Author's Corner

Hi everyone! Sorry for the delay in updating. This chapter has actually been written for a while I just forgot to post it. Happy 2020! I wish you all the best and hope that you have an absolutely smashing year! As always thanks for all the love and support and don't forget to follow, favourite and review!

EIGHTH BLOOD

Chapter 53: Shikonstone

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Octavia entered Sesshoumaru's private study unannounced and marched over to his two-foot-high desk, where he was filling a large piece of parchment with neat black calligraphy. She waited for him to acknowledge her presence, but he seemed content to ignore her and continue writing.

She cleared her throat. "I need to talk to Nidawi."

"No," he said without looking up.

"I wasn't exactly asking for permission."

He started a new line on the parchment. "What is it that you want to know?"

Her hand instinctively came to rest on the Reikon Blade's hilt. Cyril's dream was still fresh in her mind, but the image of Nidawi and Touga together would stay entrenched in her brain for years to come. "She's keeping something from me. I want to find out what."

"Oracles often tend to know more than they let on," he stated, sounding bored.

She frowned and balled her hands into fists. He could have at least pretended to sound interested. Maybe she was being too vague.

"Did you know that she met with your father before he fought Ryukotsusei?" she asked.

"No, but it doesn't surprise me. They were friends, after all—"

"He knew that he was going to die. He wasn't afraid. But he did have regrets. He regretted that he wouldn't be around to protect you, so he made a deal with Nidawi to guarantee your safety."

Sesshoumaru finally lifted his head and met her stare. "What deal?"

"I don't know the details, but she promised to keep you alive in his absence."

"How do you know about this?"

"I watched it happen."

His eyes narrowed. "Explain. Now."

She tried to arrange her thoughts so that he would understand her suspicions, but it was impossible with him gazing up at her so intently. She'd gotten used to him towering over her like a giant that it was awfully jarring to be the one looking down at him for a change.

"The Reikon Blade transported me into Cyril's dream," she explained. "I saw your father and Nidawi discussing yours and Inuyasha's futures. It felt so real."

"Why would Cyril be dreaming about a conversation he wasn't present for?"

"I don't know. It could have just been a dream, but the things they were saying sounded too specific to be fabricated." She peeked down at the Reikon Blade and stroked the purple crystal absently. "Do you remember what the shadow that was possessing Lady Chiyo said? It called the dagger by another name. Nidawi did, too. When she gave it to me, she told me that it used to be called the Dream Eater. The shadows were all terrified of it. What if . . . What if the things that it shows me are real? What if they're more than just dreams? Maybe . . ."

He waited for her to finish, but she was struggling to make sense of her thoughts.

"You believe that these dreams are actually moments from the past?" he asked dubiously.

She nodded. "And the future."

He seemed reluctant to believe her. "The theory isn't awful," he said after a brief pause. "But it is highly unlikely. The mind is a complex thing. Dreams don't always make sense. When we wake up, it's only natural to attempt to rationalise the things we see in them. But that is precisely the problem. Dreams are irrational by nature, and some are simply ineffable."

"This is different. I know it is. That's why I have to speak to Nidawi as soon as possible."

"If she didn't tell you before, what makes you think she will now?"

"Because this time, I'll make her."

The corners of his mouth inched upwards, and he returned his gaze to the parchment in front of him. "Very well. If you insist on going, I won't stop you."

Her face fell once she realised that he had no intention of going with her. "Aren't you curious about the deal your father made with her?"

"Not particularly."

"But if it's real, it means that your father had a plan for you. You're always saying that he favoured Inuyasha over you, but this proves he loved you both equally—"

"Enough," he snapped. "I don't want to hear it. Now leave before I change my mind."

Her chest tightened at the harshness of his voice, but she wasn't going to give up that easily. She walked around the desk and knelt beside him. He tensed when she reached across and plucked the calligraphy brush right out of his hand, then balanced it on the edge of the ink stone.

"I know why you don't like being underground," she whispered. "Kannika told me about the tombs. She said that you and your mother were trapped down there until the fires went out, whilst your father and his generals were fighting above. I can't imagine what that must have been like."

His pupils shrunk at the reminder of what he'd been through. Guilt coursed through her like a river and made her take his hand. She thought she heard his breath hitch when she interlaced their fingers, but it happened so quickly that it could have just as easily been her imagination. Holding his molten hot gaze, she pulled their joined hands into her lap and scooted closer.

"He looks like him. Inuyasha, I mean. That's why you find it so hard to look him in the eye for too long."

"Don't be absurd—"

"You look like him, too. You have his nose."

His eyes widened slightly.

"What?" she laughed.

"My mother used to say that."

"Oh, yeah? She's right, you know. You even have the same face shape—"

"Don't," he cut her off, suddenly gripping her hand.

She looked down and saw that his knuckles were pure white.

"Don't what?" she asked.

