Gloria Oliver (14 page)

Unlike the day before, Mitsuo allowed him to rest often, for which he was very grateful. Miko did her best to keep him full of hot tea.

Toward the end of the day, Mitsuo bid him go through his drills with his eyes closed. With a whisper, he told Toshi to begin, but to pay close attention to what each movement felt like and not to worry so much about whether he was doing them right.

Struggling to feel as he moved, Toshi found he was hesitating here and there, not able to see what he was doing. Mitsuo occasionally sent him directions or corrected his stance. He noticed Miko was silent throughout and was grateful. Even so, he found it difficult to focus on what he was doing.

As one stance shifted to the next, he felt his mind going with the flow of the movements. He could almost feel each muscle as it stretched and shrank at his command. Gradually, he reached the point where he thought he could even visualize his movements in his mind.

Just as he was getting comfortable with the sensations and what they meant, Miko’s jokes began again.

He began to be distracted despite his efforts. His movements started to falter.

“Do it faster,” Mitsuo told him.

The close, unexpected whisper almost made him jump. Cursing at himself, he did as he was told. He tried even harder to shut Miko’s voice from his mind.

“Faster.”

Concentration bunched his brow as he struggled to comply with Mitsuo’s request. Though Miko continued trying to attract his attention, he was working so hard he barely noticed her anymore.

Mitsuo didn’t let up even when he tripped more and more during his movements. He even whacked himself with the boken. Each time he faltered, Mitsuo smacked him and forbade him to open his eyes before bidding him to move faster still.

“Stop. You’ve done enough,” Mitsuo said, a note of regret in his voice.

Toshi came to a halt, feeling dizzy. He opened his eyes but found it didn’t help at all. Forcing himself to stand up straight, he bowed in Mitsuo’s direction and then stood, his muscles shaking, until his teacher had left the room. Only then did he allow himself the luxury of collapsing on the floor.

He lay still, his sweat turning cold on his skin, his breath moving in and out in ragged gasps. Miko appeared beside him and draped his blankets around him. Helping him to sit up, she pressed a cup into his hands.

Without hesitating, he raised the cup to his lips and drank. He gasped as the contents tore at his throat.

“What
is
this?” His throat still burned, though the liquid had already gone on its way. He felt it land heavily in his stomach.

“It’s sake, silly-chan,” she teased. “Here, have some more of it. It’ll warm you right up. And, besides, you deserve it.”

Wanting to ask what she meant by that but not quite daring to, he took a more cautious sip of his drink.

The rice wine spread inside him, warming him up all over.

“Mitsuo-san is going to be bringing your dinner and bath in a few minutes. Until he returns, I want you to lie down and relax.”

Wondering what Miko was up to, he nevertheless did as he’d been bid. The sake spread its warmth to every part of his body. He was wallowing in the sensation when something touched his leg. He jerked away from it.

“Lie still. I’m not going to hurt you,” Miko said.

“But what are you—”

“Just be still,” she insisted.

He couldn’t help himself. Though he tried to relax and stay still, he tensed up every time she touched him.

Miko’s deft hands worked up and down his legs, massaging his muscles.

After a short while, she had him turn over and began working on his arms and back. Eventually, he relaxed as his muscles welcomed the expertly applied attention. The sensation of her soft hands merged with the sake-induced warmth running through him. His eyes grew heavy, and he never thought to stop them as they began to close. With a slight grin on his face, he headed toward unconscious bliss.

With a yelp, he jumped up to a sitting position, his flesh covered by goose bumps. His sides were still tight from where Miko had applied a tickling caress. “Miko-san!”

The geisha wagged a fleshless finger in his direction. “You’re not supposed to go to sleep in here.”

He looked away, feeling guilty, knowing he’d ignored Asaka’s command. “Sorry, Miko-san.”

“Well, I’ll forgive you this time, but if it happens again…”

“It won’t, Miko-san. It won’t.”

“All right, I’ll believe you—this time. Now, your bath is here, so you’d better take it. And believe me, you need it.” The geisha brought up her hand and used it to cover her mask’s painted nose. “Yuck.”

