Chapter One
Murder
The moon on that September night was round and full, sitting in the sky like a bright silver coin. The sky was pinpricked with stars and scattered with scraps of clouds. Far below, in the prosperous town of LongBranch, a celebration was taking place.
It was the Harvest Festival—a time to thank the gods for another good year. Every house, tavern, and inn was strung with lights and decked in flowers. Bards and troubadours were at every corner, and carts of food lined the streets. The many citizens of the town ran around in packs, laughing as they bought trinkets by the fistful. The inns were full to bursting; humans, dryads, and even elves came from all over the land to partake in this celebration.
But on this night, a new, darker stranger walked the streets of the city. No one saw the person; all they felt was an icy chill as he passed by. Several people faltered in the middle of their sentences. Others looked over their shoulders, troubled. But the ominous feeling soon passed as they were caught up once again in the music and the laughter, none of them remembering the feeling again, save in their dreams.
The stranger walked silently, boot heels making no sound on the flagstone streets. He was dressed very plainly in a white tunic, breeches and a cloak, not unlike that of a ranger. The only thing hinting at wealth was the brooch he wore clasped about his throat. It was an onyx figure of a crouching mountain cat, its ruby eye seeming to burn straight to the soul.
He had a mission. And he was determined to complete it at all costs.
The letter he had received was straightforward and simple. Enclosed with it was a thousand pieces of gold and a gilded dagger; ample pay for an assassin, even enough for one as prominent as him. He didn't know the name of his employer and had no desire to find out. It would have been simple to take the payment and do nothing, but that was not how he worked. He took great joy in murder, even more than the gold he received as payment. No, the real reward was the sound of his victim's churning last breath, the sight of the blood that was the exact same color as his brooch's ruby eye. He was the best, the most renowned and sought after assassin in all of Tyrian.
Karasu, the Feared One.
He turned a street corner and made his way down a decrepit alley. Without the slightest hesitation he pulled himself up onto the wall at the end, ascending it with graceful ease. He balanced on the top, surveying his target. On the other side of the wall was the large mansion of LongBranch's leader, Elder Ketrall. If everything went as planned he, his wife, and his daughter would be dead before the night was through.
Karasu grinned savagely as he jumped from the wall to land easily on the grass below. He was a swordsman, and a perfect one at that. He had never been defeated and never would be. His beautiful sword had tasted the blood of thousands of people, most of them prominent leaders and their innocent families. His blue eyes danced with a deadly fire, and his dark hair was hidden beneath a wide brimmed hat that was tipped at a cocky angle. Silently he ran towards the mansion, not noticed by anyone.
He entered the house with ease. As he crossed the hall, he made no effort to be silent. His boots rang out on the marble floor, his white teeth flashing in a fierce grin. He made his way up the wide stairs and onto the second floor. In front of him was a closed door, most likely leading to Elder Ketrall's bedroom. Just as Karasu was about to open it, a sound behind him made him turn around.
It was Ketrall's wife. The golden haired woman was standing at the head of the stairs, her green eyes alarmed.
"Who are you?" she demanded.
Karasu laughed; it was a chilling sound.
"Your death," he replied, and was upon her.
To her credit, the woman fought bravely. Karasu drew his dirk in order to finish her quickly, but he was taken aback by the woman's fierceness. She lashed out, slapping the assassin and drawing blood from his cheek. She spun and ran down the stairs, hair flying. His reaction was hard and fast. He kicked out, his boot connecting with her legs, the sound of her splitting kneecaps startlingly loud. She screamed, tumbling over and over down the rest of the stairs. Karasu leaped after her. He knelt down with one knee pressed against her back. He held her by the back of the throat, diving in with his blade. She was dead moments later, her heart plunged through.
A strangled cry came from the top of the stairs. Turning back, Karasu saw that Elder Ketrall was standing there, shock and grief clouding his proud, rugged features. His eyes quickly darkened as he drew his sword from its sheath.
Karasu sighed. He had hoped that this assignment would be quick and clean. He stood up, leaving his dirk in the woman's back. The hollow rasp of his sword being unsheathed echoed through the empty mansion.
"Who are you? What do you want?" Ketrall demanded. His sword glinted in the dim light that filtered through the windows.
"My name is Karasu. I have been sent to kill you." Karasu stepped forward, his sword held nonchalantly at his side. "Please don't make this too difficult; I have a very busy agenda."
"Why my death? For what purpose?" Ketrall brought his blade up, ready to run the assassin through.
"Honestly, I don't know myself," Karasu admitted. "But the pay was excellent and I do love a good slaughter. So come now, let's finish it."
He raced up the stairs, sword snapped up to the perfect attack position. Ketrall met his offense with a strong defense, the clash of metal on metal ringing out. Karasu sidestepped and jumped back, causing his intended victim's arm to be thrown out wide. In response, Ketrall rolled to the left and brought his hilt down, just in time to fend off the searching, hungry point of the assassin's sword. Karasu leaped straight up into the air, over Ketrall's blade, and kicked out sideways. His boots thudded into his target's chest. Ketrall fell to the ground, his sword skittering away to thump against the far wall. Karasu stood above his dazed victim, a slightly insane grin still plastered on his savage face. He brought his sword up to run Ketrall through, but froze with the glistening blade hovering just inches above the leader's crazily beating heart. "Before you join your wife in the afterlife, I have a question. Where is your daughter?"
