Soul of the Sword (Shadow of the Fox #2) - Julie Kagawa Page 0,120

self, on the other hand…

I closed my eyes and called on my magic. It flared to the surface a moment before there was a silent explosion of smoke. Opening my eyes, I found myself much closer to the ground, the tops of the grass hiding me completely. The night was suddenly far clearer, the shadows not so dark, the air full of life and sound. My fox ears could hear everything around me: the hum of crickets in the grass, the trill of a nightbird in the trees, the buzz of firefly wings in the air. A flood of smells filled my nostrils, mysterious and tantalizing, and I was struck by the desire to leave everything behind and go bounding through the tall grass, to chase mice and insects, to breathe globes of kitsune-bi into the air and dance under the moonlight.

However, a glimmer of a dark, lacquered scroll case lying naked in the grass brought all those desires to a crashing halt. Pinning back my ears, I swiftly pounced on the case and seized it firmly in my jaws. The wood was hard, unyielding, the outer shell clacking against my teeth. I rolled it around in my jaws, trying to find a comfortable position, resisting the urge to spit it out and leave it lying in the dirt.

Well, this isn’t ideal. I hope no one spots me and wonders why a fox is carrying around a scroll case.

Finally, I shoved the case to the front of my mouth, holding it as a dog would a bone. Mildly annoyed with my burden, I flattened my ears and slipped through the grass, continuing toward the great cedar in the center of the field.

The music continued, growing clearer the closer I drew to the tree. As I eased under a bush, I caught a glimmer of white in the branches of the tree and froze as I looked up. A figure sat in the V of the trunk, leaning back against the tree with one foot planted for balance, his sleeves and pale hair reflected in the waters beneath. He held a thin length of dark wood to his lips, and the sweet, haunting notes filled the air around him.

Daisuke?

Lowering my head, I crept closer, sliding through the long grass toward the tree. Taiyo Daisuke’s eyes were closed, his hair and sleeves billowing softly in the breeze as fireflies drifted around him, as if drawn to the music themselves.

I heard another set of footsteps shushing through the grass behind me, and quickly darted to the side just as a pair of long legs strode past. A scent came to me, earthy and familiar, before a rough, amused voice broke the spell of the flute.

“Here you are. I thought this might be you.” Okame walked beneath the trunk and paused, crossing his arms as he peered up at the noble. “So, did you have a wistful samurai moment?” he wondered. “Did the moonlight speak to you so much that you had to compose a song to the night, or couldn’t you sleep, either?”

Daisuke lowered his flute and gazed down calmly, a small, slightly smug smile crossing his face. “I will admit to feeling rather wistful tonight,” he said. “And the moonlight was very beautiful. It would be easy to get lost in it, but my true purpose for playing has already been fulfilled. It drew you here.”

Okame raised a brow. “You could’ve just asked me to join you, peacock, rather than drag me out of bed by mysterious flute playing in the middle of the night.”

“But then, I would not have known what I needed.” Daisuke raised his arm, the instrument held easily between long fingers. “I would not be so forward as to presume. The song asked the questions. That you came, that you responded, is the answer I was hoping for.”

“Taiyo-san.” Okame rubbed his eyes. “I’ve not been a samurai for a while, and even then, I barely understood the language you nobles use. Pretend you’re speaking to a peasant, or perhaps a tamed monkey. I can’t keep up with all the metaphors and hidden meanings.”

“Very well.” The Taiyo noble tucked his flute into his obi and dropped from the trunk, landing gracefully beside the pond. “Why don’t you ever call me Daisuke, Okame-san?”

“Because you’re a Taiyo,” growled Okame. “And I’m a dishonorable ronin dog. Even I know that’s about as far apart in status as you can get. I might as well be speaking to the emperor of Iwagoto. And