The markings on his cheeks were rough and jagged when he answered through gritted teeth, "I want to forget."

Her eyes turned soft. "No, you don't."

Despite the hostility in his eyes, his youki coiled around her like a serpent, seeking out her touch. She complied by pulling it into her and amplifying it. The candles in the study blazed brighter in response, and her irises turned a beautiful shade of purple.

Her pulse quickened when he leaned forwards and brushed his cheek against hers. She placed the hand that wasn't clutching his on his chest and shivered as his fangs grazed the shell of her ear.

"Sesshoumaru–" she rasped, "–what are you doing?"

"Stop talking," he breathed, using his free hand to cup her neck.

Her cheeks burned as he trailed his lips along her jaw. The touch was feather-light; not like the hand that was currently palming her throat. Her breathing hastened when his thumb moved to rest under her chin, and he drew back to look at her.

Don't stop, she begged internally, wide-eyed and wanting. Please.

She felt his youki spike, and suddenly he was guiding her face closer to his. Desire clouded her senses and made her fist his haori in an attempt to anchor herself. He was heartbreakingly gentle. Her only complaint was that he was taking far too long. She'd been kissed plenty already, but she'd never wanted anyone to kiss her as badly as she wanted Sesshoumaru to right now.

She closed her eyes and waited, but he couldn't bring himself to close the distance between them with his lips. He removed his fingers from her chin and hissed against her mouth, "We may share a few physical traits, but I am not my father. Nor am I human. I will never be what you want me to be. I may look like you in this form, but we are not the same, Octavia."

She released his youki and opened her eyes. "You're right," she said, staring at him with perfect clarity. "There's nothing human about you."

He frowned and quickly untangled his fingers from hers.

"But that's why I like you," she added.

He stiffened. Smiling, she rose to her feet and left him alone with his parchment.

She slid the door closed behind her and made her way down to the stables. Ah-Un was just finishing its lunch when she wandered in through the back door. The dragon roared softly as she approached its rather fancy-looking pen and scratched behind its ears.

"Would you mind giving me a lift somewhere?" she asked sweetly. "I'll repay you with grapefruits."

Ah-Un was more than happy to oblige.

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It was mid-afternoon when they landed on the mountain where the Tree of Sutāsouru was located. Octavia climbed out of Ah-Un's saddle and patted its necks gratefully, before heading for the holy barrier that encompassed the summit. Ah-Un laid down on the grass and fell asleep instantly.

Octavia passed through the barrier and travelled towards the huge camphor tree in the distance. Once she arrived at its base, she was surprised to see her path blocked by a river. That definitely wasn't here last time. She walked along the edge, searching for a way across, but the river snaked around the tree, preventing access. She could probably swim across, but she wasn't overly keen on jumping into a river that had magically appeared one day.

"Hello, Octavia dear."

Hope sparked in her chest when she noticed a ball of bright light hovering in the air above her.

"Breena!" she shouted happily, extending her arms to catch the yosei. "I'm so glad you're okay! When did you get back? Were you still on Namida when Taro . . ."

Breena's expression turned sombre. "No, I wasn't," she replied. "Fortunately, I left before it happened. I was very sorry to hear about his passing. He and his mother were always kind to us."

"Do you know who killed him?"

She dodged the question. "Come now. Nidawi-sama is expecting you."

Octavia gasped as the yosei flicked her nose and teleported them both inside the tree. A hush fell over the animals that lived there, who all turned to look at her with their eerily humanoid eyes. She studied them curiously. They looked remarkably like youkai, except their auras were completely pure. Ethereal, even. She'd never felt anything even remotely like it before.

"What are they?" she asked Breena.

"They're the ancients," Breena replied nonchalantly. "But I believe you humans call them kodama."

Octavia smiled at them as she walked towards the hole in the centre of the tree. It was just as steep as she'd remembered. The Reikon Blade pulsed at her hip, excited to be home. Octavia pulled it out of its sheath and examined it closely. The crystal was glowing again.

"Have you figured it out yet?" Breena whispered.

Octavia furrowed her brow. "I don't know. Maybe. Why?"

"Just wondering."

Octavia frowned slightly before shifting closer to the edge. The crystal in the dagger shone brighter in response to the darkness below. Taking a deep, bracing breath, she jumped.

After landing on a mound of soft moss at the bottom, Octavia clambered to her feet and allowed the light from the Reikon Blade to guide her through the darkness. Eventually, she happened upon the dead tree that was Nidawi's disguise and called out to her. The tree transformed instantly, and Octavia locked eyes with Nidawi's pitch black ones. The Forest Spirit smiled tenderly.

"Hello, Octavia. I told you we would meet again." She beckoned her closer. "Something is troubling you. What is it, child?"

"Oh, boy. Where do I even start? A lot has happened since I saw you."

"I can tell. That curse you carry is especially nasty."

Octavia's brows lifted in surprise. "How do you know about that?"

"Breena told me."

