Although rescuing Tamahome and Suzaku’s “Universe of the Four Gods” from Kutou seems to be the greatest challenge Yui and her Seishi have yet faced, the promise of aid from Nakago, the Shogun of Kutou, presents an opportunity for action.
Even as plans are made for Tamahome to return to Konan, the Seiryuu no Miko clings to him with desperate devotion.

Episode Twenty-one:

“...And a law requiring that goods owed in taxes be taken at random from the taxpayer’s supply of said goods...” Hotohori said, looking at Chichiri’s ‘list of everything I did while you were gone.’

“It’s not really ten percent if you take the best ten percent no da. I just wanted to be sure it was fair no da.”

“Do you have any idea how many people want my head for this?”

Chichiri paused, then nodded sheepishly.

Hotohori sighed. “I suppose your intentions were for the best, but this... this...” he gestured to the scroll. “This lacks any sense of realism.”

“Well, maybe I got a little overzealous no da.”

Hotohori let go of the trailing end of the scroll, and it rolled off his lap and bounced for several feet across the floor.

“Okay, a lot overzealous no da. But... I thought all these things needed to be changed, and if the Emperor can’t change them, then who can no da?”

“But you’re not the Emperor,” Hotohori pointed out.

“No, I’m not no da...”

Hotohori sighed and forced a smile. “What you say is true, as far as it goes. I suppose I can’t blame you for having no knowledge of politics.”

“So... I’m not being exiled no da?”

“No. I suppose this is the price I pay for my own irresponsibility,” Hotohori said. “I appreciate the favor you did me, even if it left a horrible mess for me to clean up.”

“Hotohori,” Chichiri started.

“You are dismissed,” he said.

Chichiri opened her mouth again. There was so much more she wanted to say, but under the circumstances, she thought it would be better to leave him alone for awhile, and she got up and left the room without a word.

She started down the hall toward her own room. After that bundle of stress, it would be better if she put in some mediation before trying to make contact with Tamahome.

Some distance down the hallway, Tasuki was waiting for her, leaning against a wall. “How nice of you to join us, Chichiri.”

“Ah, hello, Tasuki-chan no da. I---”

“C’mere,” he said, pushing a door open. When she hesitated, he took her by the arm and fairly threw her into the room.

“Tasuki-chan!”

“Don’t call me ‘-chan’!” He slammed the door shut behind him. “I ain’t your freakin’ friend.”

Chichiri blinked a few times, the arcs of her mask flattening out just momentarily. “All right no da,” she said. “What’s this about no da?”

“Let me see your character.”

“My character no da?”

“Yeah, the red thing that glows. Let me see it.”

Chichiri softly put her hand to her right cheek. “It’s... hidden no da.”

In an instant, his hand darted out and seized her arm, and he yanked her forward. “Look, I know you’re wearing a mask. Either you take it off, or I do, got it?”

“Tasuki, I...”

“Do you think I don’t mean it?” he snarled. “Now show me.”

She paused for a moment, then stepped back and pulled her arm away. Slowly she reached for her chin; the mask stiffened at her touch as she pulled it off, and she pushed her bangs back as her character appeared.

Tasuki studied it for a moment, glowing in its frame of scars, and then brought his fist back and punched her, sending her sprawling across the floor. “I thought it was you, witch.”

Chichiri stayed still where she’d fallen for a moment, then slowly picked herself up. “Please don’t call me that no da,” she said softly. “I’m not a witch no da.”

“The hell you aren’t. I’ve heard all about you. The great Witch of Zashiyo, wandering the world, leaving a path of destruction behind her.”

“I’ve never meant to hurt anyone no da,” she said, moving around him and backing towards the door.

“Oh no you don’t. You ain’t goin’ nowhere,” Tasuki snapped as he grabbed her arm and whipped her around. She tried to push him away, but he kept his grip and shoved her against the wall. “Everyone else may think you’re just this goofy little monk, but I know what you really are, murderer. Don’t think I’m gonna turn my back while you’re around, especially you and your oh-so-convenient connections in Kutou. I’m gonna be watching you, and if anything happens, you’re gonna pay for it, got it?”

