Soul of the Sword (Shadow of the Fox #2) - Julie Kagawa Page 0,20

the path. I fear what we might see or hear while we are in the Shadow world.”

“And that mage certainly isn’t going to help,” Reika muttered, glaring after Naganori. “It wouldn’t surprise me if one of us accidentally ‘tripped’ and stumbled off the path while following him.”

I cocked my head at her. “Does that mean the Path will be very bumpy, or that Naganori-san will not help us if we do?”

She sighed. “No, Yumeko. Just…be careful around the majutsushi. I don’t trust him at all.”

The head majutsushi of the Shadow Clan started chanting. Standing at the base of a large stone marker, Naganori held two fingers to his lips and began a low, droning murmur that raised the hairs on the back of my neck. As we watched, the shadow cast by the narrow gravestone seemed to darken, sucking in light until it resembled a strip of the void itself, lying in the flickering torchlight.

Naganori turned to us, gesturing with a pale white hand. “Quickly now,” he urged. “The way will not remain open for long. Follow me, close your ears to the voices and do not allow your eyes to stray from the path. With any luck, we will be on the other side of Taiyo lands before the night is through.”

He stepped onto the narrow strip of shadow cast by the headstone and seemed to vanish as the darkness swallowed him up.

Okame uttered a soft curse.

Nearly invisible in the shadows, the Kage shinobi watched us, as if fearing we would attempt to flee now that Naganori was gone. I wouldn’t say the thought hadn’t crossed my mind, but I doubted all five of us would get away even if we tried to escape.

I took a deep breath, driving away the fear clinging to my heart. This is for Tatsumi, I reminded myself. I won’t abandon him to Hakaimono. Somehow, I’ll find a way to bring him back.

Setting my jaw, I walked into the narrow strip of shadow, and the world around me faded into darkness.

I shivered and rubbed my arms as I gazed around. It was cold, but not the brisk air of a forest in winter, or the icy chill of a mountain lake. This was a dead, stiff cold, like being buried in the dark, silent earth with the worms, beetles and bones. Around me, there was no breeze, no sound or scent, or any hint of life. It was as if I stood in the center of a narrow, endless hallway, a strip of utter blackness, a path of void winding away into the dark. To my right, I could see the cemetery and Okame, Reika, Daisuke, Master Jiro and the two dogs, but their figures were blurred and faded at the edges. Okame was saying something as he pointed in my direction, but his voice sounded muffled, as if he were underwater, and his gaze passed right through me.

To my left was a solid wall of mist and fog. Ragged tendrils drifted over the path, coiling around my ankles like icy fingers. That cold, dead chill seemed to emanate from the fog and whatever lay beyond. As I watched, a section of mist parted, and for just a moment, I could see a face, pale and hollow-eyed, staring at me from the void.

Panic rose, making my heart flutter around my chest like a frightened bird. My pulse became a muffled thump in my ears and seemed to echo for miles, the only spot of life in the darkness.

“Careful.” A voice resounded behind me, and the tall, skeletal form of Naganori seemed to materialize like a wraith. His lips were pressed into a grim line as he stared down at me. “Don’t step off the path, or the spirits of the dead will be on you in a heartbeat. They can hear it, you know.” He pointed at my chest. “Your fear will give you away. If you cannot control your emotions, they will hound you the entire way.” He sighed. “Though I suppose that might be too much to ask, even of one who is an onmyoji. Perhaps a spell would be advantageous. I could always put you to sleep for the journey.”

My skin crawled. “No,” I told the majutsushi, and took a careful step back. “That won’t be necessary.”

His lip curled. “Very well. But my orders are to bring you to Lady Hanshou, alive and unharmed. I care nothing for the others, and neither does anyone else in the Kage.” He loomed over