EIGHTH BLOOD

Chapter 47: Rift

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Once upon a time, a dragon found an egg growing out of a mountain.

One day, the egg cracked open and the most beautiful woman in the world emerged from its centre. The dragon instantly fell in love, which angered a dog from a faraway land, who believed she would bring about a great calamity. A ferocious battle followed to decide the woman's fate, but neither side won. In the end, the dragon was bound to a cliff face with magic, and the dog suffered a fatal blow that led to his demise shortly afterwards.

The woman from the egg fled before he could make good on his promise of killing her. She didn't care that her dragon was trapped in an eternal slumber. He could rot for all she cared. The only thing that mattered was the new egg she was carrying, which would be hatching very soon.

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Octavia lurched awake from a nightmare and fisted the sheets, anchoring herself to reality. Her kimono was soaked. Breathing heavily, she turned her head sideways and saw the moon through the open shoji doors, shimmering like a pearl.

Her heart thrashed in her chest, rattled by the dream, though the events that had transpired inside it escaped her now. She could no longer recall what had frightened her so.

She climbed out of bed and headed for the vanity in a trance-like state. She gazed at herself in the mirror, willing the bruises to heal faster. Her fingers ghosted over a particularly nasty one on her cheekbone, before moving to the imprints of Hiroto's claws on her throat, which were definitely going to leave scars. What was Rin going to say when she saw them?

Octavia shivered as her fingers accidentally made contact with the Mark of Erebus. Peeling open her kimono, she studied the inky expanse between her breasts. Goose pimples sprouted along her skin, making the cursed mark look even more threatening. She pulled her kimono shut and closed her eyes, grateful for the dark of her eyelids . . . She was tired of being afraid.

Behind you, the voice in her head suddenly warned.

Her eyes snapped open, and she spun around with her fists raised.

There was nothing there.

Frowning, she lowered her fists and glanced around the room suspiciously. The red-eyed man hadn't spoken to her in weeks. Would he really break his silence just to scare her? She doubted it.

Beware of the dark, Okteviah True Jewel. It is still here.

"What is?" she whispered softly.

Remember.

The word paralysed her. She couldn't move. She couldn't think.

Remember, he said again.

Her feet carried her to the door. She was only half aware of what was happening, but she could feel her fingers closing around the Reikon Blade's hilt as she slid it out of its sheath and pressed the tip to the wood. An unseen force guided her hand. She heard the scrape of metal on wood clearly, but her vision wouldn't focus for long enough to reveal what she was drawing.

Once she was finished, her eyes flashed purple and the dagger slipped out of her hand, hitting the ground with a distant thud. The fuzzy shape on the door glowed briefly before going out.

She managed to make it back to her bed before collapsing.

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"Octavia-san?"

She groaned as Rin shook her awake relentlessly. What was her problem? As far as she knew, they hadn't made any plans for today, so was this really necessary?

"Octavia-san!" she shouted, shaking her harder. "Wake up!"

"What?" she grumbled into the pillow.

"Look!"

Octavia rolled onto her side and frowned. Rin's eyes widened at the sight of her battered face, but she didn't comment on it. Instead, she hauled her out of bed and to the door, which had been vandalised with a knife. Octavia gasped and stumbled backwards in shock. Rin caught her and waited for her to say something, but Octavia could only stare at the strange symbol she'd carved into the door with the Reikon Blade. She'd never seen anything like it.

"What is it?" she breathed.

"You tell me."

She followed Rin's gaze to her right hand, which was ridden with splinters. Trembling, she scratched a couple of them free before shifting her attention to the spot of floor where the Reikon Blade lay discarded. The wood beneath it was singed black, but there weren't any symbols like the one on the door. She picked the dagger up and studied it cautiously.

"Are you okay?" Rin asked. "What happened last night?"

"I don't know," she confessed. "I only remember bits and pieces."

Rin pointed at the door. "Did you do that?"

"I think so . . . I don't know why, though. I don't even know what it is."

She was so focused on the symbol that she didn't see Rin's hand inching towards her face. She flinched when Rin's fingers made contact with her swollen lip.

Her brown eyes shone with worry as she caressed Octavia's bruised cheek and jawline. "Do you remember how you got these?"

