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- Herausgeber: Kate Grove
- Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
- Serie: Yokai Treasures
- Sprache: Englisch
What would you do if you found yourself in medieval Japan? Make a deal with a samurai warlord! What could go wrong...?
In exchange for help, Ciara has to pose as the fiancée to the samurai lord, Katsuo. As she struggles to navigate new cultural norms and traditions, Katsuo is intrigued by the foreigner's curious behavior. Neither is actually looking for a real relationship, but can't deny the allurement.
As supernatural enemies close in, it becomes clear that Katsuo isn't the only one with a dangerous secret.
Sword and Mirror is the first book in the Yokai Treasures series, a timetravel romantasy set in sengoku-jidai (around the same time as the Shogun is set), richly inspired by Japanese folklore. Fans of Inuyasha will love it. Each book in the series follows a different couple, interconnected by the overall story about certain items of power.
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Seitenzahl: 490
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019
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Sword and Mirror
(Yōkai Treasures book 1)
written by Kate Grove
Sword and Mirror
Written and published by Kate Grove
Copyright © 2019 Kate Grove
Kate Grove asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work, under the Act LXXVI of 1999 on Copyright.
http://kategrove.net
#yokaitreasures
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or portions thereof, in any electronic or mechanical means, without prior written permission from the author.
Paperback ISBN: 978-615-00-6226-6
E-book ISBN: 978-615-00-6227-3
Cover design © Lauren Bearzatto of Sly Fox Cover Designs
Editorial work by Red Loop Editing
This book is a work of fiction. People, names, places and events portrayed in it are purely products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, places, or events is entirely coincidental.
Happy reading!
Subscribe to Kate’s newsletter to keep up to date with her upcoming writing projects and receive exclusive cat photos a short story: http://kategrove.net/newsletter-signup
***
Sword and Mirror
A modern-day witch. A 16th-century warlord. And the journey through time that intertwines their fates.
A victim of mistaken identity, Ciara finds herself dragged back in time and thrown into the clutches of a maniacal samurai. Risking her life, Ciara manages to escape with a little girl the samurai kidnapped to provoke his rival.
While doing so earns her the gratitude of Katsuo, the enemy warlord, an alliance with him comes at a price.
Ciara must pretend to be in a relationship with him. Feigning betrothal to a seasoned warlord seems the best way to ensure her safety as she looks for a way home. But the handsome stranger has a dark secret that could land them both in danger.
As genuine affection begins to develop between the pair, Katsuo is riddled with doubts. Will his feelings for Ciara interfere with his promise to help her get home? Or will his family’s hidden truth out her life in peril?
To my first readers on Tapas and on Patreon
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Epilogue
Author’s Note
About the Author
Smoke and Jewel: Chapter 1
Chapter 1
The car accident had changed everything.
Ciara accompanied her student on the piano as Marla practiced scales to warm up her vocal cords. Pressing keys with a pause in between was Ciara’s limit. Keeping the grand piano dusted off was her duty. Gone was the talented master pianist.
Ciara turned to her student when they finished warming up. “What would you like to learn next?” Marla was standing in the middle of the living room, and her eyes sparkled in excitement.
“The Queen of the Night aria.”
Ciara froze for a moment at hearing that before reaching for her phone on top of the piano.
“You’re not going to sing it to me?”
“I’m sorry, I can’t.” She flashed her an apologetic smile.
“Because of the high note?”
“You could say that.” Ciara found a record of the aria. “Let’s hear it first.”
Marla nodded, pricking her ears, listening to the voice of the opera singer on the record. Ciara could see the wonder on her face and silently pondered if she wore the same expression at that moment. Mozart’s music always enchanted her.
“Wow…”
“Indeed,” Ciara chuckled. “Marla, you have a beautiful soprano voice, but let’s not strain your vocal cords right at the beginning. Let’s start with a lower note.”
Marla seemed to think it over. Eventually, she nodded, happy with the decision.
Ciara pressed a key on the piano. “This will be your starting note. Let me replay the first ten seconds…”
The class went on in a similar style. Marla was satisfied when they finished, having gotten to sing the famous part of the aria, albeit a few notes lower than how it was originally written. Ciara knew few people could sing such a high note, herself included.
“See you next week! And don’t forget to warm up your vocal cords before you sing! We don’t want a repeat of last month!” Ciara said as she walked Marla to the door.
“Yes, ma’am!” Marla saluted dutifully as she exited. She disappeared down the corridor the next moment.
Ciara grabbed the letters lying on the threshold, her chestnut-colored hair falling over her shoulder. She brushed it away as she straightened up and quietly closed the door.
“Is she gone?” She jumped at the voice coming from behind her.
“Karen?! I thought you were at the uni.”
“My morning lecture was canceled.” Her cousin poked her blond head through the doorway from her room. She looked around and ventured out to the living room. “Thank Goddess, she’s gone. I thought I’d have to pee on the carpet!” she exclaimed before disappearing into the bathroom. The only way to the restroom from Karen’s room was through the living room where Ciara usually held her lessons.
Ciara snorted at Karen’s outburst and walked to the fridge, thinking about their current situation. Her cousin had just started studying at the local university and was probably going to stay for the next couple of years, not counting the breaks. Ciara had to come up with a solution so Karen wouldn’t need to go out every time there was a lesson. She wanted her little cousin to consider this place a home away from home.
Her gaze landed on the small pile of letters. One of them was a medical bill. Ciara had seen the logo on the left top corner enough times in the last five years not to miss it. She scowled and threw the letter to the far corner of the counter, unopened, then she turned to pour herself some orange juice.
Just then, Karen exited the bathroom and came over to Ciara. She was wearing a T-shirt with an anime character on the front, and she was just tying up her long hair.
“Juice?” Ciara asked.
“Thanks.”
She grabbed another glass and filled it to the brim. “Cheers!”
“Kanpai!”
They grinned and downed the refreshing orange juice. A moment of silence passed between them before Ciara spoke.
“So, when is your next class?”
“I’ve a seminar at noon. I still need to look through my kanji list, though. You?” Karen adjusted her glasses.
