EIGHTH BLOOD
Chapter 17: Harvest
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"I owe you both my life," Lady Chiyo said with a graceful bow. "If you hadn't come, I would have still been at the mercy of that youkai, or worse yet, dead. I commend you for your efforts and implore you to accept these gifts as tokens of my gratitude."
Octavia's cheeks burned as a group of servants appeared bearing treasures and trinkets. "That really isn't necessary," she mumbled bashfully. "We're just glad you're okay."
Lady Chiyo giggled as if she'd been told a joke. "How noble of you. It's rare to find someone who is both brave and virtuous these days." She clapped her hands twice, dismissing the servants. "Perhaps this will tempt you where riches could not."
One of the servants hurried out and returned with a mysterious object wrapped in cloth. Lady Chiyo rose from her cushion and unwound the cloth, revealing a curved wakizashi with a gilded blade. Octavia resisted the urge to whistle. "What is it?" she asked.
"The Sword of the Firebird," Lady Chiyo answered. "The man my father bought it from claimed that it was made using a feather from a being called a phoenix. It was supposedly forged overseas. It doesn't have any real powers, but it's a fine weapon, regardless."
"Fine is an understatement. Thank you, my lady."
The girl smiled and handed her the sword. "May it serve you well." Not fully satisfied, she shifted her attention to Sesshoumaru and strummed her bottom lip with her finger. "You seem to have plenty of weapons already. Are you some kind of samurai?"
"No, my lady," he replied.
Octavia was surprised that he was being so polite.
"Interesting . . . You know, if you hadn't saved me, I would have thought you were a demon."
Sesshoumaru's expression betrayed nothing.
Lady Chiyo's eyes twinkled suddenly. "Are you perchance travelling on foot?" Her smile widened when Octavia confirmed her suspicions by bringing up her sore feet. "I see," she said. "Very well. Let us proceed to the stables. I think you'll like this gift even more than the first."
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The horses were stunning.
Lady Chiyo had generously given them two of her prized mares as a reward for rescuing her from the shadow's clutches. One was soot-black, whilst the other was the colour of freshly fallen snow. Sesshoumaru had claimed the latter, so Octavia was mounted upon the former.
"Aren't they gorgeous?" she said as they rode out of the valley. The sun had risen about an hour ago, so the sky was still speckled with varying shades of pink, blue and yellow.
Sesshoumaru responded with a disinterested hum.
She twisted her horse's reins uncomfortably. "I'm sorry I've been such a bitch to you," she muttered, keeping her gaze on the road ahead. "I didn't mean any of those awful things I said. Well, maybe I meant one or two, but that's not the point . . . I know I haven't made it easy for you."
"Is this your attempt at an apology?"
"Kind of. Except I'm not entirely to blame. You owe me an apology, too."
"Do I?" he asked, pretending to be shocked. "What for?"
"Are you serious? You tried to kill me! I think that warrants more than an apology."
"You are too easily offended."
"I'm easily offended? Have you met yourself?"
His eyes flashed dangerously. This time, however, he wasn't trying to intimidate her. "Remorse doesn't suit you, human. Your insolence – whilst infuriating – is the most interesting thing about you. We both know that the approval of others means nothing to you. Especially mine."
"That's not true. Okay, maybe it is to some degree, but . . ." She swallowed her pride and mumbled, "I was wrong about you. You're not a coward. You saved my life. If you hadn't shown up when you did, I could have been possessed like Lady Chiyo or worse."
"They had other plans for you."
"Like what?"
"The pot contained a device capable of transporting living matter to a predetermined location. They must have intended to separate us and then use the device to send you there."
Her eyes widened in surprise. "I wondered why you chucked your sword at it. How did you know it was there?"
"I sensed a large amount of energy that didn't belong to any of the creatures, and the pot was the most suitable hiding place in the room. It was incredibly straightforward."
"But if the pot was just a hiding place, why did the shadow bother taking the pieces?"