Without waiting for an answer, he dropped her and stomped out the door. Chichiri slid to the floor, looking at the mask in her hands. A moment of silence limped past, and then she let it fall from her fingers and leaned her forehead on her knees. “You don’t understand no da.”

*

“Are you sure you’re ready for this, Chichiri-san?” Mitsukake asked. “You aren’t looking well this morning.”

“Oh, I’m fine no da,” Chichiri said. “And you don’t need to call me ‘-san’; it’s just Chichiri no da.”

Yui walked over to where Chichiri sat on her outspread cape, with the other Sei of Suzaku standing and sitting around the sides of the room. “So, what do you need me to do?”

“Just sit in front of the screen, and talk to Tamahome when he appears no da. I’ll need a time and a place to meet him, and if there’s anything we should be warned about no da. He’s told me by telepathy he should have plenty of time before Miaka-chan wakes up, but you should still try to talk quickly no da. I can’t hold this spell for very long no da.”

“All right,” Yui said, positioning herself in front of the folding screen set up against one wall.

Chichiri closed her eyes and made a series of symbols with her hands, then steepled her index fingers within the loop of her prayer beads and chanted softly. A long moment crept past, and then the screen rippled like water and settled into an image of Tamahome in a garishly decorated Kutou room, as clear as though he were sitting three feet in front of her. He jumped at first, then smiled. “Yui.”

“We’ve got everything ready to get you. When and where should we come?” Yui asked.

Tamahome blinked for a moment. “Oh, yeah. Come at night. There are less guards, and it’ll be harder for them to see us in the dark. Maybe midnight. There’s this huge tree in the middle of the garden here. It’s surrounded by flowers, you can’t miss it. Since it’s in the middle of the garden, none of the guards go near it. Meet me there.”

“All right. Anything else we should know?”

“Well, about Miaka---I don’t think she’s as bad as the last time you saw her.”

“Really?” Yui asked.

Tamahome nodded. “She’s still angry, and she doesn’t trust me going back, but I think if she actually heard you say you were on her side, it might make her feel better.”

“Thank you, that’s good to know,” Yui said, and turned over her shoulder. “Chichiri, how are you holding up?”

Chichiri nodded briefly, still chanting.

“Who are all the people behind you there?” Tamahome asked, leaning this way and that to look past her.

“These are the other Sei of Suzaku. They’re all here now,” Yui said. “You know Hotohori, Chichiri, and Nuriko. And here are Tasuki, Mitsukake, and Chiriko,” she said, pointing to them in turn. “Get a good look at them so if one of them comes to rescue you, you won’t attack them thinking they’re the enemy, hm?”

“Yo,” Tasuki said with a brief wave.

“Hello,” Chiriko echoed as both he and Mitsukake waved as well.

“Hi. Um, are you OK, Yui? I heard you were sick. I tried to get to you, but...”

“I’m just fine now. We met Mitsukake right about then and his power is healing, so he cured me. ---Oh, we went to your village, and he cured your father, too,” Yui said, her face brightening.

“Really? Miaka said that, but I wasn’t sure. Thank you.”

“Um, you better hurry it up,” Chiriko said as the eye-arcs of Chichiri’s mask scrunched together. “I think she’s about to lose it.”

“I think she’s already lost it, but that’ somethin’ different,” Tasuki muttered.

“Well, there’s one more thing I need to tell you first,” Tamahome said quickly. “I love you, Yui.”

Yui realized that she’d been nervously playing with the engagement ring hanging around her neck, and abruptly put her hand back in her lap. She wanted to say something more to him, and she fumbled for a response... “I’m looking forward to having you back,” was all she could think of to say. She could feel the heat of her face turning red.

Tamahome looked at the ring as she dropped it and it bounced against her chest. His eyes had just started to turn toward Hotohori when his image faded back into the ink painting of the screen.

