Shadow of The Fox (Shadow of the Fox #1) - Julie Kagawa Page 0,116
to target you.”
He glanced at the tree and the giant centipede still coiled around the branches. “I cannot have you dying before we complete our duel,” Oni no Mikoto went on. “That would be a dishonor to us both. Therefore, I will come with you and offer whatever assistance I can. Once your task is complete and Yumeko-san has no further need of your protection, we can continue what we started.”
The ronin threw back his head and laughed. “I love the way samurai think,” he announced, grinning. “So, you’re coming with us, to make sure Kage-san stays alive, so you can kill him later.” He snickered and shook his head. “Man, I can’t wait to see where this goes.”
“I didn’t know Oni-sama was so well-known in the capital,” Yumeko said, as the Demon Prince politely and deliberately ignored the ronin. “Do people find the mask frightening?”
“Ah. Of course,” Oni no Mikoto said. “Forgive my rudeness, I haven’t even properly introduced myself.” He reached up and pulled the oni mask away, revealing a smooth, beardless face only a few years older than me. Small details instantly stood out: high cheekbones, a slightly pointed chin and the pale, elegant look that marked him as a noble of the court. He had narrow, almost effeminate features, and had underlined his already sharp eyes in black. Not the most makeup I’d seen on a noble, even a male one, but it was impossible to mistake him for anything else.
“I am Taiyo Daisuke,” the former Oni no Mikoto announced with a formal bow to Yumeko. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Yumeko-san. Thank you again for the honor of accompanying you on your mission. As a traveling onmyoji, you must see a lot.”
“Taiyo,” echoed the ronin, sounding incredulous. “You’re part of the imperial family?”
“The fourth son of one of the emperor’s many cousins,” Taiyo Daisuke replied with a rather wry smile. “Thankfully, two of my brothers married well and hold important positions within the court, and the third is an imperial magistrate, so I don’t have to worry about meeting my family’s expectations.”
The ronin smirked. “That’s a very unsamurai-like attitude, Taiyo-san. Won’t you have to commit seppuku for having such a dishonorable thought?”
“My clan knows I will do whatever is required to uphold the honor of the Taiyo,” the former Demon Prince said easily. “At the moment, nothing is required of me. So I am free to pursue my own agendas.”
“Which is lurking on bridges and challenging strong warriors to duels,” the ronin said.
“Which will now include escorting Lady Yumeko and her companions to the capital,” the noble corrected. “Yumeko-san?” He smiled at the girl and gestured to the distant lights over the river. “I would suggest spending the night in Sagimura. The inn there is simple but agreeable, and the staff are very attentive. I have always found it a pleasant stay when I leave the capital to go on my pilgrimages.”
“Pilgrimages,” the ronin snorted. “Is that what you call them, then?”
No reply from the noble. Even I had to admit, the former Demon Prince had excellent selective hearing. “Shall we go then, Lady Yumeko?” he asked the girl. “If we hurry, we may yet reach the inn before dinner is served.”
Yumeko returned his smile and, for just a moment, something inside me bristled. “That sounds wonderful,” she said, instantly perking at the mention of food. “Thank you, Taiyo-sama.”
“Please, Yumeko-san.” The samurai held up a hand. “Taiyo-sama is my father. The four of us just fought and killed a giant centipede together. I believe we’ve earned the right to call each other by our first names. Just Daisuke, if you would.”
“Daisuke-san,” Yumeko repeated, still smiling. “Thank you.”
“Well.” Taiyo Daisuke stepped back, gazing across the river. “I believe this is the very first time someone met Oni no Mikoto on a bridge and crossed to the other side.” His gaze fell to the oni mask, still held loosely in one hand, and he smiled a bit sadly. “I suppose I won’t need this anymore,” he murmured. “Whatever the outcome, whether it ends in victory or defeat, I have a feeling that Oni no Mikoto’s next duel will be his final one. So...”
Drawing his arm back, he hurled the mask into the air. It arched up, spinning red and white, before dropping lazily into the river. For a moment, it floated on the surface of the water, a small pale oval against the black. Then, the snarling oni face disappeared as the current pulled it