state of disrepair as the outside’s condition might have led them to expect. It was clean and orderly and the floor didn’t seem rotten—or at the very least didn’t give way under their weight as they approached the fire pit to warm their chilled bodies.
Drac arrived there first and spread out shamelessly. Yuki nudged him aside and knelt by, presenting his palms to the dancing flames. It was a modest fire, able to heat no more than the current room, and that must be why the doors leading to other rooms were closed. There were futon piled in a corner, hinting the girls slept here at night.
Chiyako hurried to make tea, behaving as though she believed courtesies could keep her safe from any nefarious intentions they might harbor. Yuki would have liked to reassure her they were harmless, but saying so was likely to heighten her fears instead of the opposite.
Tea came in beautiful cups, dainty things painted with pink cherry flowers.
Their hostess must have caught his surprise, for she said, “We weren’t always so poor. There was a time travelers were numerous here.”
“What changed?”
“Further in the mountain, there used to be a magnificent area lush with life. It’s a hard climb, but people were willing to endure the hardship to see it and pray to the shrine there. The old went to die in peace, the wounded to heal. It was a magic place and it was said white spirits danced there by moonlight.”
“Then it was cursed,” Ari said as she shuffled back inside. She took a moment to violently persuade the door to close, then continued, “The animals left and the trees died and nobody wanted to go there anymore, so we couldn’t make any money. That’s why Father died, because we didn’t have any money.”
“We couldn’t afford medicine,” Chiyako clarified. “The herb lady in the village wouldn’t come, claiming we were cursed like the forest.”
Akakiba leaned forward. “When did this happen?”
“A few years now. It’s difficult to do everything by myself but we’re still here.”
Ari reddened. “I help!”
Chiyako laid a hand on her younger sister’s head. “You do, that’s true.”
Yuki doubted a tiny girl like that could be of much help, but she proved him wrong moments later as she set to the task of cooking a meal. Her tiny hands prepared rice and chopped root vegetables. With a flourish, she produced a jar full of distinctive and easily recognizable mushroom pieces to flavor the rice. It was a welcome surprise; maitake mushrooms were rare, large, and delicious.
“Eat your fill,” Chiyako said as she passed out bowls and chopsticks. “We grow our own rice and nobody dares to come ask us for the lord’s share. They’ve not come once since we were supposedly cursed.”
They ate plentifully—except Drac, who snorted at this meatless fare. “I’d rather hunt for rabbits.”
Yuki didn’t speak his doubts but he “thought” them. You can’t hunt. You’ll fall asleep.
Drac’s mind was a block of stubbornness, the equivalent of stating “I’ll find a way.”
Extra futon were brought in the room and extra wood tossed onto the fire so it may last late into the night. Even with the fire going, the corners of the room were cool. That was convenient, as the cold knocked Drac into sleep easily.
Yuki curled up under the covers and felt himself being drawn down into a sort of slumber meant to last for longer than a human could possibly survive without feeding. It didn’t frighten him; Akakiba could be an irritating bastard at times, but he would never let him die.
Chapter Twelve
Jien
T raveling with Aito was like traveling with Akakiba, insofar as both men were the silent, reliable type. But it was different, too.
Aito could point out fifty birds in a row and never mistake their species. Aito could glance at indistinct tracks in the mud and say a wolf pack five members strong had come by two days ago. Aito could spend an hour studying a snail. If asked, he’d claim he’d
Drac arrived there first and spread out shamelessly. Yuki nudged him aside and knelt by, presenting his palms to the dancing flames. It was a modest fire, able to heat no more than the current room, and that must be why the doors leading to other rooms were closed. There were futon piled in a corner, hinting the girls slept here at night.
Chiyako hurried to make tea, behaving as though she believed courtesies could keep her safe from any nefarious intentions they might harbor. Yuki would have liked to reassure her they were harmless, but saying so was likely to heighten her fears instead of the opposite.
Tea came in beautiful cups, dainty things painted with pink cherry flowers.
Their hostess must have caught his surprise, for she said, “We weren’t always so poor. There was a time travelers were numerous here.”
“What changed?”
“Further in the mountain, there used to be a magnificent area lush with life. It’s a hard climb, but people were willing to endure the hardship to see it and pray to the shrine there. The old went to die in peace, the wounded to heal. It was a magic place and it was said white spirits danced there by moonlight.”
“Then it was cursed,” Ari said as she shuffled back inside. She took a moment to violently persuade the door to close, then continued, “The animals left and the trees died and nobody wanted to go there anymore, so we couldn’t make any money. That’s why Father died, because we didn’t have any money.”
“We couldn’t afford medicine,” Chiyako clarified. “The herb lady in the village wouldn’t come, claiming we were cursed like the forest.”
Akakiba leaned forward. “When did this happen?”
“A few years now. It’s difficult to do everything by myself but we’re still here.”
Ari reddened. “I help!”
Chiyako laid a hand on her younger sister’s head. “You do, that’s true.”
Yuki doubted a tiny girl like that could be of much help, but she proved him wrong moments later as she set to the task of cooking a meal. Her tiny hands prepared rice and chopped root vegetables. With a flourish, she produced a jar full of distinctive and easily recognizable mushroom pieces to flavor the rice. It was a welcome surprise; maitake mushrooms were rare, large, and delicious.
“Eat your fill,” Chiyako said as she passed out bowls and chopsticks. “We grow our own rice and nobody dares to come ask us for the lord’s share. They’ve not come once since we were supposedly cursed.”
They ate plentifully—except Drac, who snorted at this meatless fare. “I’d rather hunt for rabbits.”
Yuki didn’t speak his doubts but he “thought” them. You can’t hunt. You’ll fall asleep.
Drac’s mind was a block of stubbornness, the equivalent of stating “I’ll find a way.”
Extra futon were brought in the room and extra wood tossed onto the fire so it may last late into the night. Even with the fire going, the corners of the room were cool. That was convenient, as the cold knocked Drac into sleep easily.
Yuki curled up under the covers and felt himself being drawn down into a sort of slumber meant to last for longer than a human could possibly survive without feeding. It didn’t frighten him; Akakiba could be an irritating bastard at times, but he would never let him die.
Chapter Twelve
Jien
T raveling with Aito was like traveling with Akakiba, insofar as both men were the silent, reliable type. But it was different, too.
Aito could point out fifty birds in a row and never mistake their species. Aito could glance at indistinct tracks in the mud and say a wolf pack five members strong had come by two days ago. Aito could spend an hour studying a snail. If asked, he’d claim he’d
Similar Books