Ciara glanced at the clock on the wall. The clockface looked like a piano sheet, and the fingers reminded her of clefs.
“I need to leave soon.”
Karen grabbed a block of cheese from the fridge and looked at her older cousin.
“You’re doing a house call? That’s rare.”
“Yep.”
Karen fished a knife out from one of the drawers and started cutting the cheese into tiny cubes.
“You’re not happy about it,” she observed while dicing.
Ciara made a face and went around the apartment to gather her things.
“Truth is, he was a bit rude on the phone.”
“Then why accept him as a student?” Karen asked. “Just don’t.”
“It’s not that simple…”
“You know I hate it when you treat me like a kid.”
“I didn’t mean to,” Ciara replied but didn’t elaborate. Karen sighed, deciding to change the subject.
“Have I told you yet you’re my favorite cousin?”
Ciara stopped in her preparations and looked at Karen with suspicion in her eyes.
“Not today. Why, what do you want?”
“Oh, don’t be such a cynic!”
“Karen.” Ciara’s tone changed in warning.
“I was hoping you would come back with me for Thanksgiving.”
“Thanks, but no thanks.”
“But—”
“No means no, Karen.” Ciara was adamant as she grabbed her purple sunglasses.
Her little cousin sighed sadly. She mumbled, barely audible, “Promise me you’ll at least think about it.”
Ciara doubted her aunt would want to see the face of the person responsible for the death of her beloved sister. If only she hadn’t taken such a long time that day to get ready and make her mother drive faster, the accident wouldn’t have happened. Ciara’s thoughts were going in a dark direction.
Karen opened her mouth to nag her more.
“Don’t try to convince me.” Ciara’s voice had a weird tint to it. Karen shut her mouth immediately.
“See you later?” Ciara quickly changed the subject, feeling awkward.
“Yeah, take care.” Karen walked to her room with a small plate of cheese cubes.
“You too!”
Karen waved at Ciara, disappearing behind her door. Ciara exited the apartment and sighed, trying to calm her turbulent thoughts. Her hands trembled as she put on her sunglasses, reminding her of the medical bills which had arrived with the post. She needed to focus to handle the unpleasant man who would be her new student. He had silenced all her protests when he told her a price. She couldn’t say no to such an offer.
Chapter 2
Ciara had jogged to catch the bus to the other end of town. If she missed it, she would be twenty minutes late. Now that she sat on the bus, panting a little, she could be sure she’d be early by half an hour.
She hated public transportation, but she had no other choice. She wasn’t going to drive again. Hell, she wasn’t going to sit in a car again, even as a passenger, if she could help it.
The seats were uncomfortable, and she idly wondered how to best position herself for the long bus ride. It took her a while to settle down, and just as she did, they arrived at the next stop. A group of kids got on with a couple of adults. The children chatted away noisily as they sat down, herded together by the teachers. The bright yellow, high visibility jackets the kids wore and their loud voices made Ciara feel dizzy. She closed her eyes and sighed. She didn’t have anything in particular against children, but all the noise was giving her a headache today. She wished they’d quiet down, but the teachers either didn’t care or didn’t notice how disruptive the group was.
“Let it go!” A boy argued with another as they both refused to relinquish a toy to the other. Their shouting quickly grew louder.
“Quiet…” Ciara murmured as she dug around her pockets to find her earphones. “I need some quiet.”
Suddenly, it was as if someone put a mute button on the world. She looked up and saw that everyone on the bus stopped talking. Ciara blinked in surprise to take in the vacant stares of everyone as they kept silent. An eerie pressure weighed down on the passengers.
A gasp escaped Ciara as she realized she had accidentally caused this strange phenomenon. But it was too late for her to do anything about it; she didn’t remember how to undo it. I swore never to use this power again, yet here I am, restricting people’s free will.
Until the effect wore off naturally, these people would remain quiet, just as she had wished. Since there was nothing she could do, she plugged in her earphones and started her playlist. As she listened to The Swan Lake theme song, undisturbed, she hoped today wouldn’t keep another strange thing in store for her. She had had enough surprises for one day.
***
This part of town was full of mansions, and Ciara wandered around until she spotted the home of her new student. The building was made of orange-hued bricks and had an early nineteenth-century feel to it. Ivy ran up one side, and wrought-iron fences embraced the estate. It looked a little bit run-down, and Ciara silently wondered why the owner wouldn’t maintain their mansion if they could afford to pay her such a high hourly rate.
She shrugged and checked the time again. She still had twenty or so minutes until the lesson began. Looking around, she spotted a park nearby and decided it would be a pleasant place to wait. Finding a bench, she sat down to check new emails.
Great. She received an e-mail from her medical insurance company. The next installment of paying for her latest operation was due in a few days.
As soon as I get home, Ciara thought, I need to check what’s in the envelope. She sighed, checking her credit balance.
She winced at the information on the screen. Rude or not, she really needed this new client’s money to pay off her debt. Until then, she couldn’t even entertain the idea of the new method she’d read about that could help heal her hands. Thin, white lines could still be seen on her once-smooth palms and on the back of her hands.
Her fingers trembled.
Next, she checked her debit card balance and was pleasantly surprised when she realized her aunt had once again transferred Karen’s rent. Ciara didn’t know whether to be annoyed or grateful. She had clearly told Kelly there was no need for Karen to pay rent, but her aunt ignored her request and sent the money anyway.
Ciara quickly transferred the full amount to a savings account. She had set it up after the first two instances of Aunt Kelly transferring the money and refusing to take it back. Ciara was adamant about not accepting rent from family, so this was the only solution she could came up with. She was sure Karen would find it useful later whenever she eventually told her.
Her phone rang, and Ciara’s eyes widened. She was one minute late, and her new student was already calling her! She quickly grabbed her bag and answered the call as she started speed-walking in the direction of the mansion.
“Hello?”
“Where are you?”
“I’m just outside. Give me a couple of minutes.”
“We agreed on eleven. It’s past eleven.”
“I know, I’m sorry.” Ciara ground her teeth, swallowing her retort. “See you in a moment.”
