EIGHTH BLOOD

Chapter 76: The garden of memories

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"I have a surprise for you."

Rin looked up from their game of Go and swallowed. Fortunately, Tsunayoshi's red eyes were fixed on the board as he searched for a suitable spot to place his piece. He still had a handful of stones left, but as always, victory had been hers a while ago. Go was the only game she consistently beat him at. It didn't matter which strategy he used. Miroku had taught her how to counter them all.

"What is it?" she fished.

Tsunayoshi finally placed his stone on the board and stood. "Come," he said, offering her his hand. "I'll show you."

Her fingernails dug into her palms. "Shouldn't we finish playing first?"

He picked up the board and slanted it so that the pieces rolled onto the floor. "There," he chuckled. "All done."

Rin bit her tongue as she rose to her feet and let him escort her out of the dining room. He said nothing as they traversed countless corridors and flights of stairs. Her stomach churned in protest when they arrived at the entrance to the sickbay. She held her breath as they passed rooms full of either injured or dying soldiers. Some of them had stopped moving entirely. A group of demonesses dressed in green were tending to the ones whose hearts were still beating, whereas the dead were carried away to be dealt with accordingly, or so she presumed.

"I promised them salvation," Tsunayoshi muttered. "Now look at them. Does this look like salvation to you?"

"You said it was a surprise," she said, unable to hide her trembling. "How is any of this surprising? Life isn't a board game. Wars aren't just about winning or losing. This is what they really are."

He smirked at her. "Pull yourself together. I didn't bring you here to make you sad."

"Then why did you?"

He gestured to a room at the end of the corridor. Unlike all the others, its door was closed, making it impossible to peer inside. Rin trailed behind Tsunayoshi wordlessly as he slid the shoji open, revealing a small room with square windows and very little furniture.

Her eyes widened when she saw a head of bright red hair poking out of the futon in the centre of the room, surrounded by a cloud of swirling incense.

"My healers were able to stem the bleeding just in time," Tsunayoshi explained as she rushed over to check Shippo's vitals. "He's still weak from the procedure, but his body is finally beginning to heal itself. He'll awaken soon. I thought you might like to be here when he does."

She breathed a sigh of relief as Shippo's pulse fluttered against her fingers. The feeling didn't last long, however, when she remembered that Tsunayoshi was the one who'd put him here.

"What are you going to do when he wakes up?" she asked nervously.

"I don't know," he answered with a shrug. "I'm still mulling it over. Any suggestions?"

She turned and locked eyes with him. There was no malice in his expression, just genuine curiosity. What was his endgame? Surely he wouldn't have gone to the trouble of saving Shippo's life if he intended to kill him? The kitsune was hardly a threat, but his powers were mysterious and unpredictable. The best cause of action would be to imprison him with Kohaku and Kirara, so why was the usurper wasting his time asking her? Was it a trap?

"It's too dangerous to let him go," she sighed. "He could come back with reinforcements. Then you'd have them and Sesshoumaru-sama to deal with. I understand that . . . But an execution is out of the question. Shippo-chan is my friend. I won't just sit back and watch him die."

Tsunayoshi seemed to appreciate her honesty. "I had a feeling you might say that. Very well. A cell it is, then."

She shook her head. "That won't work. He'd just transform himself into something small and slip through the bars. And a barrier wouldn't be able to contain him, either. Kitsune know all sorts of tricks, you see . . . The only thing that might work would be to seal his powers."

His eyes sparkled with intrigue. "Seal them how?"

"My friend has this enchanted rosary that binds him to a miko," she told him. "Well, I say rosary, but it's more like a collar, really. It's infused with reiki, so whenever the miko that he's bound to utters a certain phrase, the necklace completely immobilises him. I was a miko's prentice once myself, so I know how to make them. All I need are prayer beads and some string."

Tsunayoshi stared at her intently. She kept her face neutral and hoped that she'd sounded convincing enough. Most of what she'd said had been true, except for the last part, of course. Lady Kaede had taught her a great number of things, but there had been a limit to what she could learn. Unlike Kagome, her spiritual powers were virtually non-existent, and she was useless with a bow—or any weapon for that matter. No amount of training had been able to change that.

But Tsunayoshi didn't know that.

"You're bluffing," he said. "If what you say is true, he'd have no choice but to obey me. You'd be giving me total control over him. What kind of friend would do such a thing?"

"The kind that's trying to save his life," she replied.

Tsunayoshi laughed. "Where would you get the reiki? You're not a miko."

Rin remembered what Lady Kaede had told her after she'd complained about not being able to use purification magic like Kagome could. At the time, she'd thought the old woman's response was horseshit, but she knew better now. "I don't have to be. Reiki is just energy. Whilst it's true that only certain people can use it to subdue evil, every human being has it flowing through them, like invisible blood. Get me the materials and I swear I'll make you a collar for Shippo-chan."

Tsunayoshi's eyes blazed with what she hoped was excitement.