Ketrall's dark eyes burned with fury. His jaw muscles rippled as he clenched his teeth in defiance. Karasu sighed, shaking his head in pity. He idly twisted his sword, as if inspecting the gilded hilt.
"It's unfortunate that you won't tell me," he said. "It would have been easier on me and her if you had just let me know where to find her. But then again, I could just slit her throat as soon as she walks through the door-after showing her yours and your wife's corpses, of course."
He abruptly plunged downward with his sword, effectively taking the life of Elder Ketrall. The leader choked on his last breath as the blood bubbled into his throat and mouth. Eyes dimming, he struggled to fill his lungs with air, but his life was already over. A little sigh slipped through his lips and it was done.
Karasu jerked his sword free and cleaned it on Ketrall's embroidered vest. He picked the body up, throwing it unceremoniously down the stairs to rest brokenly by the dead woman; two down, one to go. The assassin sat down on the top stair and waited, every now and then taking out the letter that had started this and reading it over.
Yukina Ketrall was having the best time of her life. The seventeen-year-old and her friends were in the middle of Dragon's Tail, a game that her parents would have wholeheartedly disapproved of.
But that, of course, was what made it so fun.
Yukina felt a tug as the handkerchief she had tied to the waist of her dress was pulled free. She turned to see her best friend, Kurama, smiling mischievously.
"All right, Ada, I caught you," he said, laughing. Yukina blushed.
"You cheated!" she accused playfully. "You're the only one here that's faster than me. You should've chased any of the other girls!"
"But I wanted to catch you," Kurama replied. "Now, c'mon, give me my prize."
Yukina stood on her tiptoes and kissed Kurama quickly on the lips. The redheaded teenager was much taller than the girl. Yukina snatched her handkerchief from Kurama's hand and tucked it into her waistband again.
"Happy?" she asked with a smile. Kurama laughed.
"I'm going to take a break," Yukina said. She went and sat down on the wall that surrounded the courtyard where they were playing. Sasha, another of her friends, soon joined her.
"Hey, Yuki. Having fun?" Sasha asked.
"Yes. Who caught you?"
"James. You?"
"Kurama."
Sasha laughed. "He's been in love with you for years."
Yukina blushed, playing with a long, wavy lock of turquoise hair. Though her hair was the same blue as her father's, her eyes were her mother's bright leaf green. "I know," she responded in an uncomfortable voice.
Sasha looked at her incredulously. "What? You don't have any feelings for him?" she asked. Yukina shook her head.
"I don't want a boyfriend, thank you very much. Love is overrated."
Her friend snorted. "Overrated! You'll be eighteen this year, Yukina. You should think about finding yourself a beau. It's not right for the Elder's daughter to be single."
"Says you," Yukina snapped stubbornly. She hopped off the wall and smiled. "But enough of this squirrel's chatter. Let's get something to eat—I'm starving!"
Sasha shook her head in mock pity before following Yukina towards the food stalls. As they walked down the streets, various people gave them flowers and small trinkets along with wishes for a good year.
"I love the Harvest Festival," Sasha said wistfully while catching the gazes of several handsome boys. Yukina rolled her eyes.
"You're flightier than a butterfly in a spring field," she muttered, but not loud enough that Sasha could hear her.
After purchasing several pies, the girls headed back to their courtyard, where the other teenagers were waiting. Yukina gave Kurama and James some food, while Sasha passed the remaining pastries out to all of the other teenagers that had gathered there.
The friends all sat together by the wall, eating and talking. Yukina didn't look up as Kurama sat next to her.
"Would it be all right if I walked you home?" he asked quietly. Yukina swallowed carefully, trying to think up some excuses, but at the look in her friend's eyes she couldn't say no.
"All right," she replied. Kurama smiled and helped her up.
"Let's go, then," he said.
Yukina said goodbye to everyone as she and Kurama set off to her home. Her father and mother would already be there; Elder Ketrall wasn't one for much celebration. Yukina and Kurama had a pleasant conversation as they walked up the flagstone path that led to the mansion's doors. Her original nervousness was gone the instant they started talking; this wasn't Kurama the suitor walking beside her, it was Kurama the friend, the companion she had had since she was six. Actually, she felt that the time had gone too quickly when they finally stood outside of the doors to her home.
"Well, thank you," Yukina said, smiling. "You made a usually boring trip very enjoyable."
Kurama grinned. "I'm glad I could break the monotony." He looked out over the lawn, seeming to gather some courage. "Yukina, listen, would it be all right if I…well, if I kissed you again?"
Yukina tried to hide her disappointment. Kurama the friend was gone in a flash; Kurama the suitor had made his unwelcome appearance.
"Kurama, I'm flattered, really I am, but it's not a good idea," she said. "You're my best friend, and that's how I want it to stay. It would be foolish to try and make this something more."
