Soul of the Sword (Shadow of the Fox #2) - Julie Kagawa Page 0,24

he died because of it. Yasuo is right.” Okame faced the spirit again and took a step forward. One more step would take him off the path into the mist. “I should be here, with my brother and all the men I betrayed. It was my duty, and I abandoned it. I abandoned him.” He took a short breath, as if steeling himself, and raised his chin. “I’m the one who should be here, not them.”

I cried out and reached for him, knowing it was too late, that he was too far away. Ghostly hands reached through the fog and latched on to the front of his jacket. He did nothing to stop them, and they dragged him off the path, into the mist beyond.

“Okame-san!”

There was a blur of white and blue, and Daisuke appeared, lunging forward and grabbing Okame by the collar just as the ronin was pulled into the fog. Planting his feet on the path, the noble yanked backward, bracing himself, eliciting angry cries from the mist beyond. I hurried forward, heart pounding, as Daisuke pulled the ronin halfway out of the fog. Pale hands and arms clutched at Okame, trying to drag him into the land of the dead.

“Spirits,” I heard Daisuke grit out as I reached them and grabbed Okame by the sleeve, joining in the deadly tug-of-war. “I know you are angry, that you grieve, that you are jealous of those who still live. I apologize, but I cannot allow you to take this one just yet. Forgive me, but he is needed here!”

He gave a mighty yank, and the hands clinging to Okame tore loose. The three of us tumbled backward and collapsed in a heap on the path. Gasping, I struggled upright and looked at the ronin, who lay on the ground, unmoving. His eyes were open and glazed, and he was as white as parchment.

“Okame-san!” I shook the ronin’s arm; it flopped beneath my fingers, making my stomach twist. “Okame-san, wake up. Can you hear me?”

No answer from Okame. He was breathing—his chest rose and fell in shallow breaths—but his expression was slack and he stared at nothing. Blinking rapidly, I looked at the noble. “He’s not responding. Daisuke-san, what can we do?”

The noble sat up, wincing, and peered down at the still form of the ronin between us. “My master used to say, sometimes a whisper is all that is required to calm a storm, but when words fail, sometimes you need the thunder.”

I frowned. “What?”

He turned to the ronin and gave a quick bow. “My apologies,” he muttered, and struck him hard across the face. The crack of his palm against the ronin’s cheek echoed loudly in the darkness.

“Ow!” Okame jerked upright, put a hand to his face and glared at the noble. Realizing where he was, he slumped back with a groan. “Kuso. Is this Meido? Are we dead?”

Daisuke smiled. His long white hair had fallen into his eyes, and his robes, already torn, had suffered even more abuse. He looked quite disheveled sitting there on the ground, but still somehow managed to uphold his dignity. “Not yet, I’m afraid,” he murmured. “Though you did try your best a few seconds ago.”

“Damn.” Okame scrubbed a hand across his face. “Bastard ghosts. I really thought I saw Yasuo for a few seconds there.” He eyed Daisuke, a puzzled frown crossing his face. “Why did you save me, Taiyo?” he demanded in a rough voice. “It’s not like I’m a samurai. I’m a filthy ronin dog with no honor left to salvage. There’s no shame in letting a worthless ronin get yanked into the realm of the dead by his own stupidity.”

A furrow creased the noble’s brow. “You must think very little of me, Okame-san,” Daisuke said, sounding more hurt than offended. “We have bled together, fought together, battled monsters, demons and oni side by side. I’ve sworn to protect Yumeko-san, but there is an unspoken oath that I follow. For as long as I am able, my blade will defend those I cherish—my family, my friends, my fellow warriors.” He looked the ronin in the eye. “No matter who they are or what they have done in the past.”

Silence fell over the path. The two men seemed to have forgotten I was there. Daisuke continued to hold Okame’s gaze, unwavering but not accusing or challenging, and it was the ronin who blinked and looked away first.

“Kuso,” he muttered again. “This place is twisting my mind and making everyone do