Oh. Of course she had.

"Yeah . . . Things were looking bad for a while, but everything's fine now."

Nidawi's expression darkened. "It was a mistake to trust a being like that with something as precious as your life."

"I didn't exactly have a choice."

"Yes, you did. You simply didn't know it at the time."

Octavia's eyes narrowed. "What does that mean?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

"Why do I have to wait? Why can't you just tell me what you know?"

"Telling you doesn't work. We've tried that route before."

Fury emanated from Octavia like a swarm of locusts. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

Nidawi reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind Octavia's ear. "It breaks my heart to see you like this, little one. Don't give in to your rage. Trust that you're on the right path."

Octavia sighed and reigned in her anger. "Sorry. I'm just so frustrated."

"I know."

The Reikon Blade pulsed again, reminding Octavia of what she'd come for.

"I need to ask you something," she said. "It's about the dagger. This morning, it allowed me to see into someone else's dream. In the dream, I saw you and Sesshoumaru's father talking. You asked him to bring you a tooth. Tell me, was it real or not?"

"It was real. In fact, that was the last time I saw him. He died shortly afterwards."

"So, he never gave you what you asked for?"

"Oh, no. He sent it to me just before he died."

Bring me one and I swear your son will live.

At least there was a silver lining. Whatever reason she'd needed the tooth for, Octavia found comfort in the knowledge that it was to protect Sesshoumaru.

"What did you want it for?" she queried. "The tooth, I mean."

Nidawi smiled and tapped her wooden nose. "I'm afraid I can't tell you that."

"How come?"

"You wouldn't like it."

Octavia frowned. "All right, then. What about this?" She pointed to the crystal in the Reikon Blade and asked, "It's the same as the stuff on Namida, isn't it?"

Nidawi nodded.

"What is it?"

"It is called Shikonstone. It's a mineral that forms in the presence of spirit magic. It takes decades to grow as large as the clusters on Namida. That isn't the only way it's made, though. Powerful mages such as yourself have been known to create Shikonstone at will. Like Midoriko, for example. The Shikon no Tama was born when she fused her opponent's soul with hers. What made it different from regular Shikonstone was that it gained a mind of its own and became conscious."

"How did that happen?"

"When a person dies, their spirit becomes what's known as mitama. This entity is made up of four smaller entities called ara-mitama, nigi-mitama, kushi-mitama, and saki-mitama. When the person is alive, these entities are constantly fluctuating between two different states. The first state is Naohi, where the souls work together harmoniously, and the second state is Magatsuhi, where the souls are in discord. When Midoriko died, her spirit was between the two states, therefore, hers and the Daiyoukai's souls became trapped within the jewel. This granted the Shikon no Tama a spirit of its own, but it was horrendously unstable. And wrong. No . . . It was evil."

Octavia's head was spinning.

"Am I going too fast?" Nidawi asked.

"A little, but I think I understand what you're getting at."

She stared at the dagger in her hand.

"Why did you give this to me?"

"I told you. It is the answer."

"I still don't know what that means."

"You will." Smiling, she cupped Octavia's cheeks and said, "Take care of the dagger. You never know . . . It might save your life one day."

Before she could ask Nidawi what she meant by that, she was kicked out of the tree and landed in the river with a splash. She broke the surface and coughed violently, then swam to the bank. If this kept up, she'd probably be able to swim the English Channel within the year.

Fortunately, she'd managed to hold on to the Reikon Blade after being transported without warning.

It might save your life one day.

Soaked to the bone, she trudged through the forest miserably. Ah-Un was waiting for her outside the barrier. The dragon lifted its twin heads as she approached the tree it had been snoozing under and looked her up and down.

"Don't ask," she grumbled, squeezing the moisture out of her hair.

They arrived back at the stronghold just in time for supper, which was a seafood medley cooked with ginger and limes. Octavia finished her portion in a matter of seconds – despite Saya insisting that she slow down and savour the taste – and went to take her evening bath. As she rubbed soap all over her body, she caught herself thinking about the feel of Sesshoumaru's lips on her jaw.

This is so fucked up, she thought, banishing the unwelcome thoughts. It wasn't the first time that she'd thought about him in that context, but this time felt . . . different. Friends weren't supposed to do things like that – unless it was a friends with benefits situation, which this wasn't.

Or was it?

She stapled her gaze to the ceiling and scowled. Maybe youkai friendships were simply more intimate than human ones? It seemed unlikely, but it was more plausible than the alternative. The thought was so utterly ridiculous that she almost laughed thinking about it. Just because she found him physically attractive didn't mean he felt the same way about her . . . Did it?

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Author's Corner

Sorry for all the constant teasing! Things are going to start being explained very soon. And to address the growing tension between Sesshoumaru and Octavia... It's probably better if I just keep quiet and let things run their course. With all that pressure building the lid is bound to fly off sooner rather than later ;) Thanks for reading!