The Forbidden Library (18 page)

At last the music paused. The Council took over the center of the commons and danced a religious dance honoring the gods and blessing Turesobei. They said goodnight and departed.

Enashoma and Iniru went to the bathroom while Zaiporo and Kemsu went to get more food. Lu Bei zipped crazily across the room, amusing the goronku as he crashed into many of them. He spotted Turesobei and zipped over to him. He didn’t pull up soon enough and struck Kurine square in the chest.

“Oh good thanksness, madam,” Lu Bei slurred, “for providing so much a soft landing spots.”

“Little demon!” she said, slapping him playfully across the cheek. “You’re scandalous.”

Turesobei grabbed Lu Bei by the back of the neck and said, “Too scandalous. Apologize to Kurine and go to bed.”

“I’m sorry, my dearest lady,” he said, “future mistress of mine, though I must … I must … I must re — re — reiterate that I’m not a demon. I am a … fetch.”

“Bed,” Turesobei insisted.

“No, master. The night yet lives on.”

“Bed or I call Motekeru to come get you.”

“You w-wouldn’t d-dare.”

“Or I could call Enashoma instead. Do you want her to take you to bed? She’d be most disappointed in you.”

“You are play-play-playing me, master, like a zither with two and a half strings and I do not like it. But fine, you win. I shall go. Happiest birthday and good-goodnight.”

Turesobei released him. Lu Bei zoomed overhead three times, shouting good night to everyone, then flew down the hallway back toward the room, shooting sparks and crashing into the walls as he went. Laughing heavily, Turesobei leaned into Kurine. Then suddenly he realized they were alone together with no one nearby.

“Have you enjoyed your birthday?” she murmured.

“I have,” he replied earnestly. “I really have. This has been amazing. I’ve always been loaded down with responsibility. I’ve had very few chances ever for anything even resembling fun. I will
never
forget this.”

“I can make it even better,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him in close.

He muttered something that was supposed to be
no back off
or
I can’t
or
this is a bad idea
or
I love Iniru and you’re a nice girl and I like you a lot but not like this
. But what came out was just a jumble of random blurts and groans. 

Kurine kissed him.

He made his first mistake then. He kissed her back. Because it was nice and she
was
very pretty and sweet and he still hadn’t completely shaken that bit of ikase. Then he made an even bigger mistake. He made the mistake of enjoying it and kept kissing her, for long enough that he lost track of time.

Something hit him in the back of the head. “Ow!” He spun around. A chunk of meat was lying on the floor. “What in the —”

Growling, Iniru stepped right up and grabbed him by the collar. “You — are — the — stupidest — boy —
ever
.”

“Niru, I —”

“Don’t
Niru me
. I can’t believe you would —”

The doors from the stairway burst open. Narbenu and four goronku scouts entered. One limped in with tattered clothes and a bleeding cut on his cheek. Turesobei didn’t recognize him. But he recognized the look on Narbenu’s face. Fear. The band and everyone in the room fell silent.

“Someone summon the Council,” Narbenu called out. “Immediately. Turesobei?”

He stepped forward. “I’m here, Narbenu. What’s wrong?”

“Sorry to interrupt your party. But we have a terrible problem and not much time to deal with it.”

Chapter 22

On the one hand, Turesobei wasn’t bothered by the interruption. It saved him from Iniru’s retribution. On the other hand, the tremor in Narbenu’s voice terrified him. It took a lot rattle a goronku. Even worse was the look of recognition on the face of the strange, injured goronku as he gazed at Turesobei.

“You’d best come with me to meet the Council,” Narbenu said to Turesobei. “Bring your companions.”

“Party’s over!” Narbenu called out, managing a measured tone. “This is not an emergency. Don’t be alarmed. But it is an early goodnight to everyone.”

“Thank you,” Turesobei called out to the guests as he headed toward the hallway that led to the meeting chamber.

Kurine grabbed his arm. “Is everything all right?”

“I’m sure it will be,” he said, though he doubted it. “The party was great. I loved it.” 

She beamed a smile at him and started to follow, but Narbenu blocked her. “Sorry, Kurine. Official business.”

As they marched after Narbenu, Iniru stepped right in behind Turesobei and jabbed him with a finger between his shoulder blades. “Don’t think I’ll
ever
forget,” she whispered.

They gathered in the chamber and several minutes later the councilors hurried in without ceremony and took their seats. Some looked bleary-eyed from having just been awoken. There were no cushions for Turesobei and his companions so they had to stand.

“Narbenu, what’s the matter and who is this with you?” asked War Chief Sudorga.

The battered goronku bowed and pulled out an amulet made from a giant tooth with a rune carved into it. “I am Hufu from Eastfall.”

Earth Priestess Faika stepped forward. She touched the tooth and then his forehead. “You are as you claim, ranger. Be welcome here. And tell us what you have seen for you have traveled far if you came from Eastfall.”

“Respected elders, I come bearing strange and terrible news. The yomon are on the march, heading in this direction. When I met Narbenu and told him the news, he bade me come here at once.”

“You did the right thing,” War Chief Sudorga said.

“I have seen the yomon myself,” said Hufu, “as have several other rangers. We have been traveling swiftly as we can to warn everyone in their path. The yomon are looking for a dragon made of storm clouds, a beast which many saw pass through the late afternoon skies five weeks ago. They are also looking for a wizard boy and his companions. Somehow, they are connected with this dragon.” Hufu turned to Turesobei and his companions. “The yomon’s descriptions are incredibly accurate.”

“I am the Storm Dragon,” Turesobei said. “Or I was anyway. We battled the yomon and kept them from entering our world, but the Winter Gate closed again and trapped us here. I was hoping they would never search for me. That they’d be too afraid to do so and have nothing to gain by a confrontation.”