She ended the call, already frustrated with him. It was only one frickin’ minute! She huffed and marched to the orange-hued mansion. She was about to ring the bell, but the gate opened automatically as she approached.
“Hn.” She was not going to be impressed by that.
Ciara walked along the short path to the door and took the few stairs until she arrived at the entrance. Once again, when she was just about to knock, the door opened a crack.
“Hello?” she called as she opened the door. Silence answered. “Hello, can I come in?”
No reply. She shrugged, deciding to enter. After all, he sounded impatient on the phone. As she made her way inside, she was surprised not to hear any signs of life.
“Anyone—” Ciara’s sentence ended in a shriek as the door loudly shut behind her. She jumped and whirled around, her heart hammering in her chest. Only now did she realize how stale the air smelled. Her suspicion increased when she looked around and saw white sheets covering every piece of furniture.
She pushed the sunglasses to the top of her head as she stopped in the middle of the foyer and redialed the last caller. A moment later, she heard the ringtone coming from upstairs. A long, winding staircase led up to the second floor. She waited a little before making her way upstairs. Nobody answered the phone, but it kept on ringing. Maybe something happened to her new student?
What if he collapsed? What if he had a heart attack? She took two stairs at a time and sprinted toward the sound of the ringtone. Every second counted in a situation like this.
Finally, she arrived in the room with the cell phone. She ended the call and looked around. There was a big mirror with an ornate frame; it looked oriental. The silver surface was blackened in some spots, betraying its age. Her gaze stopped at the grand piano occupying most of the room. Mesmerized, Ciara made her way to it, stroking the keys lightly as if in a trance.
Wait, where is he? Ciara thought, glancing up, but she couldn’t see anybody. She was alone.
“Hello?” she called out again. She couldn’t hear any movement in the mansion. What if he really did collapse? She headed for the door when she caught sight of a cell phone lying in front of the mirror. She decided to get it, just in case.
“Where’s your owner?” Accusation was clear in her voice as she squatted down to reach for the phone.
“No need to worry about me.”
Ciara spun back and saw a black figure. His face was visible only for a moment before she was pushed forward. Her sunglasses flew off, and she screamed as she realized she was going to hit the mirror.
Chapter 3
Her muscles tensed as she readied herself for the impact, and she covered her head with her arms. She could only hope the shards wouldn’t hit something vital. For a terrifying moment, she was thrown back in time as memories from the car accident resurfaced from the depth of her mind.
She couldn’t distinguish her mother’s wild, red hair from the blood on her face and arms. Her mother was leaning back in the driver’s seat, her brown eyes glassy as she stared at nothing. A large glass shard was sticking out of her neck, and rivulets of dark crimson blood poured out from the edges.
Mom… Ciara’s voice was struck in her throat. She tried again, but no sound came out.
Ciara was dragged back to the present by distant sobbing. After a moment, she realized she was uninjured, and curled into a tight ball. She was the one sobbing.
She immediately stopped and tried to calm her erratic breathing. Slowly, she unwound herself from the fetal position, and as she realized she wasn’t in pain or danger, the adrenaline dissipated in her body and her muscles relaxed. Too bad she was still trembling like a leaf in the wind.
She heard voices around her but couldn’t recognize the language. She blinked up at an unfamiliar dark wooden ceiling and noticed a yellow paper lantern hung directly above her. Candlelight lit the tears streaming down her face, and she wiped them away as she sat up, disoriented.
What happened? Why was she crying? She closed her eyes for a moment and suddenly found herself back at the site of the car crash. Her eyes flew open, and she took a deep breath. She had to center herself.
Someone was talking to her, and she looked at the man squatting down next to her. He repeated the question.
“I don’t understand you,” she croaked. “What happened?”
Ciara looked around and saw a familiar mirror right behind her. It was the very same she had found at the mansion of her new student. The frame looked exactly the same, however, the mirror’s surface had no black spots marring it and looked brand new. Was it really the same mirror? She racked her brain but didn’t remember hearing shattering. Then again, she did remember sitting in a car, so maybe her mind was playing tricks on her.
The man next to her gestured to someone, and a young boy emerged from the shadows where the lantern’s light couldn’t reach. He gave the man a large book, which looked like one of those tomes that would appear in one of Karen’s favorite history doramas.
Ciara felt a spark of curiosity. Where was she? The man told something to the boy who then scurried off. The two of them stayed in silence until he got back with a lit candle and held it up for the man to read. That’s when Ciara noticed the man had a topknot. She was taken aback and looked at him again. His clothes looked like traditional Japanese clothes. Candlelight exposed two sword handles at his hip.
He looked like a samurai.
Ciara snapped her gaze up when he yelled at her.
“What?” she grumbled, not liking his tone.
He grinned at her, and she realized with horror that she couldn’t see any teeth in his mouth. He moved closer while Ciara leaned away, but he followed and grabbed the back of her neck.
Oh no, oh no, oh no! Her thoughts ran in a loop and she desperately tried to get away from the man.
Ciara tried to turn her face away but couldn’t. The man murmured something, but she couldn’t understand what he said. Then he pulled her close and kissed her. Ciara closed her lips tight and pushed on his chest with all the strength she could muster.
He was like a boulder and didn’t move an inch. His tongue ran over Ciara’s lower lip and in a final, desperate attempt to get him off her, she hit him over the head with her fist.
The creepy samurai pulled away with a frown, and Ciara gagged, turning away from him. She wiped her mouth furiously and cussed all the while.
“Are you done?”
“Are you?!” she shot back. “Don’t you ever…” her eyes widened as she realized she could understand him. “…do that again.”
“Or what?”
“How come I can understand you?”
“Now that we’ve sorted that out, follow me.”
Ciara stood up but didn’t move from her spot.
“What? Why? What do you want? Who are you?”
The samurai whirled around and stepped in front of her. Ciara took a step back, and the empty grin appeared on his face again. She realized she couldn’t see his teeth earlier because they were all black. What in the world?
“You are here to assist me.”
“Oh, hell no!”
He grabbed her arm. Ciara prayed he wouldn’t sense her trembling. She made a fist and tensed her muscles.
