The Fox's God (12 page)

Chapter Fourteen

Akakiba

I
nari went back for Yuki, but did not return.

“Something happened,” Jien said. He liked speaking the painfully obvious.

“The last sword was the oldest one,” the scribe said. “I thought the danger would be reduced if we sent it last, but perhaps it should have gone first.”

Akakiba turned to him, suspicion rising. “I find it strange that it is the original sword, the worst one, that goes missing. I’m sure certain persons would love to keep the Soul Eater for themselves. Would you know anything about that?”

“Are you suggesting Inari is working with me to keep the Soul Eater from your clan? Why ever would she side with outsiders over her own clan?”

“I wouldn’t know. But she spent more time you than with anyone else. She barely even spoke to me.”

“She thought you needed space, after what happened. I provided a willing ear if nothing else.” The scribe sighed wistfully. “I’m not likely to ever get a second chance to speak privately with a deity, am I? She has much wisdom and we could benefit greatly from listening to her. I hope nothing has happened to her, or to your friend. As things stand, we have no one who can search for them. I don’t know what we can do, other than wait and hope.”

The trouble was the scribe’s words rang true to his ear and he had no proof to the contrary. Akakiba’s hands flexed into fists that were useless without a target. Yuki was missing and there was nothing he could do about it.

A heavy hand landed on his shoulder, nearly sending him staggering. “Have faith!” Hachiro said. “They will find their way back to us!”

“We should get to the clan house,” Jien said. “Our wounded need a healer’s attention and we have to report what happened. They’ll be wondering why Sanae never came back with news.”

Without further talk, they organized to carry the wounded. With Jien’s help, Akakiba settled Aito’s limp body on his back and carried him off. He would see Aito delivered into the clan healer’s capable hands before he turned his full attention to the matter of his missing partner.

For nebulous reasons, Inari had dropped them in the forest on top of the mountain on which the clan house sat. The wall could just about be seen between the trees. Perhaps she’d wanted them to make a grand entrance through the main gates, or perhaps she’d feared some might react with violence if she appeared in sight of humans or clan members. In the forest, the only creatures they might startle were furry or feathery.

Or perhaps it was just easier and safer to target the outdoors—hadn’t Domi brought them out of the spirit realm in the forest too?

Whatever the reason, they had to walk out of the forest and onto the road to reach the front gates. Now and then he checked over his shoulder, in case Yuki and Inari might be catching up, but the forest was calm and empty behind them.

The road was empty, too, aside from a group of five people going the other way. The five strangers were already a distance away, but it looked like two of them were monks with spears, and two more seemed to be women. He might normally have been mildly curious what that was about—were the monks escorting these women somewhere?—but right now he didn’t have any interest to spare. Where was Yuki?

Akakiba walked at the head of their column, easily recognizable; the guards scrambled to open the way as soon as they sighted him. By the time they stepped past the gates and into the courtyard, half the clan had turned out to welcome them. Last time he’d seen these people, they’d looked at him askance and whispered behind his back. Now they smiled at him as if they’d never shunned him for losing his head on the battleground.

“Did you do it?”

“Is Inari real? Did you meet her?”

“Who are these people?”

“We have wounded for Maru,” he said, lifting his voice above the noise. “Is there tea? Food?”

He didn’t need to look far for his mother; Akahana pushed her way to the front without any politeness whatsoever. Kiba followed on her heels.

“Did you succeed?” she asked breathlessly.

“The answer is complicated, but I think…yes.”

Her beaming smile was sunlight in winter; it didn’t melt the ice in his heart, but it muted the pain for a fleeting moment. “I’m so proud of my children.” Peering round, she added, “Are you here, Sanae?”

His face must have shown something, because Akahana looked at him, really looked, and paled. “Where is she? Where is Yuki?”

He tried to tell her, but the words refused to be spoken.

Turning away from him, Akahana shouted at the crowd. “You’re in the way! Make yourself useful or leave! We need guest rooms! Food! Tea!”

“Your people are curious like foxes, eh?” Hachiro said, grinning at his own, sad joke.

Takashi is waiting,
Kiba said.
The others will be made welcome.

Jien didn’t follow, apparently preferring to stay and watch Aito. Either that or he was more interested in eating than reporting.