“Afraid of you?” Hufu asked, confused.

“I killed at least a dozen of them.”

“You — You killed a — a dozen?” Hufu stammered.

“When I was the Storm Dragon, yes.”

“That explains why there are fewer of them,” Hufu replied. “But there’s more to it.” He peered at Turesobei and then Enashoma. “They are led by a witch smeared with blood. She’s ill-dressed for the cold but it doesn’t bother her, as if she were a reitsu. But she looks like the two of you, just as tall but with a powerful build for a woman and an almost … Well, I only saw her from far away, but I’d say she had a demonic cast about her.”

“That — that can’t be Awasa,” Turesobei said. “She’s only as tall as Enashoma, and she’s dainty.”

“Well,” continued Hufu, “that’s what she calls herself. I met with people from the village that they had just ravaged, interrogating the populace for knowledge about you. The survivors said she called herself Ninefold Awasa, leader of the Eighty-Eight Yomon.”

Turesobei staggered back and collapsed onto the floor, grabbing his head. “No, no, no,” he muttered. “This is even worse.”

“So you do know her?” Hufu said.

“Awasa is his betrothed,” Iniru said. “Well, his
other
betrothed at least. The first one. It’s a long story.”

Turesobei groaned. Awasa was still alive but somehow bigger and demonic? And she was coming after him. He was doomed.

“You’re betrothed to a witch?” Hufu asked, incredulously.

“She — She wasn’t like this before,” Enashoma said, distantly, almost in shock. “She was a normal aristocratic girl, about my size, not a monster … well not actually demonic anyway.”

Turesobei gathered his composure and stood. “The short of it is, she became corrupted by a warlock named Barakaros. He was one of the Deadly Twelve. We prevented them from releasing the yomon and eternal winter onto our world, but when the gate closed, we ended up on the wrong side. Were her eyes purple? Was there an amulet around her neck?”

“Yes,” Hufu replied. “She also had an eight-pointed star on her forehead.”

“It’s possible that Barakaros the Warlock yet lives … inside of her,” said Turesobei. “Or that an echo of his power has taken root and corrupted her soul. It makes sense that she would want to capture me, and probably kill my companions.”

“She carries a strange sword as well. The blade is almost white.”

“Sumada,” Turesobei replied. “My father’s white-steel sword. Incredibly powerful, incredibly rare.” Turesobei turned to the Council. “If Awasa is leading them in this direction, they will find us. My companions and I must leave. As soon as possible. We will leave with what we have and make the best of it we can. I won’t risk any harm to your people.”

Tsuroko glanced at his fellow councilors. “We could hide you here and lie when they come. We could tell them we saw you heading off. Then we could lock ourselves in. To fight their way in, even for the yomon, would be difficult and not worth it.” 

The other council members nodded.

“I am truly grateful for that offer,” Turesobei said. “Honestly, you have no idea how warm it makes me feel for you to offer to defend us. But there’s a strong chance that Awasa will be able to sense me once she arrives. Besides, my presence here is already known.”

“Only by me,” said Hufu. “I could stay here until they were gone, to keep your secret.”

“No,” said Iniru. “He means the reitsu. If the yomon reach the reitsu, they will surely tell them. They have reason to hate Turesobei. They’d tell gladly.”

“I must go,” Turesobei repeated. “How much time do we have, Hufu?”

“They’re moving fast, but they’re having to meander from village to village to stop and interrogate people.”

“How do they know he lies in this direction” Herd Chief Boronaru asked.

“The flight trail of the dragon was seen by many people,” said Hufu.

“How much time until they get here?” Sudorga asked.

“Two weeks,” Hufu replied. “Possibly less. Especially if they get word from the reitsu.”

Earth Priestess Faika stood. “The Council will recess for a few minutes to discuss this matter.”

Turesobei leaned his back against a wall and tried to shut out images of a blood-stained Awasa, taller and infused with more power from the warlock than before. Ninefold Awasa … She must have learned how to use the amulet. 

Enashoma fell into his arms. He hugged her tight. 

“I’m so sorry,” Shoma said. “This is terrible.”

“It’s my fault,” he said.

“Let it go,” Iniru said. “Even I don’t blame you for this. Yes, you shouldn’t have brought her along because she could get killed. But no one could’ve imagined this happening.”

Zaiporo started to say something but then shook his head. He looked as shaken as Turesobei had ever seen him. Zaiporo may not have liked Awasa, but he had spent a lot of time around her, more than the rest of them had.

The Council returned to the chamber. Sun Priestess Oroki said, “We have discussed it amongst ourselves and agreed. The danger is too great for our people if you stay here. We hope that you understand.”

“I do,” he replied.

“However,” said Tsuroko. “We shall give you the supplies and mounts you will need to escape here and take on the expedition you have planned.”

“I can’t ask that of you,” Turesobei said. “We haven’t paid you.”

“But you must take the supplies, or you won’t make it,” Tsuroko replied. “It’s the only way.”

“And you have done good work here,” said Shaman Eira. “The machine man stacked stones night after night. You brought warmth to rooms with magic symbols. You healed injured people. You helped as much as you could. You made good on your promise.”

“But we’d only just begun,” Turesobei said.

“We know you would’ve followed through to pay us in full, faster than we could’ve imagined,” said Earth Priestess Faika. 

“I will personally share the largest part of the financial burden,” said Tsuroko. If Turesobei wasn’t mistaken, tears welled in the big grizzly goronku’s eyes. “If you settle the matter and return safely, you can pay us back then. And live with us as long as you wish, my … my son.” Tsuroko restrained a sob.

Narbenu stepped forward. “They will have no chance without a guide. No chance at all. I would like the Council’s approval to serve in this capacity.”