Laura Rowland - The Assassin's Touch

“Liar! I don’t believe you!” Yugao shrieked.

Anxious to help, Reiko spoke softly to Hirata: “Tell her that Tama is her friend. Tama doesn’t deserve to die.”

Hirata called out the words to Yugao. She shouted back, “Tama’s not my friend anymore. She told the police where I was.” Her voice was bitter with anger and resentment. “She’s the reason you’re here.”

“I didn’t,” Tama cried, sobbing as she strained away from the knife. “You must believe me!”

“Yes, you did.” Yugao held tight to Tama. Cruelty twisted her face. “You’re a traitor. You should be punished!”

Reiko lost all hope that Hirata could talk sense into Yugao or save Tama. Yugao was beyond reason. Even though she’d promised Sano she wouldn’t interfere, Reiko couldn’t stand by and do nothing. She ran out of the woods, up the trail, in front of Hirata.

“Yugao!” she called even as she regretted breaking her word to Sano.

“What are you doing?” Hirata said in dismay. “Go back!”

He tugged at her arm. She shook him off. “Please let me try.” Her gaze met Yugao’s across the darkness.

“Well, if it isn’t Lady Reiko,” Yugao said. “Did you come to watch the fun? Haven’t you anything better to do?”

“Tama didn’t bring the army to you,” Reiko said. “Don’t blame her. It was me. I followed her here.”

“You.” The word gushed, like a sac of venom bursting, from Yugao. “I should have known. All the while you were pretending you wanted to help me, you were plotting to bring me down.”

“I did want to help you,” Reiko said. She spoke in her most earnest, persuasive manner. Yugao had never trusted her, but Tama’s life depended on her winning the woman’s trust now. “I still do.”

Yugao shook her head in contemptuous disbelief. “Then prove it. Get those soldiers out of here.”

“All right,” Reiko said, even though she could do no such thing. “But first you have to let Tama go.” She paced forward until she reached the foot of the stairs. Hirata and her guards followed. She extended a hand to Yugao.

“Stop!” Yugao clamped her arm tighter around Tama, who squealed and wept. She said, “You must think I’m really stupid.” She puffed air out her mouth in disgust. “Well, I know that the moment I let Tama go, they’ll rush up here and kill me. She’s my only protection.”

Reiko knew Yugao was right, but she said, “They won’t kill you. Not if you cooperate. Let Tama go.”

“Shut up! Get lost, or I’ll cut her right now!”

Yugao drew the blade across Tama’s throat. A thin line of blood welled. Tama squealed louder, her eyes shut tight, her hands clawing at Yugao’s arm. Despair sickened Reiko. Hirata said, “It’s no use. She’s not going to give up. And I can’t let her force us to back off. I’m sending the team after her.”

“Wait,” Reiko pleaded, although she knew Hirata’s decision was justified. Tama was a mere female commoner whose death might be a small price to pay for the capture of a murderess and an assassin; yet Reiko couldn’t forsake the sweet, innocent girl. Information from Tama had led Sano to the Ghost’s identity. Reiko owed her better than to sacrifice her to the hunt for Kobori. “Give me one more chance.”

“Just one more,” Hirata reluctantly agreed.

Reiko called to Yugao, “I don’t think you’re stupid. I know you’re smart enough to understand that holding Tama hostage won’t protect your lover. My husband is out here, and he’s determined to catch Kobori. He’ll gladly sacrifice Tama to get to him. So let her go.” She drew a deep breath and spoke the only words that might save Tama: “Take me in her place.”

“What?” Hirata exclaimed. He stared at Reiko.

Suspicion drew Yugao’s eyebrows together in a frown. “Why would I want you?”

“Because if you have me, the soldiers won’t touch you,” Reiko said. “I’m their master’s wife. If they should kill me while trying to arrest you or your lover, they’ll be in big trouble.”

Yugao considered the proposal for a mere instant, then said, “All right.” She apparently believed Reiko’s logic even though she didn’t trust Reiko. “You come up here. Then I’ll let Tama go.”

As Reiko stepped forward, Hirata said in a furious whisper, “You can’t do this!”

“I must.” Reiko paused and turned to him. Keeping her voice low so that Yugao wouldn’t hear, she said, “Yugao is my responsibility to capture. If she kills again, the blood will be on my hands.”

“It’ll be your own blood!” Hirata gazed at her as if she’d gone mad. “She’ll kill you!”

“No, she won’t,” Reiko said. “I can handle her.” She’d faced down crazed murderers in the past and survived. Confidence braced Reiko against the dread that flowed, cold and daunting, through her veins. The dagger strapped to her arm gave her courage as she put her foot on the stairs.

“Stop,” Yugao said. “Lift your skirts. Put your arms up. I want to make sure you’re not carrying any weapons. Turn around.”

Reiko had underestimated Yugao’s intelligence. After a moment’s hesitation, she obeyed while clutching the hems of her sleeves, trying to conceal the dagger.

“Open your hands,” Yugao ordered. “Push down your sleeves.” After Reiko did, Yugao said, “Throw away that knife.”

As Reiko reluctantly unstrapped her weapon, Hirata said, “Chamberlain Sano ordered me to guard you. I won’t let you do it.” Reiko flung down the dagger. He seized her arm. “I’ll stop you by force if I must. It’s my duty.”

But his pleading gaze told Reiko that he was bluffing; he could never bring himself to use force on her. She gently disengaged herself. “If I refuse to be guarded, my husband won’t blame you. Don’t worry.”

“You can come up now,” Yugao said.

“What about your duty to your husband? Don’t you think you should honor his wishes?” Hirata demanded. Reiko knew that under any other circumstances he would never dare address her in such a brazen manner, let alone contradict her. But he was desperate now. “Stay out of this!”

“It’s my duty to help my husband, and I can help him better by going than staying.” Reiko believed it even though she knew Sano would disagree. “If I can keep Yugao occupied, that will be one less problem for him.”

“What about your son? If anything bad happens to you, who will raise him?”

An image of Masahiro rose in Reiko’s mind, so physical she could almost feel his soft, fragrant skin and hear his laugh. Her determination wavered, but only for a moment. Parenthood didn’t excuse a warrior from battle or Reiko from delivering Yugao to justice. Any expectation that she might fail would only handicap her.

“Nothing bad will happen to me,” Reiko said. “Be ready to send in your troops if I should call.”

“Why are you taking so long?” Yugao called. “If you don’t hurry, I might change my mind.”

Reiko turned her back on Hirata. As she started up the stairs, she felt him tug at the back of her sash. At first she thought he was trying to restrain her; then she felt the short, hard, narrow shape of a knife he’d tucked under her sash against her spine where Yugao couldn’t see it.

“May the gods protect you,” he whispered. “May Sano-san not kill me for letting you go off on this crazy mission!”

With every step she climbed, Reiko’s heart pounded faster in anticipation. Yugao and Tama silently watched her. Yugao’s steady, menacing gaze drew her upward. Tama’s eyes brimmed with tears and hope of salvation as Reiko reached the veranda. Reiko advanced until she was within touching distance of Yugao. Suddenly Yugao grinned. With no other warning, she slashed Tama’s throat.