Akakiba made his report alone, staring at a plain undecorated wall without allowing his gaze to stray to the side where his mother had settled to listen, kneeling primly on the
tatami
. She shouldn’t have been in here, but nobody tried to make her leave.

He spoke. “We lost Sanae when she healed Yuki’s wounds using the fabric of her own self. She did not survive.”

He paused expectantly, but neither of his parents said anything. He didn’t look at them.

It was Takashi who first spoke. “We all grieve for her loss, but her courage will not be forgotten. Was she the only casualty?”

“A handful of the emperor’s men died, I did not notice when. The third sword-wielder died when the ground split and swallowed both her and myself. I took up her sword and attacked.” He finished as best he could, but his memory of later events was hazy. He had been in pain, physical and otherwise. “Yuki might remember better. I believe he was the one who struck the last blow.”

I did not see Yuki outside,
Kiba said, his tone carefully neutral, as if expecting further bad news.

“I assume you noticed we returned earlier than should have been possible. With Inari’s help, we took a shortcut through the spirit realm. Yuki was to be the last, coming along with the Soul Eater. The two we have here are the copies. But they never arrived. It could be the sword’s doing, or…”

“Yes?”

“I’m not convinced we can trust her. She says she’s Inari, and she says she’s our First Lady, but those are only words, not proof. She seemed very interested in the emperor’s scribe. He might have asked her to divest the Soul Eater to the emperor for future use.” The “against us” was implied.

“Grandmother,” Takashi said. “Show yourself, if you please. I know you’re here.”

Grandmother Naoko materialized.
I can try to find them, but I do not know the boy’s aura well.

“Begin at the Imperial Palace, perhaps,” Takashi said. “If there’s treachery afoot, we best learn of it as soon as possible.”

“Stay clear of the sword, if you find it,” Akakiba said.

I didn’t live to this age by being incautious, pup.

The clan leader released them. He would presumably speak with Jien and some of the others later, to get a better idea of what had happened, and how. No single person could see and remember everything, but many people might together provide enough details to paint a coherent scene. Every detail would be recorded, written down in their archives so future generations would know of this momentous battle. There might actually
be
future generations, if they successfully destroyed the swords.

Akakiba walked alongside his mother in silence. “I’m sorry,” he said at last. “Are you—”

“I’m not well, if that’s what you’re asking, but as well as can be expected.”

He cast a sidelong look at her, trying to judge her expression.

“You’re surprised.” Her eyes were bright with unshed tears, but she smiled. “It’s…different, this time. She chose it, you see? There’s no better death than dying protecting family.”

“Yuki isn’t—”

“He is. You’ve been slow about it, but we know.”

His sigh was a heavy one. “Mother, there will be no grandchildren.” Even if he’d been inclined to give in and bear children, it wouldn’t have been possible since he could barely shift. He would never, ever risk being trapped as a female. It wasn’t fair he couldn’t reproduce as a male, but nothing could change this fact.

“Oh, not everything is about breeding. I do consider my
son
’s happiness of some importance, whatever you think.” Then, after a beat, “Don’t worry; Grandmother Naoko will find him for you.”

“I’ll kill her if she hurts him.” He wasn’t talking about Grandmother Naoko.

This made his mother smile’s grow wide and soft. “Of course you will.”

Kiba had yet to say anything, keeping his thoughts to himself as usual. Grieving privately? Sanae had been the clingy child, the one who liked to pester their mother with questions or turn fox to pounce on their father when he least expected it. The one who made them laugh even when they tried to scold her. Was that was he was remembering?

After the silence stretched and stretched, Akakiba reached for an excuse to politely disengage from his parents’ company. He said, “I should see the others, make sure nobody provokes the big one. He has a temper.”

“Ohhh, yes,” Akahana said, her light tone forced. “The big, strong one. You can introduce us.”

Do remember you’re married,
Kiba said dryly.

“Being married is not the same as being blind. I’m not too old to appreciate a beautiful sight.” Her expression turned thoughtful. “Has he had a bath, yet? I could shift…”

There was a noise, in Akakiba’s head, that was probably the sound of his sanity breaking. His own mother, his very married mother, talking about spying lustfully on a male guest? “You can’t—I don’t—” He stopped talking because she was smirking at him.
Smirking
. “Are you saying that to horrify me?”

“Of course not. I always did like muscled men.”