"A device like the one they were using would need to be stored safely. It's not uncommon for magical objects to be preserved in clay. The soil neutralises the magic and keeps it stable. Using a container made out of clay would likely achieve similar results."
Octavia chewed the inside of her cheek. "Why did they only want me, though?"
"That I don't know."
"They didn't know about the Tenseiga. Maybe they're scared of you."
He smirked triumphantly. "Good. Perhaps it will deter them from conducting any more schemes."
"Until we get to the island."
"If it exists."
She shrugged. "They pretty much confirmed that it does."
"Then we must anticipate an ambush. We are outnumbered two to over a thousand – if the shadow is to be believed – but with my blade and your dagger, we may stand a chance, after all."
Their eyes met and Octavia felt like she was seeing him for the very first time. The shift from 'I' to 'we' had caught her off guard, but it wasn't an unpleasant feeling. It felt like kismet.
She grinned at him. "I like those odds."
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Octavia's stomach growled loudly. It was almost sundown, but Sesshoumaru had given zero indication that they'd be stopping any time soon. Ravenous, she pretended to relieve herself in the woods. In reality, she was searching for something to snack on. She happened upon a peach tree and practically launched herself at the nearest fruit. Her hunger sated, she picked a few more for the road and headed back to where Sesshoumaru was waiting for her with the horses.
A large hand seized her from behind, hoisting her into the air. Her scream was muffled by her captor's thumb, which covered her mouth. She craned her head sideways and saw that the hand belonged to an ogre. Its skin was bright blue, and it had long, braided hair that reached its hips. The four tusks sticking out of its mouth were crusted with blood, as were its horns.
"Put me down!" she shouted once it lowered its thumb. "I'm warning you!"
The ogre roared with laughter. She thrashed in its hold and tried to peel back its fingers, but it was no use. The ogre clamped its thumb over her mouth again and carried her deeper into the forest. It was hard not to feel humiliated by how often she was being kidnapped recently. If the shadow hadn't trapped her magic, she'd be able to free herself and show the ogre that she wasn't to be messed with, but without her powers, she was totally useless.
At least Sesshoumaru would find it strange when she didn't return and come looking for her. Would he be able to defeat the ogre without his youki? Of course he would. He might be slightly weaker without his youki, but he was still stronger than the likes of these demons.
The ogre brought her to a cluster of iron cages that were in the process of being loaded onto wagons. Her confidence plummeted when she saw how many ogres were working to secure the cages. The one carrying her opened the latch of the nearest cage and flicked her inside. She landed on her stomach and hissed in pain as the latch squeaked shut behind her.
She wasn't alone in the cage. There were other humans cowering in one corner, and a group of youkai in another. Octavia tried to move towards them, but a sharp pain in her ankles prevented her. She glanced down at her feet and saw that they were shackled to the floor of the cage.
The ogres laughed as she wiggled the chains. They leapt backwards in surprise when she growled at them. The other prisoners whimpered as one ogre raised its fist and struck the cage, causing the shackles to slam against their ankles. Octavia gasped and clutched her feet.
"What's going on?" she asked through gritted teeth.
"We've been selected for this year's harvest," answered a man who looked about forty.
"What harvest?"
"Every year before midsummer, there are disappearances that can't be explained away with logic. Because of this, there are stories of demons snatching travellers and taking them to a market where they use humans in auctions. We heard the ogres and their masters talking about it."
Octavia's eyes strayed to the group of youkai that were cowering in the other corner. "But that doesn't make sense. If they only sell humans, why would they capture their own kind, too?"
"I don't know. Maybe they're new recruits."
"I doubt that." She crawled closer to the bars and peered through them. She counted a minimum of twenty ogres, but they were all she could see. "Where are their masters?"
"They sleep during the day," the same man replied. "They look like harmless old maids, but don't be fooled, for they're just as vicious as the ogres, and ten times more dangerous."