He got undressed even as Miko set out the food he’d not seen Mitsuo bring in. He was halfway to the buckets when all the geisha had said came back to him. He turned toward her despite the cold already clawing at his skin.

“You can smell?”

Miko turned to look up at him. “I’m only dead, Toshi-kun. Otherwise, I’m still the same.”

“I … uh … oh, ah, sorry.” He rushed to take his bath before he made any more of a fool of himself.

Toshi ate with a sense of rising excitement. Soon, Asaka and his men would go looking for the object of their quest, bringing him that much closer to getting home.

When he felt the ship surface he lost no time in getting his things together. Though in his mind he knew it could be several days or even longer before the crew found what they sought, he couldn’t quell the feeling that tonight would be the night. He also had the small hope, though he’d never admit it, that he might catch a glimpse of what they’d waited so long to find.

He, Miko and Mitsuo were met by three others on their way out. He gazed out at the newest island as they climbed the ladder to the higher deck.

This one was bigger than those he’d seen so far. He stared at its dark outline even as Miko set out his bedding. He was about to look away when something caught his attention. There, on the far edge of the island, he thought he’d seen a speck of light. Grabbing his basket, he took out the telescope and brought it to his eye.

He scanned back and forth between his guards’ shoulders until he was able to catch the light within the glass. He stared at the soft flicker, barely able to distinguish the frame of the house it sat in. He flinched as a figure crossed the light. Taking the telescope from his eye, he stared in the direction of the house, realizing he’d just seen a living being. A living, breathing being….

An almost overwhelming sense of longing cut through him.

“Toshi-chan?” It was Miko.

He jumped at the touch on his arm.

“Toshi-chan, are you all right?” she asked. “You look as if you’d seen a demon.”

He grinned. He wondered if she knew how odd the statement sounded coming from her.

“I’m all right, Miko-san,” he assured her. “I was just a little surprised to find there are people on this island.”

Her gaze ventured in the direction he’d been staring. “That could be a very good sign, Toshi-kun.” Her mask turned toward him, the ship’s eerie glow brightening the smile. “I’m sure you’ll be among them again soon.”

He couldn’t help but wonder at her thoughts as her gaze returned again to the far-off point of light.

A warm touch on his cheek brought Toshi’s eyes open. A full moon stared down at him from a clear sky.

Glancing to his right, he found Miko staring at him. She said nothing.

As she remained silent, a bolt of apprehension shot through him, bringing him entirely awake. He sat up, his gaze riveted to Miko’s blue glowing eyes. She still said nothing.

After about a minute, he found he could stand her silence no longer. “Miko-san, what’s wrong?”

As his whisper reached her, she turned her face away. Worry growing inside him, he also noticed the stiff backs of the guards around him.

“They’ve found it.”

Though he barely heard what she said, he couldn’t miss the excitement coloring her every word.

“They’ve found the object?” He found his own excitement building.

She slowly shook her head. “No, but they’ve found the place where it’s being kept. It’ll be up to you to get it.”

A chill of thrilled fear coursed through him at her words. “Why? When?”

“You sound so eager,” she accused.

“Miko-san!”

A long sleeve rose up to cover her mouth while the other reached for his hand. “That is not for me to decide. Our lord is there now, but has sent word he will return soon. I’m sure he will explain things to you then.”

His gaze traveled past his ring of guards, and he stared out into the darkness. His skin turned cold as he wondered how long it would be before the samurai returned.

Time crawled by. A knot tightened inside him as Asaka continued to be absent. Though Miko had bid him try and go back to sleep, he found he couldn’t. His mind wouldn’t let him rest; it wouldn’t stop trying to guess what was out there waiting for him, what it was an undead samurai couldn’t deal with that he must.

After what felt like an eternity, he heard wood hitting the side of the ship. Asaka had returned. He sat up, tense, and watched as the samurai and the last of the crew climbed back on board.

Almost in agony with the rising suspense, he saw Asaka ascend to their deck and calmly move to sit on his stool. Feeling he would soon scream in frustration, Toshi watched as Mitsuo left his side to go confer with Asaka. He felt his mouth go dry as Mitsuo then left the deck.