“So this Tamahome guy...” Tasuki started. He looked towards Hotohori and said “But I thought you and Yui... Ooh, I get it, a love triangle! Cool! Hey, Yui, the other guy got a prayer?” WHAM!! “Ow...”

“Ignore the idiot,” Nuriko said, brushing off her hands as Tasuki tried to remove himself from the far wall. Hotohori just closed his eyes in a weary expression.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t hold it longer no da,” Chichiri apologized, dropping her hands.

“No, that’s okay,” Yui said. She felt guilty for it, but she didn’t want that to have gone on any longer...

*

Miaka started up in bed. “Huh, wha?” she muttered, then caught sight of the floating bald head beside her. “Miboshi, what are you doing in here?” she snapped, flinging her pillow at him. It stopped in midair right before his face and fell to the floor. “Get out!”

“Seiryuu no Miko,” he started.

“I said get out! That was the first good dream I’ve had in months, and you ruined it! You shouldn’t be in here anyway!”

“If you don’t act now, all it will be is a dream. But, if you insist...” he said, floating towards the door.

“Wait! What do you mean?”

He glanced back at her. “I would suggest you look in on your precious Tamahome, very very soon.” he said, and then hovered out the doorway, the door sliding closed behind him.

A chill of dread ran through Miaka’s chest. What does he mean? Is Tamahome okay?? She jumped out of bed and ran barefoot down the hall to Tamahome’s room. Just as she was about to throw the door open, though, she heard his voice.

“I love you, Yui.”

Those words impacted as hard as if he had punched Miaka’s heart with his fist, and she froze outside the door.

“I’m looking forward to having you back.”

That was Yui’s voice. Could Yui be here? But how?

Miaka heard Miboshi’s voice in her mind. No, the Suzaku no Miko is not here. Taiitsukun’s student is acting as a medium for her and Tamahome to communicate across this distance. She is planning to come with her Seishi and take him away from you tonight.

Miboshi caught the cry of “No!” before it reached Miaka’s mouth. Don’t! Be quiet, or you’ll be found out. Walk away from that room as softly as you can, casually.

As if in a trance, Miaka backed away from Tamahome’s door and did as Miboshi said.

Come back to your room. I’ll be waiting there to help you.

Miaka walked softly back to her room, her heart pounding with shock and fear. When she opened the door, Miboshi was there as promised, with the two herbal balls he had shown her before held out in his hand. “I assume you remember these. Does their solution still seem so unacceptable?”

*

At lunch that day, Miaka met the servant in the hallway as usual and took the lunch tray from her arm. “Thanks, I’ll take it from here,” she said as the servant bowed to her. Three plates and pitcher---that was one plate more than usual. Miboshi had said to expect Nakago...

“Miaka?”

She turned around to find Nakago standing in the hallway behind her, and despite the warning, he still made her jump. “Oh, hi Nakago.”

“Hello, Miaka. I hope you don’t mind, I’ll be having lunch with you and Tamahome today.”

“Um, okay,” she said. Ohmigosh does he know...!?

He caught her arm as she nervously reached for a grape. “Oh, Miaka, please don’t ‘nibble’ off my and Tamahome’s plates. I’m afraid it annoys me a little.”

“I’m sorry!” she cried.

“It’s all right, Miaka,” he said with a smile and a reassuring squeeze of her arm. “Just don’t do it for this one meal, please?”

“Um... Okay.” He doesn’t know, I think. If he did he would’ve read me the riot act by now... The thought didn’t calm her nerves all that much, however.

“Shogun,” the guard beside Tamahome’s door started as they walked up.

“Go on in, Miaka,” Nakago said. “Your plate’s on the end; it has the sugar candy you like. Would you give me the one beside the pitcher?”

“Sure,” she said, edging past him.

“Shogun, everything is in place for tonight,” she heard the guard whisper as she stepped into the room.

The one beside the pitcher has the Kodoku. Give it to Tamahome, Miboshi said in her mind. And for Seiryuu’s sake don’t eat off of it!

“Hi, Miaka,” Tamahome said with a smile as he looked up and noticed her. “You okay? You look a little pale.”

