Soul of the Sword (Shadow of the Fox #2) - Julie Kagawa Page 0,159

flat and disinterested, already turning away, returning to the slaughter. “Sayonara, Hakaimono. You’ve outlived your usefulness, and I have no more need of you. May your next millennium in the sword be a peaceful one.”

My vision went dark.

29

MERGING SOULS

Yumeko

Tatsumi!

I felt the sword enter Tatsumi’s body, felt the hideous rip and tear of the blade sliding through flesh, felt it lodge between muscle and sinew, and it took everything I had not to flee the mortally wounded demonslayer for the safety of my own body. Every instinct shrieked at me to run, to abandon the dying host and return to myself. I couldn’t feel the pain, but I could feel the body’s reaction to it, the screaming of nerves and the seizing up of muscles, and it was almost too much. As Tatsumi’s body slumped limply to the stones, I spun and found myself back in the void, a stunned oni and a human soul appearing against the darkness.

Tatsumi grimaced and fell to his knees, making alarm shoot through me like an arrow. He flickered once and turned ghostly, as the subtle glow around him grew bright against the darkness.

“No!”

Rushing over, I threw myself down in front of him, grabbing his arms. “Tatsumi, no,” I pleaded, as his sad, strangely calm gaze flicked up to mine. “You can’t die. Don’t disappear now. Stay with me.”

“I can’t.” He raised his hands, gazing at his transparent fingers, and closed his eyes. “I can feel…something pulling me,” he whispered. “Meido, or maybe Jigoku, is calling. I’m sorry, Yumeko.” One hand rose to my face, his eyes soft as they met my own. “Arigatou,” he breathed. “For a little while, my world was brighter…because I met you.”

Tears blinded me, but with a snarl that shook the void around us, Hakaimono strode forward, eyes blazing with fury and—I blinked in shock—desperation.

“Dammit, human!” he snarled, looming over us. “Don’t you dare give up and die. I refuse to spend another minute back in Kamigoroshi. I will stay in this body and on this realm, even if I have to keep your fragile, pathetic mortal soul here by force.”

“You can’t stop it, Hakaimono,” Tatsumi said quietly. Unexpectedly, the faintest of smiles crossed his face. “This body is nearly gone, and you can’t stay here once the soul departs. At least I’ll die knowing you’ll be sealed back in Kamigoroshi, hopefully forever this time.”

“And what happens to the empire when Genno wins?” Hakaimono demanded. “What happens to your clan? And your precious little fox girl?” He shook his head and stepped closer, teeth bared, eyes blazing and furious as he leaned in. “Listen to me, demonslayer. I won’t pretend to care about any of that, but I know you do. And right now, our survival depends on both of us. I plan to track down Genno and rip the traitorous head from his body, but I can’t do that trapped in a sword.” He paused a moment, as if struggling with himself, then growled a curse and held out a claw. “My soul is stronger. Merge with me, and we might still live through this.”

I stared at Hakaimono in shock. What did he mean? Could a mortal soul and a demon join together? And, would Tatsumi be saved if they did?

“Become one with a demon.” Tatsumi’s voice was flat, and a humorless smile twisted one corner of his mouth. “I have very little honor left,” he said, “but at least my soul will be clean when I arrive in Meido, or even Jigoku. Unlike you, Hakaimono, I have never been afraid to die.”

“Hakaimono.” I stared at the demon, still standing with his claw outstretched, until he met my gaze. “You can save him?”

“No,” the First Oni growled. “I’d be saving us. I can’t possess a corpse. Once the soul departs, I’ll be forced back into the sword, and this body will be nothing but a shell.” He gestured angrily to Tatsumi. “His body is dying and once it does, Tatsumi’s soul will be pulled to Meido or Jigoku or wherever he’s headed. If it merges with me, if our souls join together, I might be able to heal the damage done to the flesh—enough to save his life, anyway.”

“But what happens to Tatsumi’s soul if the two of you join?”

“I have no idea,” Hakaimono snapped. “But I’m sure of what will happen if we don’t. We both lose, Genno summons the Dragon and the empire is overrun with demons and blood magic. Lots of people die. Is that what