“Silence!” he yelled at her. His putrid breath hit her, and she turned away, horrified. She was going to wash her mouth with soap as soon as she found a bathroom. The samurai used his free hand to grip her jaw and turn her head. She glared at him.
“You’ll do as I say, or I’ll cut you down where you stand. Is that clear?”
“What the hell?”
He backhanded her with such force that if he wasn’t holding onto her arm, she probably would’ve ended up on the floor. Ciara saw stars dancing in front of her eyes and tasted blood in her mouth. She didn’t even have time to recover from the shock. He was already dragging her away.
Ciara’s head spun as he pulled her through dark corridors. She tried to understand what had happened. She was at the student’s house when suddenly, she was pushed forward and fell into the mirror. Did she actually fall through the mirror? Was it a secret door to a secret room? And now they’re going through secret corridors? The mansion was big enough to have something like that.
But who was this man who made her skin crawl with disgust? Who didn’t know how to treat others with respect? Ciara’s eye twitched in anger.
Maybe she ended up in an escape room? She had heard of those attractions but have never tried one herself. She wasn’t good with closed spaces. Already she could hear the blood pumping in her ears and her breathing becoming ragged. She had to get outside, otherwise—
She took a deep breath when her brain registered the fresh air around her. Finally!
“Don’t lag behind.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Ciara jumped at the voice of the boy behind her. She completely forgot he was there with them; she didn’t even hear his footsteps. The samurai yanked her arm, and she gave a sound of protest, which he conveniently ignored.
They were outside, but Ciara could hardly see anything in the darkness of the night. Wait, wasn’t it before noon just now? Maybe she lost consciousness and was out for hours? Was that possible?
No streetlamps lined their path; however, a torch flame lit the way at regular intervals. There was no pavement, no traffic lights, no cables hanging over the buildings. As Ciara looked up, she was amazed for a second, realizing she’d never seen the stars so clearly.
This all felt wrong. There was no sign of electricity or paved roads. Not even a car was in sight. Ciara tensed as her subconscious came up with a crazy idea. Either she was somehow transported to a tiny village without the conveniences of modern time or…
She immediately rejected the other idea and tried to come up with a more possible solution. Maybe these people chose to live like old times? No modern technology, just a simple life based on Japanese history? That seemed like a possible, if somewhat forced explanation. Right? But why was she kidnapped?
A scary thought entered her mind. What if that samurai-looking guy was a guru and he intended to initiate her into his cult? What if he kidnapped young women to be…to be…?
She didn’t want to finish her thought.
“Let me go!” she shrieked as she tried to get out of his grip. He tightened his hold on her.
“Silence! I do not like to repeat myself, wench.”
“What the—”
He backhanded her again, this time on the other side of her face. His eyes flashed angrily as he stopped to put her in place. Ciara’s cheek was numb as she glared at him.
Blackteeth turned away and kept dragging her toward a tall building. Dawn was breaking, as was evident by the orange-purple colors appearing behind them on the Eastern sky. It slightly illuminated the big building before them. As she glanced up, she realized they were headed toward a Japanese-style castle through the courtyard. Her jaw slackened at the sight.
He must be a very wealthy guru. Where the hell was this hidden? It’s bigger than the mansion! Ciara paled as her last hold on finding a sane solution to her situation slipped through her fingers. This was a nightmare.
“Bōya, check if our other… guest has arrived yet.”
“Yes, Kawayuki-sama.” The boy following them scurried off in a random direction.
Ciara noticed guards standing at every intersection. Moreover, she had seen some patrolling the courtyard. The security was not taken lightly in this place. She felt despair creep up her back as she realized her odds of escaping were diminishing by the second. Her hands trembled in response to her dark thoughts.
Chapter 4
It started as any other day for Katsuo Kitayama, lord of Shirotatsu castle. He woke up at dawn and quickly made his way to the pagoda, which was off-limits other than members of his family. It was built on the castle grounds, visible from a fair distance. Here, he could be alone with his thoughts and could train without interruptions.
He took his time going through the motions, cherishing a moment of respite in these turbulent times. He never knew when he had to head to battle next. Katsuo finished his kata and took a moment to meditate. The sun was peeking between two stories of the pagoda when he was done.
On the way back to his quarters, he made a detour to check on his soldiers’ training and was satisfied to see that everyone who was not on duty was there, even his samurai officers.
“Brother!” Takeru shouted as soon as he spotted him and hurried over, his dark ponytail swinging side to side. He looked to be, nearing the end of his teenage years, and eagerness reflected in his brown eyes. Katsuo nodded to him in greeting.
“What brings you here? We’ll have sparring sessions as soon as they’re finished with this kata. Do you want to join us?” Takeru asked, hopeful. It was a rare occasion whenever Katsuo joined them.
“Maybe next time,” Katsuo replied.
“I see.”
“How are the new recruits doing, Takeru?”
“Well…” His little brother glanced to the left side of the group where the beginners practiced. “Good for their second week.”
“Make sure they’re ready for the battlefield soon.”
“Yes, brother.” Takeru seemed as if he wanted to add something else, and Katsuo waited patiently for the young man to gather his thoughts. “Do we need to be ready soon? Is there a battle coming?”
“Takeru”—Katsuo put a hand on his little brother’s shoulder—“we always need to be ready.” He glanced over to the soldiers once more before striding off and waving.
“Keep up the good work, Takeru!”
“Yes, brother!”
After saying goodbye, Katsuo walked to his office to have a quick breakfast and start on the paperwork. That was the least favorite of his duties as a warlord, but it was as important to keep order in his territory as it was to hear out the grievances of his citizens. Happy underlings made for a flourishing economy, which made for a strong warlord.
Most days, he skipped lunch for the sake of an abundant evening meal, spending his time in ongoing strategy meetings unless something urgent came up or he was off to war. His days usually followed the same pattern. He was looking forward to the evening where he could finally spend some time with his daughter. His vassals respected his family-time and would never dare to intrude at this time of day.
“Join us, Taiki,” Katsuo invited as he settled down for dinner. Taiki was in his mid-twenties and was his head of security. He was dressed in black and was just about to vanish into the dark night. He was the only ninja to serve Katsuo.