“Oh, I’m fine,” she said, balancing the tray and reaching for a plate. Somewhere she knew which one was which but she couldn’t remember. Her mind wouldn’t let her remember, because then she would have to decide...

Give him the one beside the pitcher! Miboshi urged again.

Miaka picked up the plate beside the pitcher and handed it to him. “Here you go!” she said, trying to sound as cheerful as possible. Her heart pounded in her ears. Once he took a bite there was no going back... Hardly thinking about it, she reached for something to chew on to take her mind off it. The fish steak on the middle plate was cut into bite-sized pieces, and the sauce looked so good...

“I’m sorry for the delay,” Nakago said, closing the door behind him.

Miaka quickly popped the piece of meat into her mouth and set the middle plate in front of his seat before plopping down on the edge of the bed with her own meal. After a brief, half-hearted struggle, she gave in to the temptation to start by sucking on the candy. She was so nervous... She could almost understand how a baby with a pacifier must feel.

Nakago started to lower himself into his seat, then froze halfway as he noticed the piece missing from the middle of his fish. “Miaka,” he started with the calm tone that only comes when forced.

“What?” she said distractedly, around the stick the sugar was crystallized on. She was trying to look past him as furtively as possible, to the piece of fish that was now halfway to Tamahome’s mouth.

“Miaka-chan, did you eat off my plate?”

Tamahome looked up with concern in his eyes, by now chewing slowly. Miaka met his gaze for just a moment before turning to Nakago. “Sorry, I didn’t catch what you said.”

“This is very important,” he said slowly. “Did you eat off my plate?”

“Um...” She looked at the missing chunk of fish and remembered it. “I’m sorry. I know you told me not to, but I was just...” Oops! I can’t tell him I’m nervous...!

In an instant, Nakago was around the table and grabbing Miaka off the bed. She barely had time to squeal as he tucked his spare arm under her knees and darted out of the room with her.

“Miaka!” Immediately Tamahome jumped up, then gripped the edge of the table. The room was spinning, and so suddenly cold it made him shiver... His knees trembled and collapsed beneath him, and he felt himself hit the floor just before everything went black.

*

“Meowr.”

Chichiri giggled as Tama-chan jumped up on her shoulder while she spread out her cape on the floor in Suzaku’s Shrine, where Yui and her assembled Seishi had come to see her off. “Come on, Tama-chan, you don’t want to go with me no da,” she warned.

“So are you sure you have to go alone?” Yui asked as Mitsukake called to the cat.

“It would be best no da. I have a powerful enemy among Seiryu’s Seishi no da.”

“Ain’t that a convenient excuse,” Tasuki muttered.

“How hard are you saying it would be to take someone with you?” Yui asked. “I really don’t like the idea of you doing this alone.”

“Well, if Tamahome-chan doesn’t keep me waiting, I could probably shield one or two more people no da.”

“Meowr.”

“But no kitties no da, ne?”

Yui paused for a moment. She’d kicked herself so many times for doing things less dangerously impulsive than this, but now that she looked back on it, she didn’t regret any of it. Maybe it was better not to be afraid... “I want to go with you.”

“Yui!” Hotohori started. “I don’t think that’s wise. Our first priority is your safety; I’m sure Tamahome would agree.”

“I certainly do no da,” Chichiri said with a nod. “It’s dangerous; why would you want to go no da?”

“Miaka,” Yui answered. “I know she may be the Seiryuu no Miko to you, but whatever’s happened between us, she’s still my best friend. Tamahome said if I talked to her... If there’s even a chance I might be able to make things right with her, I have to take it, or I’ll regret it.”

Chichiri stood silently for a moment, then stepped forward and put her hands on Yui’s shoulders. “Yui-chan.”

“I know what you’re going to say, but I feel like I let Miaka down by letting this happen. I have to---”

Chichiri put a hand up to silence her. “Yui-chan, friends are the most important thing in the whole world no da. I won’t say ‘no’, but I wish you wouldn’t go no da.”

