Page 47 of Caught in the Devil’s Hand

“Be careful,” she bade.

“You as well. I’ll see you here in two days,” he said, a smile kicking up the corners of his mouth.

A smile pulled at her lips, but apprehension wouldn’t let it come out. The best she could give him was one final squeeze before their hands pulled apart. She missed the contact immediately but forced herself to walk away. Then, after a quick wave, she turned and jogged back the way she’d come.

⁂

When Shumei returned home, she pushed aside the reed door that hung across the entrance and was engulfed in a hug. She looked down at her brother, who had pressed his face into her stomach.

“Oka?”

“Don’t do that again,” he sobbed, voice muffled. “Everyone is talking of demons and people dying, and then you left me here. Don’t do it again, please.”

“What do you mean ‘people dying’? And who’s ‘everyone’?” she asked, combing her fingers through his hair out of habit. The reed door still tapped the wall.

“Ikuro came by and asked for something to hang from her door to drive away demons. She was scared because demons had gotten past the barrier in Taba and killed a lot of people, but no one knows how.”

“Oh, Divine One. H-How did she hear this?” she asked, hoping the attack was only a rumor. Taba, the closest of the plains cities, was too far away for anyone to quickly confirm such an alarming report, but close enough for the villagers to sleep with one eye open that night.

“A couple merchants arrived this morning. They saw what was left of Taba. Said the same thing happened in Aizan a week ago.” Sniffing, he hugged her tighter. “They told everyone to get out and go to a big city like Houfu.”

“Divine One protect us,” she whispered. Ever since she could remember, her life had been relatively untouched by the danger demons presented, at least up until now. She had been told that once, as a child, one had nearly gotten her, though she had no conscious memory of it, and perhaps twice had another villager seen one from within the safety of the village when walking around at night, but never had demons hurt anyone she knew.

Sure, there were stories, some passed down through the village elders, some from travelers staying the night in their village. But never had any of them feared the prayers protecting them would fail.

Shumei gasped with a horrible revelation.

“What is it?” Oka said, pulling back. She barely managed to slap on a neutral expression.

“I-I’m just tired,” she said, squeezing his shoulders. He looked at her with disbelief. She didn’t want to hide things from him like this, especially when he knew she was hiding something, but to tell him the naked truth would scare him even more. She would rather have his resentment than see him afraid.

“Why don’t you talk to me anymore?” he asked.

Oh, who was she fooling? She knew shame rather than protectiveness drove her silence. She also knew she had to swallow her guilt—not only for the choices she had made over the past two months, but the mistakes she had made. She realized, looking back, that she had been and probably still was incredibly naïve, just as Vallen had said.

She had never needed to make a deal with a sex demon. Now that she knew him better, she realized his threats had been nothing but bluffs. Thinking of her feelings for him now in the face of the way he used to act toward her… She wondered if she was delusional, but something about him made her want to protect him, and at the same time be protected by him. Something about him called to her. They had met under such hostile circumstances, but what they found in each other’s arms… That was magic.

Many times, she’d wondered if the binding had done this to her, but she knew it hadn’t, the same way she could feel her magic lolling about in her stomach. Her love was real. Inexplicable, but real. If only he returned her feelings…

Other things were more important now, though, and she knew she should sigh about her love life at a later time. Pressing her lips together, she took in a deep breath and slowly let it out as she released her brother’s shoulders. He took the hint and stood back, regarding her silently.

“Let’s have a seat,” she said.

Chapter Eleven

Standing at the door of the village leader’s home, Shumei used the knocker this time. She wouldn’t abuse her knuckles anymore.

Kimen had requested a dose of kavua, greatly rousing her suspicions, for it was the best choice on the second day of the Burning. Kimen opened the door as quietly as he could. His wife was notably absent. He backed up a considerable distance, gesturing for her to come inside.

“Let’s not waste any time. How much is the medicine?” he asked, reaching into his shirt for his money bag.

“Just one kol, Leader Kimen,” she replied. Then, holding out a bag of crushed leaves, she listed off instructions on how to take the medicine.

Kimen took the bag while carefully dropping a single kol coin into her hand as if he didn’t want to touch her directly. Though grateful for his restraint, she had a feeling Akki had let slip something to Kimen that had made him wary of Shumei—likely her newfound “talent.” Good. Let him be intimidated.

“Are the stories about demons in the plains cities true?” she ventured. She hadn’t thought she would have an opportunity to ask such a question of the leader, but most news came directly to him, so he’d know the most about anything happening outside their village, or at least be the best person to ask for a guess. Whether he shared any news, though, was up to him.

He frowned at her, jaw working as he ruminated. “Yes, it’s true. We are lucky every morning we wake up untouched. I’ve heard those fleeing the plains will be through our area soon, seeking a safe place to hide. Many have died already,” he muttered the last under his breath. “No one knows how many demons. Maybe a hundred, maybe ten thousand. But they’ve been picking off towns one by one.”