He wasn’t going to answer. In fact, it would be best if he forgot this topic had ever been breached. He could appreciate his mother’s efforts to distract him from worrying about Yuki, but she was not going about it in an acceptable way!

The guests, minus Aito and a few of the wounded, were busy eating, drinking, and laughing loudly. This was not odd. After a great victory, warriors were entitled to celebrate.

The odd part was that Hachiro was surrounded by women. Not unwed girls, but grown women.

“See, I’m not the only one with good taste,” Akahana said.

“I don’t understand what they think they’re doing,” Akakiba said.

Akahana gave him a look. “Must I explain? When a woman finds a man attractive—”

“I get
that
, but this is blatant. This is—”

“—a rare chance for widowed women to get their hands on a strong, heroic male who might give them a child. Considering his name, his bloodline must be very fertile!”

They’re usually more discreet,
Kiba said. He sounded amused.
Rumors have no doubt outrun reality on the topic of whether or not we will see an immediate effect on clan fertility, now that the god’s slain.

“But the energy wasn’t freed,” he objected. “We won’t see any effect until we destroy the swords.”

“Don’t ruin the mood,” Akahana said sharply. “We need this, this hope of better things.” The sharpness of her tone melted away as she said, “I wonder how many married couples will be busy tonight. We might see a few births, nine months from now…”

Akakiba put his hands over his ears and stalked away. He didn’t have to stay there and let her have fun at his expense!

Jien watched him approach with raised eyebrows. “What’s wrong? Is your mother still trying to marry you off? Didn’t you tell her—”

“I didn’t,” he cut in, dropping down besides Jien. “It wasn’t about that. She was telling me how the widows of the clan hope for children from
him
.”

Jien’s gaze wandered over to Hachiro. “Well, yes? I thought it was normal behavior here? I’m a bit jealous. I didn’t get half as much attention when I was new around here.”

Akakiba stared, helplessly. “You…got attention?”

“I’m not ugly,” Jien said indignantly. “I—”

“Stop talking. Now. And give me that.” He swiped the sake bottle and one of the empty cups sitting by it. “I hate all of you.”

“Aww, we’re just trying to distract you from—” Jien hesitated, as if suddenly realizing he should have kept his mouth shut. “—well, everything.”

It couldn’t be the alcohol, because he’d only started in on it, but something made him ask, “Were you going to say Sanae or Yuki?”

Jien flinched away from his gaze. “Yuki’ll find his way back somehow. He’s a resourceful guy. I just wish Sanae were here. She could have found him right away, and we wouldn’t have to worry.”

“I’m an idiot,” Akakiba announced to the sake bottle.

“I won’t argue, but why specifically?”

“I was too busy worrying to realize I can find him myself. Grandmother Naoko doesn’t know Yuki’s aura, but I do. I need only leave my body.”

“Do you know how to find people that way?”

“I’ve done it once before. We don’t have any of those protective charms here. Can you make one?” Jien’s grimace was answer enough. “Come with me. You can watch my body and ensure no other entity makes away with it.”

“I still don’t think—”

Hauling Jien to his feet, Akakiba towed him away. “Yuki could be in trouble.”

The drinking men and women hardly noticed them leaving. His parents had wandered off, which was good because they may not have approved either.

“Are you sure you can?” Jien said quietly as Akakiba settled down on the floor of the first empty room they came across. “With the trouble you’ve been having with shifting…”

“It’s not tied to my strength.” He didn’t think so, anyway. “I’m still a fox, albeit a weak one.” As long as he didn’t get into a fight with another spirit, he’d survive. Either way, he’d have to take the risk.

Dignified people knelt, but Jien had never been especially dignified; he dropped to the floor cross-legged. “Be careful near the Sword Eater. You said it yourself; you’re weaker now. That makes you all the more vulnerable.”

Momo stuck his head out for the first time since they’d come out of the spirit realm. He hadn’t liked travelling through it and reacted by hiding in Akakiba’s clothes and staying there. He was apparently now recovered enough to scamper off.

“Don’t get lost,” Akakiba warned the furry critter. “I won’t look for you.”

Jien brightened. “I was wondering where he’d gone! Momo, here, see, I kept nuts for you.”

Akakiba was no longer paying attention. He was out, and gone. He had a lost partner to find.