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Mariko froze in her saddle, her posture rigid "That--is a lie"

"Which part?" Ranmaru blinked

"You mentioned Yumi" She sniffed Deepened her speech to a drone "The irl in the ean softly, like the ru rain It wasn’t a rich kind of laughter Its sound didn’t fill Mariko’s ears with its honeyed resonance But it was clear and deep, much like the color of his eyes

And a part of her couldn’t help but think--were he another boy, in another time, in another place--Mariko would have liked to hear Ōka the cause of it

But he was a member of the Black Clan The band of htered Chiyo and Nobutada

She hated this boy and all he stood for

It was dangerous for her to consider anything else, even for a h she were taking firold?" She looked to Ōkami, her features expectant

"No" He didn’t hesitate before responding

"I saved you money Shouldn’t I receive at least half of it as a reward?"

"Taking half "

She spurred her horse closer to his "You thought Ran about love?" A sneer touched the edges of her lips

"I think it’s remarkably easy to provoke certain reactions from you"

Mariko flinched Opened her mouth Closed it

Ōka That way I don’t have to point out how freely you lie" He rode on, the rope behind hi herself silent Her nose scrunched as a cart filled with manure passed by Flies buzzed before her face, and she fended them off with a wave of one hand

She did not care if Ōkami found her dishonest She found him dishonorable

Which was far worse

In an attempt to drown out her irritation, Mariko pitched her voice louder "All matters of love s that cannot be proved as fact"

"Why is that?" Ran to sit taller, to convey a larger sense of self "It isn’t soible Like rasp it"

Ranmaru inclined his head "That sounds rather sad"

"And smells like horseshit," Ōkareat deal left to learn"

Once reat deal left to learn himself would ever think that of soret," Ranmaru said softly Soberly

Ōkareat deal of regret in my life" Even from a distance, Mariko saw a shadow descend on his face For once she thought she limpse of vulnerability in the Wolf She leaned in closer Waiting Her breath bated

If so--made the Black Clan’s champion weak, Mariko desperately wished to knohat it was

Follow orders Engender trust

Strike when they least expect it

"My life has been filled with death and lies and loose woaze Holding her there Rapt "I regret everything else" He s with mockery