"All right, I believe you," he purred, crossing the room to take her hand. "With that being said, your wish is my command. After all, what kind of man would deny his bride that which she desires? Especially when she is as beautiful as you are."

It was easier to smile knowing that she'd won this round. "Thank you, my lord. Truly."

He lifted her hand and grazed her knuckles with his fangs. "Anything for you, sweet Rin."

She fought the urge to wince when his eyes found hers and he reached behind his neck to unclasp the gold locket that had belonged to his mother. Releasing her hand, he secured the necklace around her throat. My very own collar, she thought as he grinned at her, clearly pleased.

"It suits you," he said. "I knew it would."

Swallowing, she looked down at the glittering diamond, then back up at Tsunayoshi. She hoped her disgust wasn't showing. "You're too kind. Such a precious item would be wasted on me."

He laughed. "Nonsense! I want you to have it. Call it a symbol of our engagement."

She nodded and smiled wider. "In that case, I'll treasure it forever."

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Octavia ran through the shiro in pursuit of Sesshoumaru's mother. Her body was exhausted, and her chest felt painful and tight, but she couldn't stop yet. If she did, it would only prove Megumi right. She ignored the taste of iron in her mouth and carried on running.

Eventually, she found herself in a reasonably large garden that was composed almost entirely of wisteria trees. She'd never seen this particular species in person before, so she stopped to admire the vast screen of amethyst petals above her. The tiny slivers of wall that were visible through the branches served as a stark reminder of where she was. If the tree crowns had been any fuller, she might have believed that she'd wandered into a mystical forest of some kind.

The winding path brought her to a fountain with a round stone basin and bamboo water sprout. Petals drifted across the surface like tiny ships, giving the water a vaguely purple tint. She dipped a finger into the basin and created a small whirlpool that sent the ships sailing towards calmer waters.

"I thought you were waiting outside."

Octavia turned and saw Megumi standing behind her with a lit pipe in her hand.

She shrugged. "I am outside."

Megumi took a drag of her pipe and walked towards the fountain slowly. Octavia watched her exhale a cloud of pure white smoke, then lower the pipe to take a seat on the edge of the stone basin. The smoke curled around her like a mist, lingering in the air long after she'd released it.

"What do you think of my garden?" she asked.

"It's gorgeous," Octavia answered honestly.

"Naturally. I grew everything myself. Apart from those gardenias. They were all Sesshoumaru."

Octavia followed her gaze to a small bush covered in pinwheel-shaped cream flowers. She smiled faintly. "That must have been a long time ago. I'm surprised they're still alive."

"You humans are impressed by the simplest of things," Megumi scoffed. "The soil up here is richer in nutrients than on the ground."

"Really? Why?"

"Do I look like a dirt expert to you?"

Octavia shifted her focus back to Megumi, anticipating violence, but the demoness remained calm and collected. She lifted the elegant-looking pipe to her painted lips and inhaled deeply, then released another long plume of smoke. It smelled unbearably sweet.

"Can I ask you something?" Octavia murmured.

Megumi looked at her mistrustfully before saying, "Go on."

"Where are the others?"

"I take it you're referring to my clan?"

Octavia nodded.

"They died."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It happened centuries ago. The disease came without warning and had no cure, but there was no pain or suffering. They passed away peacefully in their sleep . . . Except for my father. His ego couldn't handle being the king of nothing, so he drowned himself in the lake behind the shiro. The selfish bastard couldn't even be bothered to leave a note."

"Why didn't anyone stop him?"

"Back then, I was living at the Western Stronghold, and the servants had all left to be with their families, so he was alone." Megumi's eyes filled with quiet rage and her grip on the stone basin tightened. "I had just given birth to his very first grandson, and I still wasn't enough for him."

Octavia's throat felt like it was full of feathers.

"Oh, don't look at me like that," the demoness chastised sharply. "I don't want your pity, human. Nor do I need it. I am the blood of the moon god. I have everything I need and more."

"Gods aren't immune to loneliness," Octavia pointed out gently.

Megumi snorted. "Is that what you think? That I'm lonely? What a preposterous assumption. I'll have you know that I'm happier than I've ever been. Do you know why? It's because I'm no longer bound by tedious responsibilities. I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. It's heaven."

"Is it?"

Her expression turned hostile. "Yes," she snapped. "It is. My idiot father was right about one thing. When you've lived for over a millennium, the thing you crave the most is to be left alone."

"Liar."

"I beg your pardon—"

"Your son needs you!"

Megumi fell silent.

"He needs you," Octavia repeated softly. "You might not care what happens to him, but he cares about you. He always has. I didn't understand it at first, but it's so obvious. He didn't send me here because he needs your help. He wants me to convince you to come home."

"This is my home," she huffed. "I don't belong at the stronghold."

"Neither do I. But it's not the place that matters. It's the people."