The boy's face fell, but he managed to muster up some semblance of understanding. "Oh, that's all right," he said. "I shouldn't have backed you into a corner like that."
Yukina shook her head. "Don't worry," she comforted. "Would you like to come in for some tea? It's not that late."
Kurama smiled, that old sparkle of his back. "That would be great," he said.
Yukina sighed in relief, glad that the tension was gone. She opened the door, stepped inside, and screamed.
Her parents were there on the floor, dead.
Yukina's knees buckled as she fell in a faint. Kurama was by her side in a flash, catching her and holding her up. He stared in shock at his leader's dead form.
"Hand over the girl."
Kurama jerked his gaze up to the top of the stairs. A man was sitting there in a cloak and wide brimmed hat, sword laid across his knees.
"W-why? Who are you?" he demanded, voice shaking. The man stood up, swinging his sword back and forth.
"My name is Karasu," the man said. "Now, please make this simple and just give me the girl."
Kurama clutched Yukina's limp body closer to his chest. "You'll never have Yukina!" he shouted. Karasu cocked his head to the side.
"Yukina? Nice name," he commented. "It'll look even nicer on her gravestone."
Kurama spun and dashed out the door, running full tilt toward his own home. He heard Karasu curse and run down the stairs after him. Kurama stumbled as he sprinted toward the woods that surrounded Yukina's home, but he quickly regained his footing and dived into the trees. He turned sharply, jumped over a rotting log, and crouched behind a clump of thorny bushes, holding Yukina close to his chest.
He listened desperately, but he couldn't hear Karasu. He wasn't even sure if the assassin had followed him into the woods. After a few minutes of terrified waiting, Kurama took a chance and slowly came out of hiding, half expecting to see Karasu standing right there. But the man was nowhere to be found, and Kurama started running to his home.
After ten minutes of half-running, half-tripping, Kurama made it to his house. He banged into the small cabin, locking the door behind him. Neither his parents nor his sister were home, but maybe that was for the best.
Yukina woke up as he placed her on a mat by the hearth. "What happened?" she asked faintly as she sat up. "Mother…Father…"
Her green eyes went blank for a moment and she burst into tears.
Kurama came to her side, a rucksack in his hand. "Shh, Yuki, there will be time for mourning later."
Yukina choked back a sob and looked questioningly at her friend. "What do you mean?" she demanded quietly. "Time later? What's going on?"
"I don't know myself," Kurama admitted. He clattered around, filling the sack with food, clothes, and other supplies. "But after you fainted there was this man, Karasu, I think. He wanted me to give you to him, so I ran. I lost him in the woods but he'll find his way here in time." He tied the top of the sack closed and thrust it at Yukina. "Here, take this. Karasu is coming for you, most likely to kill you. I won't let him do that. Out back is my family's horse. I want you to ride him straight through the SilverSpear Mountains to Yaylin. I have family there, my aunt and uncle. Flee there and wait. I'll stay here and make sure Karasu doesn't know where you've gone. Once it's safe I'll come meet you there."
Yukina blinked, her head spinning from so much information. "All right," she said, "Let me get this straight. A man named Karasu murdered my parents, and you want me to ride across the SilverSpears to Yaylin, where you'll meet me later at your aunt and uncle's house?"
Kurama nodded. "Yes. Now hurry, we don't have much time." He helped Yukina up and led her outside, where a brown stallion with a white blaze was tethered next to the house. Yukina tied the rucksack to the saddle horn.
"But the trip through the SilverSpears takes at least a month," she said, distressed. Kurama filled a canteen and gave it to her.
"I have faith in you. And besides, if all goes well, I might meet you on the road instead of in Yaylin."
"But why can't you come with me now?"
"It's easier to track two people than just one," Kurama replied. "I'll stay here and cover up your tracks. Don't worry; it will be all right."
Yukina swung herself into the stallion's saddle. "Thank you, Kurama," she said, a sad smile ghosting her lips. "I'll see you soon then." The horse snorted and took off, hooves thudding against the soft ground. Yukina was visible for just a moment before the darkness of the forest road swallowed her up.
Kurama was just finished with brushing away the horse's tracks when he heard his front door break. The wood was shockingly loud as it crashed to the floor. The boy's throat closed in panic as he heard boots clock through the house towards the back door. Kurama dove behind a tree, frantically trying to calm his beating heart as he made himself as small as possible.
He heard the back door swing open and shut. Kurama held his breath, praying to whatever gods who were listening to let him go undiscovered. He heard Karasu slowly walk around the yard, his footsteps growing increasingly closer to Kurama's hiding place.
The footsteps stopped. He heard Karasu mutter something under his breath. Then, to Kurama's great relief, he heard the assassin turn back and leave.
He waited at least a half hour before daring to move again. As soon as he made certain that Karasu was really gone, he ran back inside, packed a bag, and left a note to his parents explaining everything. With a sigh he soaked in the sight of the home he had grown up in since birth, a place he would probably never see again. Steeling his resolve, he started down the trail after Yukina. Since she had taken his only horse, he was forced to travel on foot.
It was time to find her.