“As do I,” Hotohori said, coming up close to her. “Yui, Chichiri is quite capable. We’ll have Tamahome back soon, and we would all rest easier if you were here and safe.”

“Everyone would’ve rested easier if you had been here and safe, too,” Yui told him.

“Yui...”

“But I know you had to come with me, because I was so important to you. Well, Miaka is important to me, too. If I can help her at all, I have to go to her.”

Hotohori sighed. “I understand. There’s no use in arguing with you if you’re so determined. Just be careful, and return safely,” he said. He held her cheek and kissed her. “Chichiri, please take good care of her.”

“I will no da.”

“The hell you will!” Tasuki butted in. “It was bad enough when she was goin’ alone, but I sure ain’t letting her just take the Miko too! If Yui’s goin’, so am I!”

“Wait a minute no da!” Chichiri protested, waving her hands.

“You got a problem with that?” Tasuki challenged.

“The more people I take, the less able I’ll be to hide you all no da. Yui-chan and Tasuki I can handle, but please, no more no da.”

“Why does number three have to be Fang-Boy?” Nuriko groaned.

“It’s fine with me,” Yui said, then turned to Tasuki. “Just try to stay calm and be cooperative once we’re there, please?”

“Hey, I’m always calm and cooperative.”

Nuriko burst out laughing.

“I’d tell ya you’re cute when you laugh, but I don’t have time to be pulling myself out of a wall,” Tasuki warned as Chichiri stepped onto her spread cape.

“Are you ready no da?” Chichiri asked.

“Yes,” Yui said.

“All right, then step onto the cape no da.” Both Yui and Tasuki obeyed. “Oh, and try not to panic no da. Bye no da! We’ll be back soon no da,” she said with a wave to the others.

“What do you mean, don’t pan...” Tasuki trailed off as he suddenly realized he couldn’t feel his feet. He looked down, and found himself swiftly sinking into the cape as though it were a pit of tar. “Hey, what is this?!”

Yui tried to calm herself as every sensation vanished. Despite herself, she drew a deep breath and held it as the cape reached her chin, and then enveloped her. She closed her eyes, then forced them to open, but nothing changed. Or, rather, everything changed. What met her wasn’t just an absence of light, but of everything: light, darkness, sound, feeling, time. She knew her heart was pounding in her chest, but she couldn’t feel it. She couldn’t feel anything. She tried to swallow to calm herself, but nothing happened. Just when she though she couldn’t stand another moment, green leaves and rough tree bark exploded into existence around her. She blinked for a moment; where was the ground? She opened her eyes and found herself surrounded only by limbs and leaves, propped among some tree branches.

“Don’t move; I missed no da,” Chichiri’s whispered voice warned.

“What the hell was that?!” Tasuki snapped.

“The Space Between no da. Now don’t mo---” A sharp snap shot through the night. “Uh oh no da,” Chichiri muttered immediately before the branch below them snapped, sending them tumbling to the ground below.

“Reowrr...?” Tama meowed down at them from a branch above.

“Yeah, sure, you think it’s funny,” Tasuki grumbled under his breath as Yui picked herself up off him.

Tama was in a branch just above her head, and she reached up an arm and let him climb it down to her shoulder.

“I told you not to come no da,” Chichiri chided, petting his head. He meowed smugly.

Yui turned and looked around. They were in the middle of the garden, with flowers all around. This had to be the tree, but... “Where’s Tamahome?” she whispered.

“Maybe he’s late no da,” Chichiri answered.

“Actually, I think you are,” a childish voice interrupted. Even through the mask, Chichiri went pale.

“Miboshi no da,” she muttered, slowly turning around and pushing Yui behind her. A shadow from the bushes stretched upward and separated itself from the source like a falling drop of water. The features gradually resolved themselves into Miboshi’s small yet sinister form, draped with beads and robes.

“So this is your big bad enemy in Kutou, huh, witch?” Tasuki said.

“You should have known better than to think I wouldn’t find you here, student of Taiitsukun,” Miboshi said, ignoring him. “And as for Tamahome, he’s right here.”