“With all due respect, my lord, I thank you for your invitation, but I must refuse.”
“Are you not hungry?” Ayaka, Katsuo’s daughter asked. Taiki seemed to consider his reply.
“Not really, Ayaka-dono.”
“Then at least take this onigiri so you won’t get hungry later.” Ayaka got up and gave him a rice ball. “It’s filled with tuna. I know you like it.”
Taiki looked at his lord for help, but Katsuo pointedly looked away. He calmly took a sip of his sake, as if he didn’t notice Taiki’s predicament. The ninja glanced at Takeru, who was just arriving, for help.
“Oh, hey Taiki. Are you going to join us finally?”
“No,” he bit out as he accepted the rice ball from the little girl. He smiled at her. “Thank you, Ayaka-dono.”
“You’re welcome, Taiki. Bye!” And she went back to the low dinner table to sit down.
“I’m going,” Taiki said, pulling up his mask to cover the lower half of his face. He didn’t expect a reply, so he was surprised when he heard his lord say, “I’m counting on you.”
Taiki nodded almost imperceptibly and slid the door shut behind him as he exited the room. They didn’t hear his retreating footsteps.
The family ate in relative silence, with the occasional comment from Ayaka. When they finished eating, the little girl immediately lunged into recounting her day. Katsuo and Takeru were content to listen to her chatting away. When she asked them about their day, Katsuo replied with a few words. Takeru, however, told her about something interesting that happened during training.
“Will you play something, Daddy?” Ayaka asked when story time was over. She was blinking rapidly, a sure sign she was tired.
“Aren’t you sleepy?”
“No!” She opened her eyes wide and leaned forward. “See? I’m very awake.”
Katsuo chuckled. “Well, if you insist… maybe one song before you go to bed.”
“Three!”
“Two.”
Ayaka seemed to think his offer over. Eventually, she nodded. “Two songs.”
Katsuo stood up and walked over to the cupboard to get the biwa. Meanwhile, Ayaka crawled into Takeru’s lap and made herself comfortable. Takeru felt her arms were cold and hugged her to keep her warm. It was late fall, and a chill could already be felt after sunset. Katsuo started to play a happy melody.
The last note of the first song still hung in the air when Katsuo’s ears pricked. He could hear pounding footsteps coming their way and placed the instrument down, looking at the door.
“What is it, Daddy? You promised two songs.”
“Someone’s coming,” Takeru replied instead.
Ayaka looked up to him, puzzled. She didn’t hear anything, but she had long since learned that her family had better ears than anyone she knew.
They heard a thud and someone’s harsh breathing.
“Katsuo-sama!” Someone called him from the other side of the door.
“What is it?” Katsuo barked, annoyed his time with his family was interrupted. It had better be an emergency, or—
“Orihime-sama has just arrived.”
Eerie silence was his response.
“Please repeat that.”
The soldier winced at his lord’s icy tone. Oh, he was pissed all right.
“Orihime-sama unexpectedly showed up at the castle gates just now.”
The poor soldier jumped when the sliding door opened with such a force that it fell off its tracks.
“Damnit, brother, not the furniture again,” Takeru mumbled in the room. He lifted Ayaka as he stood and joined Katsuo standing over the trembling soldier in the doorway.
“Where is Taiki?” Katsuo asked.
“Receiving Orihime-sama and her entourage.”
“Her…” Katsuo took a deep breath. His eyes flashed golden. “Entourage?”
“Fi-fifteen of them, my lord,” the soldier bowed so deep, his forehead touched the floor.
Katsuo didn’t say anything as he strode away. His steps were heavy with suppressed anger.
Takeru yelled at his retreating back, “Cool down, brother!”
Katsuo stopped mid-stride and glanced back at him. His eyes were still golden.
“You don’t want to scare them away.”
Katsuo growled. “Maybe I do.”
“You know what I mean.”
As Katsuo blinked, the golden hue from his eyes faded. He nodded at his little brother and disappeared down the corridor. Takeru glanced at his niece sleeping in his arms then down at the soldier cowering at his feet.
“Get up.”
“Yes, sir!”
The soldier was still trembling after seeing his lord in such a mood.
“Why are you afraid?”
The poor guy looked him in the eye before glancing away nervously.
“Look at me,” Takeru ordered in a calm manner. The soldier met his eyes. “I know you’re new, but remember this. Katsuo is not the kind of person to cut down the bearer of bad news. He’d rather hear it as soon as possible so the situation can be solved quicker. Understood?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. Now, take her to her room.” Takeru gave the sleeping Ayaka to the soldier. “I’ll go assist my brother.”
“B-but—”
Takeru was already walking away. At the hesitation in the soldier’s voice, he glanced over his shoulder. “What is it?”
“What if the tiger is still here?”
“What are you talking about?” Shocked, Takeru turned to fully face him.
The soldier’s eyes were looking around frantically. “You know, the tiger that made that growling sound just now.”
Takeru’s lips twitched. Wait until he told Katsuo he was mistaken for a tiger in his own home! He tried not to laugh out loud.
“No need to worry. The tiger is gone.”
“How would you—”
“Another thing you need to learn is to trust your lords,” was all Takeru said as he rounded a corner and vanished.
The soldier looked down at the sleeping little girl in his arms. He had no idea where her room was.
Chapter 5
Katsuo was still in a bad mood when he arrived at the castle gates. Taiki silently slid next to him.
“My lord.”
“Report.” Katsuo’s terse reply didn’t faze the ninja.
“Orihime-dono swears she sent a message ahead, but we have not received such a thing. She insists on staying here until…”
Taiki trailed off, which was rare for him. Katsuo gave him a sideways glance.
“Until?”
“Until the wedding.”
Katsuo froze, opened his mouth, then realized he was already in the courtyard near the gate, and if he lost his composure, everyone would hear. As a dependable leader, his men needed to know they could count on him through better or worse. If he lost his temper, then who would they rely on to bring them home safely from the battlefield?
“Your eyes, my lord.”
“Stop calling me that!” Katsuo snapped, turning and continuing his march to the uninvited guests. He could only hope he had calmed enough for his eyes to be back to normal. If not, he’d just have to blame the torches’ light.
