stared at Kasumi, never imagining she could be so rude or so bitter.
 
She was his age, yet she seemed to carry herself as someone far older.
 
When he could at last speak, he looked at her in disbelief.
 
“I want to help you, Kasumi, but you have to help me too.”

Akira expected more of her angry words, but the fire in her eyes dimmed, and she slumped in resignation.
 
“I know,” she said softly.
 
“I just don’t know what to do anymore.”

He wanted to hug her but instead simply nodded.
 
“Kasumi-san, I can’t leave this island without your help.
 
I’m a good swordsman, but I can’t do this alone.
 
Once we leave Shinobi-jima, I can talk to my father.
 
He is a good man, and if the Neko are being slaughtered, I am certain he will come to your aid.”

She nodded slowly.
 
“But there must be a way for us to escape without harming the ninja.”

Akira frowned.
 
He didn’t have any true animosity toward the Shinobi, other than perhaps that they would kill him if he tried to leave their island.
 
He did not want to become a ninja.
 
That would make him ronin.
 
As beautiful as Shigeko was, he knew she was very deceitful.
 
She might have honor in her own way, but the ninja were assassins and mercenaries.

They have little honor,
Windspirit agreed.

They exist because of the emperor’s lack of honor,
Akira said.

Don’t believe everything a ninja tells you.
 
They are deceitful and evil, twisted beings.

And yet aren’t the samurai to blame?
Akira asked.
 
If we had no need of spies and assassins, then perhaps the ninja would not exist.

The sword made no comment, but Akira felt it grow heavy on his back.
 
“Is there any other way out of here?” he said to Kasumi.

Kasumi began to speak when they heard the latch opening on the front door.