Yui turned around as Tamahome walked down the steps from the palace walkway into the gardens, dressed in plain white nightclothes. A moment later, Miaka ran to the railing around the gardens. “Tamahome!”

Miboshi frowned to himself. He’d been able to distract Nakago enough to get Tamahome out here behind his back, but this clinging Miko was still going to be underfoot...

Miaka looked down at Tamahome, then in the direction he was walking, and her eyes came to rest on Yui. “No!” she cried, dashing down the stairs. She overtook Tamahome’s slow and steady gate and threw herself between him and Yui, glaring viciously at the other girl. “I don’t know how you got here, but you’re not going to take Tamahome away from me!”

“Miaka!” Yui started. “I don’t---”

“Don’t worry, Miaka-sama,” Tamahome said, putting a hand on Miaka’s shoulder and walking past her, pivoting around that hand. “I’ll deal with her, and I won’t leave you.”

“Tamahome...?” Yui stood still. All this time she’d waited to see Tamahome again, her acting-big-brother who’d always been there to take care of her... But something was wrong... Tama sensed it, too, and he jumped off Yui’s shoulder and hissed and growled at Tamahome.

Still, Yui couldn’t bring herself to run away from Tamahome. After everything he’d gone with her through... Even this morning, he’d said he loved her... So she watched him come closer and closer, lean down close to her face... But when he took her chin in his hand, his touch was rough and cold. No... That’s not Tamahome! But by then it was too late to react. The moment she started to move, Tamahome’s lightning-quick hand shot forward, slamming her head against the trunk of the tree.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing!?” Tasuki snapped, whipping out the tessen. “You’re supposed to be on our side!”

“Nai no da,” Chichiri murmured. She darted forward and grabbed Yui and Tasuki’s sleeves. In an instant they were surrounded by the sensation of moving incredibly fast while standing perfectly still, and then they seemed to hit a wall, the force dashing all three back to the ground underneath the tree.

“You’re more foolish than usual tonight, aren’t you, Chichiri?” Miboshi gloated. “Did you think I wouldn’t raise a barrier as soon as you arrived? Your teleportation spells won’t get you back to Konan so easily.” He set the prayer wheel spinning with a casual tossing motion of his hand.

Tamahome stooped and hauled Yui up from the ground by the back of her collar, and he caught her wrists as she reached for the clasp of her dress that he was pulling back against her throat. This couldn’t be real. It was like a bad dream... Tamahome... Why!?

“I suggest you pray to the god of the world you come from, Suzaku no Miko,” Miboshi chuckled. “Suzaku isn’t going to save you. Tamahome, kill her!”

“Tamahome, drop her no da,” Chichiri said sternly. Tamahome’s face fell into a more open expression, and he immediately released her, and Tasuki darted forward with the tessen.

“LEKKA SHINEN!”

Immediately snapping out of the momentary lapse, Tamahome snatched Yui’s arm and swung her toward the oncoming flames before nimbly leaping out of the way. Chichiri darted forward and pushed Yui to the ground, the wave of fire just grazing her as it swept over them.

Miboshi chuckled childishly. “It seems your allies are more dangerous to you than I am, Chichiri. I’ll have to fix that.” As the clicking of the prayer wheel echoed across the garden, a shadow in front of Chichiri deepened, and a pair of glowing red eyes appeared within it. Keeping her hand on Yui, Chichiri reached over and grabbed Tasuki’s ankle, and again there was the sensation of stationary motion. A second later, cool tiles appeared under them, and the blue-colored walls of a wide palace hallway materialized around them.

“Tasuki,” Chichiri started, helping Yui up and pushing her towards him, “protect Yui-chan no da.”

“Hey, where do you think you’re going?” he demanded, grabbing her arm as she started off.

“It’s me that Miboshi is after no da. If I’m with you, he’ll find all of us, but if I’m alone, he’ll only look for me no da. Protect Yui-chan until I figure out a way out of here no da,” she answered, twisting away from him and running down the hall. Before he could stop her, she vanished around a corner, her footsteps on the marble dying away.