He didn’t know what to make of Mitsuo’s departure and tried not to fidget as he waited for his return.

The samurai sat still and implacable as always. The waiting threatened to drive Toshi mad.

Trying to divert himself, he glanced at the crew below. He noticed they were milling around, doing nothing. It was as if they felt as restless as he did. He caught them throwing glances in the direction of their lord and, surprisingly, also at him. He swallowed hard.

Mitsuo returned and brought with him some paper, a brush and ink. Saying nothing, Asaka took these things from him and ignored everyone as he began to write.

Toshi felt his nervousness rising, as well as that of the crew.

Asaka called out for one of the crew as he lay the brush and ink aside. The crewman hurried forward and bowed. The samurai held the newly written paper out to him and asked the man to verify it.

Toshi held his breath, watching as the crewman unfolded the paper and scrutinized what he found there.

Before long, the crewman refolded the paper and handed it back, declaring it accurate.

Asaka dismissed the man and waited until he’d joined the rest of the crew before turning his green, glowing stare in Toshi’s direction.

“Boy,” he said.

Toshi’s heart leapt into his throat at the call. Though he’d been expecting it, now that it was here he found he was suddenly unprepared. Hesitating despite the need for urgency, he rose to his feet as Miko softly squeezed his arm. He stumbled forward, followed by his guards as they maintained a protective circle around him.

He knelt and bowed to the floor, feeling the deck’s unnatural coldness seeping into his hands and knees.

He did his best to ignore it as a different sort of coldness grew inside him. “Yes, Lord?”

The green-lit gaze had followed him from where he’d sat and glowed even more brightly as the samurai leaned toward him.

“Prior to dawn, you will accompany me to shore. Until then, you will sleep.”

Asaka’s gaze left him.

He was caught offguard by the samurai’s words. Confused but also knowing he’d just been dismissed, he bowed again before returning to his blankets.

He’d been told nothing! He’d already known he was to go ashore. Why keep him in the dark? Did Asaka not believe he’d do what was required if he knew of it before hand? And why wait until dawn?

His back and shoulders hurt from the tension. Looking at no one, he slipped back into his covers and tried to go to sleep as he’d been told. After much tossing and turning, he was able to fall into a light doze.

“Toshi-kun.”

He sat up in surprise, knowing that, despite what he’d thought, he’d fallen asleep after all. He found Miko sitting beside him. She offered him a cup of tea.

“I’ve brought some breakfast for you, Toshi-kun, and some lunch for you to take with you. Lord Asaka will be taking you to shore soon,” she said.

He nodded, feeling stiff, and took the offered cup. He didn’t taste the tea as he realized with a shiver that his new task was almost upon him. Without any real appetite, he reached for the soup and slices of fish Miko placed before him.

While he ate, the geisha slipped to sit behind him and combed his sleep-tousled hair. As she tied the leather thong about a fresh ponytail, he felt her lean close.

“Toshi-kun, we all have the greatest faith in you,” she said. “I know you’ll come through for us. We’ll owe you our everlasting gratitude for what you are about to do.” She hesitated. “Promise me you’ll be careful.”

A large lump formed in his throat. He felt a heavy weight settle on his shoulders as he realized what it was his little trip meant to them. For whatever reasons, they couldn’t retrieve the object themselves. If he didn’t get it for them they’d be doomed to stay as they were until they found someone who might. He couldn’t find his voice to give Miko the promise she’d asked for, his new burden weighing him down. All he could do was nod.

He had just finished his meal when Asaka rose from his stool and beckoned for Toshi to come forward.

Gulping down a last swallow of tea, he rose to his feet, his boken held tightly in a sweaty palm.

Trying not to let his fear get out of hand, he took hold of the small bundle Miko handed up to him. She rose and hung a cord around his neck, which was attached to a long bamboo container. He didn’t look at her, his gaze glued to the armored figure who waited for him.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped up to join his lord. His ring of guards shifted with him, leaving the geisha behind, like the tide leaving the shore. He followed Asaka down the ladder and across the deck to the side of the ship. The skiff was still attached there, waiting for them.