Shadow of The Fox (Shadow of the Fox #1) - Julie Kagawa Page 0,52
smiled triumphantly and raised her arm, her clothes and hair beginning to snap in the wind once more.
“Although...” The stranger stopped, rubbing his chin, and glanced up at the witch again. “They say kamaitachi move so quickly, the naked eye cannot comprehend them. I’ve always wondered if that was true.”
Reaching back, he drew his weapon over his head, lacquered case and all. Holding the sheath in his left hand, he slid one foot back until he was in some sort of stance, his empty hand hovering a few inches from the hilt of the giant sword.
“Let’s play a game,” the stranger said, a vicious smile crossing his face as he stared at the witch. “You send your familiars to kill this half-breed, and I try to cut them from the air before they can reach her. If the kamaitachi are as fast as the stories claim, they should be in no danger. If not, well...” He lifted one lean shoulder in a shrug. “You can always find more, right?”
The wind witch stiffened. On her shoulders, the two kamaitachi cowered, looking reluctant. My heart pounded as the silence stretched out. The beautiful stranger didn’t move, his hand steady and motionless over the hilt of his sword, ready to draw steel in the blink of an eye.
Finally, Kazekira raised her chin and sniffed. “Much as I would like to play your game, Seigetsu-sama,” she said in a lofty voice, “I don’t think I can convince my cowardly vermin weasels to cooperate, so you’ll have to excuse us.” With a sneer, she glanced in my direction. “Consider yourself lucky, half-breed. You get to live tonight. But Seigetsu-sama won’t always be around to protect you. My kamaitachi and I will see you soon.”
A strong wind gusted through the shrine, stirring dust and making the lanterns sway. The wind witch rose into the air, robes billowing around her, and drifted away over the rooftops. In seconds, she had disappeared.
As the wind died down, I looked at the stranger, watching as he straightened and slipped the weapon over his shoulders again. Seigetsu-sama, the witch had called him, a suffix reserved for those of the highest station. Did that mean he was a lord, perhaps the daimyo of one of the Great Clans? I wouldn’t have thought that I would meet someone so important in the back alleys of Chochin Machi, but I didn’t know much about the outside world. Perhaps he was taking an evening stroll around town...without the company of his samurai and bodyguards. It seemed unlikely, but, whatever his reasons, I did know that his timing was impeccable.
“Ano...” I stammered as the stranger glanced up, those lazy golden eyes pinning me in place. For a moment, I felt almost naked beneath them, all my secrets laid bare. Shaking myself, I offered a smile. “Thank you.”
One corner of his mouth quirked. “You’re welcome,” he stated simply. “And consider yourself lucky. I don’t make a habit of saving oblivious half foxes from angry kamaitachi, but tonight I thought I would make an exception.” He regarded me with cool amusement. “You know why Kazekira was after you, yes?”
How did he know about the scroll? Come to think of it, how did Kazekira? I swallowed hard, feeling the narrow case hidden in my furoshiki. “I really have no idea.”
One silver brow arched. “You’re going to have to lie better than that if you want to survive, half-breed,” he told me. “There are many out there searching desperately for the scroll, who will do anything to acquire it.” I tensed, and he chuckled, shaking his head. “You can relax. I have no interest in the Dragon’s wish, or you. But I will offer this bit of advice—don’t tell the demonslayer about Kazekira.”
My ears pricked. He knew about Tatsumi, as well? Who was he? “Why?”
His eyes, golden and mesmerizing, bore into mine. “Because, little fox, powerful kami-touched witches don’t randomly attack ordinary peasant girls without reason, especially in a town or city. The demonslayer knows this. If you tell him you were assaulted by a wind witch with kamaitachi familiars, he’s going to want to know why she was after you. And what will you tell him then?”
“Oh.” I bit my lip. “Good point.”
Shaking his head, the stranger started to walk away but paused again, watching me from the corner of his eye. “You will likely see Kazekira again,” he warned. “If you do, and the demonslayer somehow gets himself into trouble, remember this.” He raised a hand, the last