Megumi bared her teeth. "What do you want me to say? That I made a mistake? I've made hundreds of mistakes. Maybe even thousands. Who hasn't? What gives you the right to judge me, human? Don't tell me you've never sinned? I'm going to assume that you haven't, since you feel justified in your criticisms. I might be a liar, but at least I'm not a hypocrite."

Tears pricked Octavia's eyes. "You really hurt him," she whispered, ignoring the insult. "Why do you think he was so angry at you for leaving?"

"My son isn't as sensitive as you think."

"Or maybe you don't know him as well as you think you do."

Megumi took another long drag of her pipe. Once she'd finished exhaling the smoke, she smirked and murmured, "No, human. The only one who doesn't know him is you."

Octavia shot the demoness a fierce glare.

It seemed to catch her off guard.

"So that's it?" Octavia growled. "You won't come?"

"He's survived worse things—"

"Like being trapped underground for weeks, not knowing if he'd ever see sunlight again?"

Megumi's pupils narrowed considerably. "How do you know about that?"

"I told you. I'm his friend." She took a step forwards and said, "He only survived because of you. If you hadn't been there, he would've lost his mind . . . Those songs saved his life."

Octavia thought she saw Megumi's throat bob, but it happened too quickly for her to be certain. She waited to hear what the demoness would say next. Unfortunately, Megumi seemed content to stare at her in silence, whilst a myriad of undisclosed emotions raced across her perfect face. Her resemblance to Sesshoumaru had never been clearer than it was then.

"Please come," Octavia implored. "It would mean the world to him if you did."

Megumi's prolonged silence told her all that she needed to know.

"Fine," she hissed. "Stay if you want. It makes no difference to me if you're lonely or not. But I want you to know that if he dies, I'll never forgive you for turning your back on him. I'll hate you for the rest of my pathetic mortal life. That might not seem like a very long time to you, but I promise you, it will be. My hatred will outlive me. It'll haunt you even after I'm gone."

Megumi's lips curved into a smile. "You're very arrogant. When you're dead, I doubt I'll remember you at all. Your precious hatred will die with you."

"We'll see about that."

The demoness chuckled. "If I remember anything, it will be how entertaining you were. All this fuss over a mere scuffle with a hanyou. It's embarrassing. You really don't know my son at all, do you? If you did, you'd know that he would never lose to such a pitiful little worm."

"I bet you said the same thing when your husband left to fight Ryukotsusei," Octavia replied nastily. "And look how well that turned out."

Eyes darkening, Megumi opened her mouth to rebuke her, but Octavia was already walking away. She followed the path out of the wisteria garden without looking back.

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Smaller cracks had appeared all throughout the village and in the forest where the Bone-Eater's Well was. It was impossible to predict exactly where they would materialise, but they seemed to be arranged like a web, with the Tree of Ages at its centre. The villagers had been warned to stay away from the cracks until they figured out what they were and what was causing them.

Inuyasha sat on Sango and Miroku's front porch and stared at the colossal gash in the sky, which hadn't moved an inch. He hadn't heard anything strange since it had opened, but there was something about it that he found unsettling.

His thoughts were cut short when Sango exited the hut and wiped her dirty hands with a cloth.

"You don't have to sleep out here, you know," she said. "We have plenty of room."

"Someone's gotta keep watch," he muttered.

She folded the cloth over her arm and sat beside him on the porch. "What do you think they are?" she asked, gazing up at the bruised and battered sky. "I've never seen anything like them before."

"Kagome thinks they're portals."

"Portals to where?"

He shrugged. "Who knows?"

Sango's eyes slid to the straw flap covering the entrance to her home, and she chewed the inside of her cheek. "I hate this uncertainty. We should try using one. If they are portals, one might lead to somewhere useful. Winter is only a few months away. Imagine how much easier everything would be if we had access to a huge field of crops. Or an orchard in bloom."

"I doubt the owners of those places would just let us steal from them," Inuyasha countered.

"I guess. Oh well. It was just a thought." She stood and dusted off her backside. "Promise me you'll come inside for breakfast. I bought an extra bag of rice last week in case you two decided to drop by. It's been a while since we all sat down and had a meal together, so please?"

He flashed her a crooked smile. "All right. I promise."

She returned the smile and re-entered the hut.

Inuyasha waited until the straw flap stopped swaying to leap from the porch and sprint towards the stable. The animals had been evacuated earlier in the day after a crack had appeared in one of the larger pens. He followed the blue light into the stable and paused in the entrance, contemplating his actions carefully. The crack was visible from where he was standing. It was about two metres high and as wide as a support beam. He walked closer and pulled the Tessaiga out of its sheath. The sword had been restless ever since the first crack had appeared. It seemed to be trying to tell him something, only he had no idea what.

The light grew brighter suddenly, prompting him to shield his eyes with his arm. Despite the increased intensity, he didn't feel threatened. If anything, the light felt warm and nostalgic.

Kagome is so gonna kill me, he thought as he stepped into the swaying crack.

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