Page 15 (1/2)

Then she sputtered it in the direction of the torch

A burst of fla all theon the sleeve of one nearby

Cries of outrage ehtened their awareness Had forced them from their trances

All eyes searched for the source of the outburst

That wasan unwise decision, Hattori Mariko

Either ood on these actions, or flee fro in the back of herfrom her face, Mariko pitched the e vulture It s him beyond the safety of the shadows Into the fray

"He has a dagger," she accused in a coarse voice "He’s trying to cheat!"

It took all the work of a moment for thevulture lifted his dagger into the light, intent on finishing his task, whatever the cost Hands and elbows shoved at his back At his chest His weapon was ripped froht to save him Nor did they attelanced toward Ranmaru, she understood why

While the chaos had unraveled around thehost of a boy had taken position before his leader Though blood still dripped fro sh the air

Daring anyone to challenge hist thieves

"You cheating bastards" The one-legged cook spat in the dirt "Leave Now Unless you’d care for a real fight" He unhooked two of the sertips with all the grace of athe shattered bones in his hand He yelled for hisobscenities every which way

His fury stirred the eers at one another, riling themselves into another frenzy

Mariko shrank beneath the branches Away from view

I should leave

But she could not Not yet

Not until she knewsoh!" Raniant’s reed If any of you show yourselves again--if I even s breeze--expect that to be the last day you draw breath on this earth"

The fervor died to a whisper A iant directed histrailed in their wake

Once they’d left, Ranhost boy now at his side, a brow raised in question The Black Clan’s chah his wound were ed cook threw a dagger into the dirt with a grunt A old ryō landed in the earth beside it

"You’re the devil, Ōkahost boy eyed hirin curled up one side of his face, rendering the scar through his lips white "Since we both came from hell"

Concealed in her post beside the tree, Mariko watched the exchange, unsure of where she should go Of what she should do Perhaps it would be wisest to heed her own advice and leave at once When she atteh hand clapped on her forearm

"Don’t run just yet," the boy with the murder eyes and the spiked topknot said, his tone flat "Boss ant to talk to you"

THE CONSEQUENCE

A rush of fear took hold of her heart Of her every breath

Mariko’s first inclination was to push off the boy’s grasp Panic set in when his grip on her arhtened The whites of his eyes were yellowed Glazed Like those of the dead

"Don’t even think about running We’ll hunt you down like a looting fox" He pulled her close, his whisper a brush of ice against her ear "I especially like it e catch the"