She nodded. "I'll tell you later. This is more important."

Rin watched Octavia trace the shape on the door with her fingers. She was pretty sure she'd seen it glow, but she couldn't feel any lingering magic. So, what exactly was its purpose? The longer she looked at it, the less she understood. Until a stray thought wandered into her head.

Use the marks.

Her eyes widened as she remembered Hiroto's words.

Could it be?

"We need to show Sesshoumaru."

Rin blinked. "I agree with you, but why him specifically?"

". . . Because I think this has happened before."

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Sesshoumaru waited for Cyril to finish examining the strange symbol on the door. It wasn't a symbol he recognised, yet there was something eerily familiar about it.

His eyes shifted to Octavia, who was picking splinters out of her right hand. Her mouth was pressed into a taut line and her eyes gleamed with uncertainty. She looked more tired than usual. She was struggling to keep her eyes open, and the skin beneath them was plagued by grey shadows.

"Fascinating," Cyril mused aloud. "Truly fascinating."

"Are you going to tell us what it is or not?" Rin asked.

She hadn't left Octavia's side once. When he'd suggested that she go and find Jaken, he hadn't expected her to say no. Perhaps he shouldn't have phrased it as a request when he'd meant it as a command. He'd never had to differentiate between the two before. Rin had always done exactly as she was told. Her obedience had been one of the reasons he'd allowed her to travel with him. She still trusted him with all her heart, but she was noticeably less compliant now.

He disliked not knowing what he was doing wrong.

"It's a spell," replied Cyril. "The magic expired several hours ago."

"What kind of spell?" Octavia questioned.

His eyes narrowed. "I'm not sure. What made you draw it?"

"I don't know. It was like I was sleepwalking."

"And the dagger?"

She handed him the Reikon Blade and said, "I found it on the floor."

He rolled it in his hands. "You mentioned once before that it could only cut things that aren't of this world. Like the Tenseiga, if it had the power to exterminate souls instead of reviving them."

"That's right."

"Then how did it do this?"

She shrugged. "Maybe doors have souls, too."

Rin snorted, but Sesshoumaru wondered if she was right. After all, most doors were made from wood – which came from trees – and although trees weren't conscious, they were alive. Therefore, they must have souls. Whether or not the souls remained after the trees were cut down was a mystery.

"May I borrow this?" Cyril asked, referring to the dagger. "If you don't mind, I would like to examine it more closely."

Octavia reluctantly agreed. Anyone could see that she was attached to it. He supposed he would be too if it were his. It had saved her life several times now. Only a fool would forsake such a weapon. He glanced down at the Tenseiga and grimaced slightly. The irony wasn't lost on him.

He found himself staring at the purple jewel in the dagger's handle. It suddenly occurred to him that he'd seen that particular mineral somewhere else. The crystals on Namida were virtually identical. How had it taken him so long to realise? And the symbol on the door . . . It looked a little like the mysterious writing they'd seen on the island. Was it a coincidence?

Rin studied the symbol more closely. "What does it look like to you?" she asked Octavia.

Octavia squinted her eyes. "I don't know. A coat of arms or something?"

"That's what I was thinking. The outline looks just like a shield."

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened. He suddenly recalled a book that had belonged to his father that was written entirely in tiny, abstract-looking pictures. He'd tried reading it once, but he'd only managed to get a couple of pages in before his father had snatched the book right out of his hands. Sesshoumaru hadn't understood why he'd been so angry with him. It was only a book.

He wondered what had become of it.

"Find out what you can," he told Cyril.

"Of course, my lord."

The warlock took his leave and Rin grabbed Octavia's hand, planning to do the same.

"Rin," he said firmly, prompting her to glance up at him in confusion.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Your new tutor is waiting for you in the Green Room."

She pouted sadly. "Can't I have today off? I'd like to spend some time with Octavia-san."

He sensed that a trap was being laid for him. "No," he answered. "They are expecting you. Now go and make a good first impression."

"Why, though? Sooner or later, they'll just quit."

"And whose fault is that?"

Her brow pinched and she scowled. The sight caught him off guard.