“Orihime-dono,” he greeted.
“My lord, Katsuo-sama!” The woman twirled around, a big smile plastered on her face. She was pretty. Her long, raven black hair was tied up in an elaborate design, and she wore a crimson kimono. The colors contrasted with her smooth, alabaster skin, which seemed to luminesce in the weak light of the torches around them.
She hurried up to him, full of energy. Her big, brown eyes were wide as she gazed up at him and batted her eyelashes. Katsuo was mesmerized before he reminded himself what happened the last time he submitted to such a look.
“To what do I owe the surprise of your presence here?”
“Oh.” Orihime put a hand over her mouth as she gasped. “Haven’t you received my message, my lord?”
“Apparently not.” Katsuo quirked an eyebrow. He wouldn’t let her play this game.
“My honorable father has decided it was time to start on the wedding preparations.” Orihime stepped closer and reached out to touch Katsuo’s arm. He stepped away before she made contact.
“I do not recall sending a response to the proposal.”
“Well, yes, but…” Orihime was uneasy, fidgeting with a lock of her hair that escaped her bun. She glanced down shyly. “It’s a good proposal. Why would you refuse? So, I thought—”
“You thought wrong.” Katsuo was fed up with the charade. He didn’t have time for a wedding and certainly not with such a sly woman. He took another step back. “As it is very late, please stay here for tonight. I shall write to your father come morning. And excuse us for the ill-prepared rooms. We weren’t expecting you.”
Katsuo made a quick escape with as much politeness as he could muster.
“Wait!” Orihime reached out after him. “Won’t you reconsider? Our families—”
“Good night, my lady.” Katsuo cut off her further protests as he walked out of sight. Takeru bumped into him just as he was rounding a corner. He tensed as he looked at Katsuo’s face.
“Brother… your eyes…”
“I’m going to my room. Tell everyone not to bother me.”
“Sure. Did she say why she travelled here?”
“She is under the illusion that she is to be wed to me.”
“Didn’t you reject the proposal?”
Katsuo sighed. Finally, the gold hue receded from his eyes as he forced himself to calm down.
“It seems I had forgotten to send a reply between the recent border skirmishes.”
“Ah, that’s bad.”
“I’m leaving. Just one more thing, Takeru,” Katsuo said as he stopped at the veranda.
“Yes?”
“Find some rooms for them.”
Takeru grinned, an idea already forming in his head.
“Leave it to me, brother!”
He sounded way too happy about it, but Katsuo didn’t have the energy to contemplate that. He suddenly felt drained. When was the last time he had a good night’s sleep? He couldn’t even remember.
***
He was awakened near dawn by a nagging feeling that told him he was in danger. Katsuo’s hand slid under his pillow, and his fingers wrapped around the handle of the dagger he kept there. Whoever was trying to take advantage of his sleeping hours, they were in for a nasty surprise.
He doubted anything could get close to him under Taiki’s supervision of security, but ever since the incident with his ex-wife, he had been prepared to expect the worst.
Katsuo suddenly tensed and threw the dagger in a wide arc. It sank in the wall next to the door. He was alone in the room, but something still didn’t sit well with him. He calmed his erratic breathing and stood to retrieve his weapon.
He was halfway to the door when it unexpectedly slid open. Taiki stood on the threshold. If the ninja was surprised to see his lord awake, he didn’t show it. Taiki eyed the dagger with suspicion.
“Is everything all right, my lord?”
“Yes,” was the terse reply as he pulled the dagger out from the wall. He brushed his long hair to the side. “Why are you here?”
Taiki never sugarcoated anything. He went straight for the kill.
“Ayaka-dono was kidnapped during the night.”
Katsuo thought he heard wrong. He inclined his head.
“Care to repeat that?”
“Ayaka-dono was kidnapped.”
“Talk to me.” Katsuo hastily wrapped a haori1 around his torso, grabbed his wakizashi2, and headed to Ayaka’s room in a hurry.
“It happened sometime after dinner and before the early morning shift. I’ve just discovered the body.”
“What body?”
“There was a guard outside her door. His throat was slit, and Ayaka is gone.”
“I don’t remember placing a guard outside her room.”
“Neither do I. It’s…” Taiki racked his brain for the appropriate word. “Intriguing.”
Katsuo knocked on Takeru’s door before continuing to Ayaka’s. Takeru slept as light as he did, so Katsuo knew he would be soon on his way. By the time he arrived at his daughter’s room, Takeru had caught up to him. He was only wearing a hakama3. His unbound hair was messy, but his eyes were sharp.
The three looked at the lifeless body of a young soldier. Takeru squatted down, examining his face.
“This was the guy who told us of Orihime’s arrival. I tasked him to bring Ayaka to her room,” Takeru informed them. His voice quieted. “This was only his second week here.”
And I told him to trust us. Takeru closed his eyes and bowed his head, mourning for the loss of a good man.
“Other than his injuries, there are no signs of scuffle,” Taiki added.
“She was probably asleep,” Katsuo murmured as he entered his daughter’s room. Nothing was out of place, except the missing little girl.
“Who could’ve done such a thing?” Takeru followed his brother inside the room. “Slit someone’s throat then kidnap a child? That’s just cruel.”
“War is cruel. You should know by now.”
“Ayaka has nothing to do with war,” Takeru protested. Silently, Katsuo agreed.
“My lord,” Taiki said as he crouched down. He held up something in his hand.
“What is it?” Katsuo asked as he walked over. Takeru followed him immediately.
“A piece of paper,” Taiki replied and held it out to them. Two characters were written on it. The ninja was taken aback as both men’s eyes flashed gold. He was used to such display from his lord but not from Takeru.
“That bastard Kawayuki! I’m going to kill him!”
“Takeru.” Katsuo’s icy voice stopped him. He turned back.
“You’re not going to tell me to sit here while he has his disgusting paws on my niece!”
“Of course not. But we need to come up with a strategy. We can’t just rush into this,” Katsuo said. His body was so tense, and he resembled a snake coiled to attack any moment. Seeing his brother in such a state made Takeru calmer. At least one of them needed a cool head to come up with something.
