Soul of the Sword (Shadow of the Fox #2) - Julie Kagawa Page 0,61
fetch you anything, you have but to ask.”
“Ano,” I said after a moment’s hesitation. The maid, who had been ready to leave, glanced up at me curiously. “I’m sorry, but I’ve never been inside a castle before,” I went on, looking away as if embarrassed. “I’m not sure…I mean, could you show me…where the toilets are?”
“Oh.” The maid smiled and relaxed. “Of course. Please, follow me.”
“Thank you.”
We slipped from the room, and I followed her down the narrow hallways, passing a few samurai and servants in black. Even though it was quite late, there were still a lot more people up and about than I would have thought. Perhaps they disliked the sunlight. Perhaps the Shadow Clan preferred doing most of their business in the dark like owls or bats. In any case, none of them paid us any attention, though I could still feel eyes on me in the hall and all the way down the stairs to the lower floor. The maid led me to a room with a stone floor and several stalls made of wood. In the center of each, a narrow rectangular pit dropped down into pitch-blackness.
“Shall I stay, miss?” the maid asked, sounding reluctant but trying not to show it. “Do you need to be shown the way back?”
“I don’t think that will be necessary,” I told her, and watched relief flit over her face. “I should be all right from here. Thank you.”
The maid left quickly, and I smiled, mincing my way into one of the stalls. Here, at least, I was fairly certain no one would be spying on me.
Huddled against the wall with the pit at my feet, I fished into my furoshiki and withdrew two more of the small, slightly crushed leaves I’d picked up before we arrived at the castle.
Sometimes you’re very cranky, Reika-chan, I thought, placing one leaf on my head. But I guess I have to thank you for this.
A puff of white smoke filled the toilet stall. As it cleared, I shook away the tendrils and took a quick glance at myself, seeing a simple robe and a pair of slender hands clutching a tea tray. Nodding once in satisfaction, I exited the stall and strode into the hall.
All right, I thought, gazing around. A samurai rushed past me with a curt grunt, ducking into one of the stalls. I quickly moved away from the toilets before I started hearing things I’d rather not. And also before he could wonder why I was holding a tea tray while going to the toilet. Where could Daisuke and baka Okame have gotten off to? Maybe I’ll check their rooms first, in case they left anything behind.
Holding the tray, I made my way back to our quarters, taking care not to get lost in the labyrinthine maze of corridors and passageways. More servants and a few samurai passed me in the passages, none of whom gave me a second glance.
I slid open the door to what I was certain was one of our rooms, though I wasn’t sure whose yet, and looked around. It was empty, and I turned to leave.
However, as I slipped out the door, I felt a firm grip on my upper arm. With a yelp, I spun and came face-to-face with the older servant, who glared at me with hard black eyes.
“What are you doing?” she demanded, with none of the cool politeness she’d shown me earlier. “You are not supposed to be here now. I sent you to the kitchens for Hanarisan’s tea. Why aren’t you at your station?”
“I…um…the girl asked me to show her the way to the toilets,” I stammered, earning an annoyed huff from the other woman. Before she could say anything, I added, “She also wanted to know where her two missing companions were, and when they would return. What should I tell her if she asks again?”
The woman sighed. “The last I heard, the Taiyo and the yojimbo had left the castle and were heading toward the Lucky Frog gambling hall on the east side of town. Our shinobi are tracking them as we speak, but they are not important.”
“Oh.” I kept the puzzled frown from my face. But, Reika said that no one had seen Daisuke or Okame leave the castle. Are they deliberately trying to mislead us?
“Do not let the girl leave.” The woman gave me a warning scowl. “The others can come and go as they wish, but Masao-sama was very specific that the peasant girl