Tasuki cursed under his breath.

Yui stood still for a moment, trying to gather her wits. Already it seemed like years ago she’d talked Hotohori and Chichiri into letting her come here, when it was actually less than an hour. How could Tamahome turn against them like this? And she’d just been under Chichiri and Tasuki’s feet... She looked around, trying to see if she could orient herself from the time she’d been here before, but nothing looked familiar. “Tasuki, I’m sorry...”

“Ain’t your fault,” Tasuki said, patting her shoulder. “Damn witch... C’mon, Suzaku only knows what she’s gonna be up to. We better try to get outta here ourselves. I wonder where we are.”

“I’m afraid I don’t know...” Yui admitted.

“Ah, come on, the doors are always on the big hallways,” he said, starting off down the corridor in a random direction.

Yui started after him, for lack of a better plan. The hallway was filled with an eerie silence as they walked down it. With every passing moment, Yui wondered more and more why guards hadn’t appeared to stop them, and it seemed more and more inevitable that in another moment, they would, but finally they came to a wide gate where that hallway ended and intersected another one.

Tasuki put his hand to the door. “Feels cold; this one must go outside,” he said, yanking it open.

The surreal bad luck of it nearly knocked Yui off her feet; Tasuki had opened the door to the walkway overlooking the gardens, and the enemy with Tamahome’s face caught sight of them and vaulted easily onto the walkway.

“Shit!” Tasuki slammed the door and leaned on it, bracing his feet on the floor to hold it shut. “Yui, get out of here!” he snapped, pointing down the crosswise hallway as the door began to shake from Tamahome’s pounding.

Yui hesitated for a moment, but didn’t have time to think that Tasuki had no way of knowing where she should go, so she ran in the direction he pointed her. I’ll never outrun Tamahome; I have to get out of sight... Hurriedly, she ran to the next door she could find, but no sooner had she touched the doorhandle than the door burst open, and a wave of blue-armored guardsmen poured out around her.

“It’s coming from the garden!”

“The Shogun didn’t tell us to expect anything like this!”

“Oh, M’lady!”

Yui stumbled back as the guards’ faces turned toward her, her mind racing in helpless, terrified circles. She felt hands on her arms, armor on her back as she fell into one of them and tried to scream, but she couldn’t find the breath to scream with, and only tumbled back into a nothingness almost as complete as Chichiri’s Space Between.

*

The sunlight angling in from the window caught Hiromasa’s glasses and brought him back to the world he was sitting in. Nervously, he glanced at his watch: 6:00. The library would be opening anytime now. He couldn’t afford to stop reading here, in the middle of Kutou’s palace, but he couldn’t afford to be found in the library, either, sitting here in his pajamas no less! He just sat there in the early sunlight for a long moment. “Get moving, Hiro,” he told himself aloud.

He closed his finger in the book and rose, slipped quietly out of the secret documents reference room, and looked carefully out from the staircase, trying to hide the book between himself and the wall. The library lobby stood still and empty, lit only by the brightening daylight and the lighted buttons on the vending machines. Still, his heart pounded as he set out across the open space, avoiding doors and windows that he could be seen through, pausing only to pick up one of the complimentary bookmarks and shut it in “The Universe of the Four Gods” so that he could hide it more effectively.

He paused before the last obstacle---the security detectors standing in pairs in front of the doors. Surely this book was tagged... Instead of walking through them, he squeezed himself around, keeping the book as far from them as possible. Finally, he pushed open the glass doors...

His motorcycle was still there at the bottom of the steps, and he still tried to look casual as he walked down to it and got on, but once the bike’s engine roared to life, he stuffed the book in his clothes as securely as he could and tore off, intent on putting as many miles between himself and the library as he could.

*

To Be Continued...

*

PREVIEW

Yui and her Seishi discover the evil force that has turned Tamahome against them, but even with all their effort, they are powerless against its influence. The prize becomes a bitter escape as victory seems to flee from Suzaku’s grasp.

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