“I understand. Shall I gather our strategists?”
“No.”
“What? Why?”
“Nobody has seen anything,” Katsuo replied. “Nobody has heard anything. Doesn’t that make you suspicious?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you think they had help from inside, my lord?” Taiki asked, his eyes narrowing.
“Anything is possible. Right now, you two are the only ones I trust in this household. I’m counting on you. Get ready and meet me in the council room.”
Takeru nodded and hurried back to his room.
“Get someone to confirm her kidnapper,” Katsuo ordered the ninja. Taiki bowed and melted into the shadows of early morning.
Chapter 6
Ciara was forced into simple clothing that was of a similar style to the one the young servant boy wore. Her belongings had either been left in the room with the mirror or were taken away when she had to change. Even her sunglasses were missing, and as the sun slowly made its way higher, she had no doubt her unusual eye color would be noticed. She couldn’t even cover it with her hair, as it was twisted up and secured with a headcloth on the top of her head.
She looked like a washwoman from a periodic drama.
The boy from earlier came to get her to lead her to a small room, and guards flanked her from both sides as they made their way through the castle corridors. The wooden planks under her bare feet were cold, and Ciara pondered for a moment the possibility that she was sleeping back in her home and her feet had peeked out from under the blankets.
As she stumbled, a guard caught her arm and steadied her. His grip tightened a fraction before he released her. Pain shot up on Ciara’s arm momentarily, and she was reminded of the two hard slaps she had received not long after arriving here. She was most definitely awake in this twisted world.
She fidgeted as she was ordered to sit down in a small room. The guards had exited and stood outside the sliding door. Everything to the last bit of detail reminded her of how she would imagine old world Japan. The young boy stared at her, and she decided to try to get some information from him. Maybe he’d be more compliant than Kawayuki.
Ciara smiled at him gently.
“Do you live here?”
He didn’t reply.
“My name is Ciara. Yours?”
She thought he wouldn’t reply this time either, but he did.
“Kazu.”
“Kazu,” Ciara repeated, happy to know. “Can you tell me what place this is?”
The boy cocked his head to the side.
“Kawayuki-sama’s castle.”
“Is it in Japan?”
“Nippon? Yes.” Kazu looked as if he wanted to ask something but stayed silent.
“What is it? Tell me,” Ciara urged him with a small smile.
“You are strange.”
She was taken aback for a moment, not sure what to make of this remark. Eventually, she nodded.
“I suppose I am, for your eyes.” A moment passed. “Do you know why I’m here? I only remember falling into a mirror.”
What if she had a concussion and is out cold in a stranger’s house, with no help on the way? Her eyes widened. No, no. She had definitely felt those injuries. She shook away the disturbing thoughts and focused on Kazu’s answer.
“Kawayuki-sama brought you here. He wants something from you. He always wants something from people.” Kazu let out a small sigh as he told her.
“Who is he? This Kawayuki?”
“He is he lord of this castle. One of the daimyōs.”
Daimyō4. It triggered a distant memory, Karen preparing for her Japanese history class, murmuring about daimyōs and tiny countries. Ciara felt fear settle heavily in her stomach. She licked her lips, preparing for the inevitable question.
“What year is this?”
“It’s Ōgimachi—”
“Boy!”
Ciara jumped at Kawayuki’s booming voice. Kazu walked to the door opposite from where they had come in, knelt, and slid it open. A huge meeting room revealed itself. There was a dais on the closer end of the room, where Kawayuki sprawled, overlooking the entire place.
He reminded Ciara of a rooster standing on top of the—
“Now!” He looked Ciara straight in the eye.
Without meaning to, she stood up and walked toward him as if in a trance. Slowly, she made her way to his side even though that was the last thing she wanted. It was as if an invisible force made her walk over to him and sit down next to his legs.
As soon as she sat down, the strange feeling passed away, and she shook her head to clear her mind. What was that? Was this how people felt whenever she accidentally used the Voice? Disturbed, she looked around.
At least a dozen people lined both sides of the room. All of them were dressed in rich, silk clothing and had the ridiculous hairdo Kawayuki sported. Maybe they wanted to imitate him? Each of them had some symbol on their overcoats, and their swords rested next to them, just in reach. Goosebumps ran over Ciara’s arms at the sight.
“You know the first part of our plan. We have his daughter. And this here is the second part.” Kawayuki gestured to Ciara.
She couldn’t help raising her eyebrows in question. This? Really? If there was an Olympic category for being offensive, Kawayuki would have an easy win. There was still time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics—
Ciara’s hands trembled and she gathered them in her lap. The small talk with Kazu indicated she wasn’t in a secret, crazy escape room, but in a different world. Maybe even a different—
“Time,” Kawayuki was saying, “is on our side. Kitayama won’t have enough time to prepare a counterattack so quickly. We must make use of this wench’s skills in the meantime.”
“What skills, my lord?” asked one of his vassals.
What is he talking about? Ciara mused, glancing up at Kawayuki. He smiled with his black teeth at her, and she shuddered at the horrible memory it brought up.
“She will infuse our weapons with magic. They’ll be ten times stronger than average weapons. They will cause more damage than imaginable and prevent healing injuries.”
Ciara’s eyes widened in shock. He was crazy! How did he come up with such a mad plan? The things he had talked about were impossible! Maybe not for Karen, but—
Oh, shit.
Karen. It was Karen’s inherited power, not hers. But if they knew they had grabbed the wrong person, then she’d probably be killed and Karen would be kidnapped. The only way out seemed to lead them on until she could escape. But how would she trick them into believing she had these skills? As soon as Kawayuki ordered a demonstration of power, she was dead. And Karen would be in danger. She didn’t like either option.
“No need to be shy.” Kawayuki grinned at her, seeing her face pale. “I know all about your special powers, purple-eyed witch.”
Ciara bit her lip and made a fist of her trembling hands. She needed to come up with an escape plan, ASAP. If she couldn’t get back to the mirror, then she had to get as far away from Kawayuki as possible.
