Laura Rowland - The Snow Empress

“I shot five enemies,” Masahiro boasted, skipping around the deck.

Reiko joined Sano. She had a worried look on her face. “I wish Masahiro weren’t so happy about killing.”

“He’s a samurai,” Sano said, rueful yet proud. “War is his heritage.”

“He’s only eight years old!”

“He’s our son.” Sano’s tone alluded to the fact that he and Reiko had also spilled blood. “And he lives in our world.”

Reiko nodded in reluctant acceptance, but said, “I wish he hadn’t been through the things he has. I wish there were someplace where nobody had to kill to survive. Someplace we could live in peace.”

“We’ve come to the frontier of Japan and not found it,” Sano pointed out. Human strife tainted even the beautiful wilds of Ezogashima. “I don’t think there’s such a place anywhere.”

Reiko watched Masahiro climb the rigging, agile as a monkey. “What will become of him?”

“He’s strong and smart. He’ll live to carry on the family name.” Sano’s mind drifted to issues more immediate than his son’s future.

“What’s bothering you?”

“The part of the mystery that we didn’t solve.”

“Do you mean who killed Lilac?” Reiko said, “It must have been Gizaemon. I’ve figured out that Lilac saw him set the spring-bow. She didn’t say anything at first. She waited to see how she could make the most of what she knew. When you started investigating the murder, she promised the information to me. But she also blackmailed Gizaemon. She didn’t trust either of us to give her what she wanted, so she negotiated with us both. Somehow he found out she was talking to me, as well. Maybe she bragged to somebody who told him. He arranged to meet her at the hot spring and give her money to go to Edo. Instead he killed her so she couldn’t tell me or anyone else that he’d murdered Tekare.” Reiko sighed. “Lilac’s cleverness was her downfall.”

“That sounds right,” Sano said.

“Of course, we’ll never know for sure,” Reiko said.

“But the question of who killed Lilac wasn’t the one on my mind.

“What other one is there?” Reiko thought a moment, then asked, “Who attacked you in the castle?”

“Yes. I’ve questioned the Matsumae troops and found one that swears Gizaemon was with him during the attack on me. I think he’s telling the truth. Gizaemon didn’t do it. And I haven’t been able to find out who did.”

“Maybe one of his troops who died in the battle in the village and isn’t around to confess?”

“Maybe,” Sano said doubtfully, “but why would they attack me?”

“To protect Gizaemon?”

That had occurred to Sano as a reasonable theory, but he had a hunch that it was wrong. “I think the attack had nothing to do with the murder case. I think it was another in the series of events that brought us here.”

“The acts of sabotage against you and Lord Matsudaira?”

“None other. And I’ve become convinced mat he’s not responsible for the ones directed at me any more than I am for those directed at him.”

“Then who is behind the sabotage?” Reiko asked.

Sano was beginning to get an idea, but it seemed impossible. She wouldn’t believe him if he told her.

All the travelers were aboard the ship now. A channel had been cleared through the ice toward open sea, and the sailors cast off the mooring ropes. The spectators on the dock waved as the rowers below deck propelled the ship southward.

“When we get back to Edo,” Sano said, “I’m going to find out.”