"Theirs, obviously," she said. "It's not my fault they can't keep up with me. All they do is insult me, anyway. It's always 'do this' and 'do that', or 'stay silent in the presence of those who are superior to you'. I don't care that I slurp my food or run around with leaves in my hair. It's who I am. I know I'm getting older, but they're trying to turn me into something I'm not."

"You have no idea what you are."

"But you do?"

"Yes."

Her eyes blazed. "You're wrong," she snapped. "Tell him, Octavia-san."

Octavia stayed silent.

Hurt briefly blossomed in Rin's features, but it was swiftly replaced by anger. She let go of Octavia's hand and folded her arms. Sesshoumaru frowned slightly. Why was she being so difficult? He was only doing what was best for her. Couldn't she see that?

"This is not up for debate," he said. "Now do as you're told."

She rolled her eyes. "What was the point?" she muttered to herself.

"The point of what?" he asked. "And speak up."

"Why bother bringing me back to life if it wasn't going to belong to me anymore!" she yelled, surprising him and Octavia both. "I stand out enough as it is! The least you could do is let me make my own damned choices once in a while! You're so . . . Urgh!"

She stormed out of the room without finishing her sentence.

Sesshoumaru balled his hands into fists. He hadn't meant to make her angry. He hadn't known it was possible until now. Should he go after her?

He looked to Octavia for answers and was shocked to see her holding in laughter. "Sorry," she wheezed, composing herself. "I was wondering when that would happen. She lasted longer than I thought. I guess she's a late bloomer."

He raised an eyebrow. "Explain."

"She's a kid. They do that. Don't take it personally."

"She's never behaved like this before."

"Fourteen is a complicated age for us humans. Your hormones are all over the place, so every minor inconvenience feels like the end of the world. It's completely normal. She'll grow out of it."

"What if she doesn't?"

"She will. You just need to be patient."

He contemplated her words carefully. "Were you ever like that?"

She flashed him an evil grin. "I was worse."

He stole another glimpse at the empty doorway, secretly wishing that Rin would come back.

"She cares about you," he said.

"The feeling is mutual," she admitted.

He didn't doubt that in the slightest.

He was glad that they had each other. Octavia helped Rin in ways he couldn't. They weren't afraid to laugh together or talk about their emotions. Rin trusted her. Maybe even loved her. It wasn't hard to see why. Octavia wasn't for everyone. She was crass and spiteful, but she was also quick-witted and exceedingly charming when she wanted to be. Very few had managed to make him laugh over the centuries, yet she amused him constantly, even when she wasn't trying to.

"I care about you, too," she murmured.

He blinked, taken aback by her boldness.

The air between them was immensely awkward all of a sudden.

"I'd better go," she mumbled. "I was going to ask you about something Hiroto said the other day, but it can wait until—"

"Octavia?"

The hopeful expression on her face puzzled him.

He didn't want her to leave.

"Yes, Sesshoumaru?"

"I may need your help," he said.

Her eyes brightened. "With what?"

"The castle has a rather large library. It would take a long time if I combed through it alone."

"There's a library?"

The obvious excitement in her voice made him smirk. "Of course."

"What is it that you're looking for?"

"My father owned a book full of symbols similar to the one you carved into your door. I suspect that it might be connected to the ones we saw on Namida. If we find it, it may shed some light on what is happening."

She paused before saying, "Okay."

"Hmm?"

"I said okay. I'll help you find it. It's not like I have anything better to do today."

He hoped he didn't look as pleased as he felt.

They walked in silence to the downstairs library, which was as abandoned as it always was. Only the scholars used it now, although he'd heard rumours of secret trysts taking place there in the dead of the night. Octavia walked between the bookcases like it was her second home. She picked a book at random and blew away the dust, creating a cloud of white that enveloped her. Coughing, she waved it away with her free hand, oblivious to the warmth in his amber eyes.

They spent the next few hours sitting across from each other on the floor, surrounded by books. The only sounds he could hear were the turning of pages and her steady breathing. He tried to focus on the books, but his eyes kept being drawn to her shifting toffee-coloured lashes.

His chest constricted painfully when she met his gaze and smiled at him. Had she always been so beautiful? If she had, how was he only noticing it now?

It was probably just the light.

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Author's Corner

Our boi has got it bad lol. Don't forget to review! I love hearing from you guys :D