Octavia's heart rate increased. A dull ache in her right ear prompted her to lift a hand and touch it, which she immediately regretted. She lowered her hand and saw that her fingers were stained with blood. The ogre must have knocked her earring out when it grabbed her, injuring her ear in the process. She hadn't even noticed that it was bleeding.
"Here." A little youkai with a thick, bushy tail offered her a tattered hanky. "For your ear."
Octavia accepted the hanky with a smile. "Thank you."
Dusk descended upon the cages, yet Sesshoumaru failed to appear.
"You look like you're waiting for someone," whispered the girl with the fox's tail.
Octavia sighed. "I am. I've been gone for at least an hour. He should find us soon."
"If he does, he'll also be captured."
"Nah. He's too tough for this lot. He'll get us out. You'll see."
"Is he a ninja?"
She snorted. "Something like that, yeah."
Her ankles throbbed faintly. The pain worsened when she moved, so she tried to stay as still as possible. Squeezing the hanky, she closed her eyes and dreamed that she was back at the stronghold. Rin snuggled into her side, smiling in her sleep. Octavia combed her fingers through Rin's hair and hummed a melody she had no memory of ever hearing. When she woke, her face was wet with tears. She wiped them away with her sleeve before anyone could see.
"They're here," someone murmured hastily. "It's over."
Octavia blinked the cloud of sleep out of her eyes and peeked through the bars.
Hurry, Sesshoumaru.
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The human's tracks ended at a peach tree. Sesshoumaru had left the horses tied up at the entrance to the forest in order to pursue her. He picked up a peach that had fallen on the ground and sniffed it. Her scent was all over it. She'd been here recently, then.
Something else had, too.
He followed the foul stench to a clearing that was full of wagons carrying iron cages. He crept towards the one where the human's scent was the strongest and searched for her amongst the prisoners. She was leaning against the bars on the other side of the cage. Secretly relieved, he climbed onto the wagon and walked around the cage. She hadn't seen him coming, because the moment he entered her peripheral vision, she gasped and scooted closer to the bars.
"What's your excuse this time?"
His eyes drifted to her feet, which were chained to the floor of the cage. The shackles had rubbed her flesh raw. "You're bleeding," he said, motioning to her earlobe, which had torn down the middle. If it wasn't treated soon, the wound would certainly fester and become infected.
"It's nothing," she lied. "Besides, we don't have time to chat. The pricks who put us in here will be back any second." She glanced at his swords. "Will one of those cut through metal?"
"Bakusaiga will."
"Good. Do it quick."
He freed Bakusaiga from its sheath and slashed the padlock. The latch creaked open, allowing him to slip inside the cage. He severed the chains binding the prisoners and helped the human to her feet. She winced as the shackles continued to rub against her ankles. He could try and remove them, but there was very little leeway between the metal and her skin. One wrong move and she could lose the ability to walk for life. She would have to endure it until they were in the clear.
"Told you," she said to a female kitsune.
"Don't jinx it," the kitsune replied.
The human stared at him expectantly. She hadn't let go of his hands. "What now?"
Before he could answer, the latch slammed shut and a new padlock appeared where the old one had been. The prisoners whispered amongst themselves anxiously.
Sesshoumaru frowned. "Explain."
"This man—Sorry, what's your name?"
"Ryuuya," replied a human man.
"Ryuuya says we're to be sold at an auction. The ogres are just glorified security guards. It's their masters we need to watch out for. They're youkai, too, but they use something called a glamour to make themselves look human. Just like . . ." She realised her error and froze.
His eyes darkened. "Like me?" he asked, keeping his voice low.
He saw her throat bob nervously. "I didn't mean—"
"I think you did."
He pulled his hands out of hers and took a step back. He tried not to think about the way her fingers chased his. He couldn't bring himself to look at her. Those eyes would haunt him if he did. They already haunted him. Big and green, like chrysolite, and full of so much sorrow.
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