***
The new room she had been led to was full of weapons of all sorts, long and short swords, bows and arrows, daggers, spears of every imaginable shape, and Ciara even spotted some throwing stars!
“Get to work,” Kawayuki said as he pushed her inside. Ciara stumbled and twirled around.
“All this?”
“But of course. Did you think you were here on a leisure trip? Don’t let my kiss fool you, wench.”
Ciara involuntarily shuddered, trying to forget all that had to do with that incident. It didn’t help that she was reminded of it every time he grinned.
Kawayuki slid the door shut, and darkness surrounded her in the windowless room.
“Damnit. Where’s the light?” Ciara was touching the wall near the doorframe, then remembered her suspicion about the timeline. “Right, no switch.” She set about to find a candle or something that would help her see but shortly realized that even if she did find a torch, she had no way of igniting a flame.
Her foot slipped on something smooth and round, making her stumble into a pile of… spears? Ciara prayed she didn’t injure something vital. Thankfully, she only collected some new bruises. She managed to crawl to her knees and hands when the door slid open. Ciara hissed at the sudden brightness and put a hand over her eyes.
“What in hells are you doing?” She heard Kawayuki’s voice. Great, he was back. “Never mind that. You’re coming with me. Up!”
He didn’t have the patience to wait for her to get up properly but grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the room and through the corridor. Kazu joined them soon with a little girl and a guard. Ciara didn’t have time to assess the situation as she was dragged to a window which overlooked the courtyard.
Kawayuki grabbed the back of her head and pushed her face to the window opening. Thankfully, there was no glass. For some curious reason, Ciara didn’t expect there to be any.
Soldiers in black ran in the direction of the gates, trying to push back the enemy, who had crimson uniforms.
“See that? You’re already too late, you lazy wench.” Ciara tried not to gag as Kawayuki’s putrid breath hit her face. “Now get to work!”
He hit her head on the window frame, which cracked under the pressure. Ciara hoped her head fared better. She touched her forehead and felt a bump already forming. Thankfully, there was no blood on her hand when she checked it. She grimaced, thinking her face was probably already deformed by the slaps and hits she had to endure since she had gotten here.
“Here, enhance this,” Kawayuki pointed to his sword.
“I can’t do it like this,” Ciara said, and he lunged for her. She took a step back and raised her hands. “I need to hold the item to do that!”
Kawayuki raised his eyebrows.
“Nice try,” he admitted. “But I don’t believe you.”
Damn, there goes that plan. Ciara forced a blank expression on her face.
“I can read you like an open book,” Kawayuki said, but Ciara ignored him, hoping against hope he was bluffing just as much as she was.
“Boy!”
Ciara snapped her gaze to Kazu who had grabbed the little girl and drew her to him. A dagger flashed in his hand as he pointed the blade to the girl’s neck. Ciara’s eyes widened in shock. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
“Kazu!” Shock made her voice tremble.
“If you don’t enhance my katana, without any ulterior motives, he will kill her,” Kawayuki warned her. Ciara’s hands shook as she thought over her choices.
She didn’t know the little girl, but she didn’t want anybody to die because of her ever again. Maybe she could atone for her sin if she were to save this girl. The blade pressed into the girl’s tender neck.
“STOP!” Without meaning to, Ciara used the Voice on all of them. As soon as she realized everybody but her had frozen, she freed the little girl and ran away with her.
“After them! Do not let them escape!” Kawayuki roared in anger a heartbeat later when the effect was gone. Ciara picked up the pace, and surprisingly, the girl matched it. They arrived at a turn, and Ciara went for the right corridor.
“Not that way!” The girl yanked her arm toward the left. “This leads outside.”
Ciara didn’t stop to argue. They were being chased by armed men, and clearly, the girl felt more at home in a castle than she’d ever be. She followed her, and they soon ended up at the long staircase in the middle of the castle.
“Come!” The girl let go of her hand and ran downstairs. Ciara followed with urgency.
“What’s your name?”
“Ayaka. Were you kidnapped, too?”
“Yes,” Ciara huffed as they reached the ground floor. She took a deep breath.
Ayaka was already at the end of the corridor.
“Hurry!” she screamed at Ciara, who immediately continued running. Thankfully, her lungs were doing all right, but her legs felt weak. Ayaka was so fast compared to how small she was. Ciara briefly wondered how she did it as she sprinted after her. She could already hear pounding footsteps approaching from behind.
Chapter 7
Finally, they reached outside. Ayaka didn’t stop as she ran to the edge of the veranda and continued barefooted across the courtyard. Ciara sighed, following her and wishing she had shoes.
The sounds of metal clinks coming from behind spurred her into action, and she sprinted across the courtyard with all her might. She could smell burning wood in her nose. Ciara glanced to the side and realized a building was on fire.
“The mirror! Get it!” Kawayuki hollered at his soldiers, pointing to the burning building.
Shit, the mirror was there, Ciara realized, and her steps faltered for a second when her foot slipped. She stumbled to the ground just as a blade swept through the air where her torso had been a second ago. Shocked, she turned around on the ground and looked up at her assailant. The second shock hit her when she realized the figure who stood above her was only a teenager about the same age as Karen or possibly younger.
“What—?” Ciara registered the crimson uniform, immediately realizing he was one of Kawayuki’s enemies. The enemy of my enemy is my ally.
“W-wait!” She held up her hands as he lifted on of his short swords. “I’m not working with Kawayuki!”
He snorted in amusement.
“Of course not, you’re his servant.”
“What? No, I’m not!”
He pointed his blade at her head and cut her headscarf. Ciara’s long brown hair unfurled and fell on her shoulders.
“Your clothes say otherwise,” he pointed out but stopped at the sight of her chestnut-colored hair. He took a second look at her, intrigued. He kept hold both of his short swords in one hand and squatted down before her, curiosity written over his face. “You’re a foreigner.”
“I suppose?”
He reached for her hair with his free hand. Ciara waited with belated breath to see what he was planning to do. He seemed more interested in her hair than in killing her at the moment, which was a better situation than the one she had been in a second ago.
“Takeru, we’re on a battlefield. Don’t flirt.”
