Page 24 (2/2)

This forest had taught her that, even in a few short days

As Mariko considered the possibility of such loss, a heaviness settled onto her skin A burn began to rise in her throat

The burn of injustice

Ranmaru had killed her father’s men And Chiyo

He’d tried to kill Mariko

And she would never forget it

Follow orders Engender trust

Strike when they least expect it

"Watch closely, Sanada Takeo" Ranmaru slid his sword from the dead boy’s slumped body and stood tall "This forest protects us These trees--the jubokko--are everywhere Our forest is guarded by yōkai, and they will not look kindly on you, should you attempt to run Should you attempt to betray us in any way" He turned to face her "But if you stay true, one day Jukai forest may serve you as well"

Mariko stared down at the lifeless young man His skin had taken on a waxy hue

To her left, Ōka wind--

"Never forget, Sanada Takeo: in this forest, there is no place to hide"

THE THROWING STAR

Over the course of the next four days, Mariko listened Followed orders without complaint She learned that many of the twenty or so members of the Black Clan left the ca laden with sold ryō and countless tins of copper pieces Then they would leave again under a cloak of darkness, taking their stolen spoils deep beneath the trees Disappearing froht

In this forest, there is no place to hide

Ōkah Mariko’s ave her leave to shudder when she thought no one atching To embrace her fears as she never had before

Mariko discovered there isdo them made her cautious Made her smarter Perhaps these fears would help her obtain a shred of infor to justify the horrors she had witnessed four nights ago in Jukai forest

She needed a way to earn the Black Clan’s trust If not their trust, then at least a seging her way to the truth, like an army of termites set to decimate a structure froht her anything, it was that one way to gain Ranh Ōkami Their bond seemed unshakable The kind of trust built over tiin to understand how to earn the Wolf’s favor He was not exactly the deht for Ranmaru’s attention on her own