Page 69 of Drawn into Oblivion

Morning quickly came despite how little Mai and Rosuke ended up sleeping. True to his word, Rosuke had exhausted her until she could hardly move.

Though their stomachs rumbled the second they smelled breakfast, so many anxious well-wishers beset them in the Green Room that they hardly ate. Only when Commander Jun and Captain Kiyoshi arrived did the rest of the court turn its attention elsewhere, but Mai and Rosuke had practically lost their appetites by then. The empress and the high general had been smart and had deigned to take their meal in their bedroom. Oka was also notably absent, but Mai presumed he was enjoying time with his sister.

“Vallen looked so tired last night,” Mai observed to Rosuke once they were alone again. “Do you know why?”

Rosuke, still looking a little haggard himself, threw her a dubious glance. “He’s been making love to a goddess. Compared to you, I can’t imagine how tiring that must be.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, touching his arm. “Did last night really take such a toll on you?”

“Did you not count the number of times we made love?” he asked, voice low but incredulous. “After the third time, I nearly passed out.”

“You did,” she pointed out.

Shortly after breakfast, Mai, Rosuke, Jun, and Kiyoshi convened with the empress and high general in the Red Room, where Mai saw Oka for the first time since the festival. She had only a few moments to speak with him before one of the empress’s guards escorted him elsewhere, but he was in surprisingly calm spirits.

Once the doors were closed, Shumei explained the gate spell in detail. They would leave from the same spot where the demons that had attacked during the festival had entered, but a small adjustment to the magic circle would put them a short distance away from where the demons had left Oblivion. She then outlined the plan of attack for breaching the Damned One’s stronghold, including exit strategies, and addressed any concerns.

Midday had come and gone by the time everyone had the plan firmly in their minds.

Oka joined them for a late lunch, and Mai suspected his presence was meant as a distraction. Even so, the room was quiet. She caught herself chewing her nails more often than her food, and Jun stared at his meal as if nauseated. Kiyoshi used his chopsticks with difficulty, fidgeting with them while he chewed and otherwise dropping more food than whatever made it to his mouth.

Then Oka broke the tense silence with a forlorn sigh. “I wish I could go with you.”

Shumei smiled as she squeezed his shoulder.

“Why’s that?” Rosuke asked, no longer even trying to look like he was eating. He had managed to swallow only a few bites, and instead held Mai’s hand to discourage her from savaging her fingertips.

“I want to see my sister make the Damned One cower in fear,” he proudly declared, smacking his fist against his chest. Mai couldn’t help herself and smiled.

“I wonder what he’d look like,” Vallen interjected, winking at Oka from Shumei’s other side.

“Like—like a child about to be spanked by his mother,” Oka said, chest puffed out and smiling confidently.

Shumei raised an eyebrow. “Oh, so he’ll look like you when you were eight and stole the neighbor’s ax to throw it at trees, missing most of them but almost hitting the huntsman?”

Oka pouted. “It’s not like he was doing anything with it. It was mostly rust, anyway. And how was I supposed to know Ryoushi was behind me when I was about to throw the ax again?” Jun gave a deep, resounding laugh that almost drowned out Kiyoshi’s soft chuckle. Mai giggled and shared a look with Rosuke, who regarded her with the sweetest, lopsided smile she’d yet seen on his face. A shallow dimple winked in one of his cheeks. Not caring who saw, she leaned over and kissed it.

When everyone had eaten what they could, Shumei bid them to spend the afternoon resting, but her order was met with doubtful looks. Mai knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep at all, so she and Rosuke found a quiet corner of the palace. He told her half a dozen stories of places he had visited, people he’d met, and unsavory characters he’d eluded. Mai told him more of her parents and of the village where she had lived most of her life, and was surprised when Rosuke revealed he had never actually been to Toubou despite his many years. She resisted suggesting they visit. Not only was Toubou likely abandoned in the wake of the summer’s demon attacks, but she also didn’t want to think about the possibility they’d never come back.

All too soon, the sun neared the horizon. Briefly parting ways, Mai and Rosuke went to change into clothing more suited for their mission. Mai arrived at her room just as Kyoko was about to leave, having delivered a uniform tailored for Mai. She tried to invite Kyoko inside to talk, but Kyoko only shook her head and hastened away, tears running down her face.

Inside her room, Mai took a moment to look at the uniform laid out on her bed. It was entirely black, none of it reflective—no insignia, no loose sleeves or pant legs to get caught on anything. Knowing it could likely become her burial shroud, she was hesitant to touch it, and stood staring at it in a trance until she heard the footfalls of someone walking by.

Recalling her limited time, she shook the cobwebs from her mind and undressed. Once she had changed, she stood at her vanity to confirm the fit of her uniform. Unlike her well-worn training clothes, the uniform looked sharp, official, and too much like something a more experienced warrior than she would wear. She tried not to think about how little it would protect her from claws.

Reaching for her brush, she noticed with a gasp that her hand was shaking. She clenched it into a fist and took several deep breaths, willing herself to calm down. When she reached out again, her fingers were steady. She brushed her hair, intending to weave it into a tight braid she could pin to her head, but paused as she noted once more the close fit of her uniform, which had been made for stealth and unrestricted movement rather than an all-out melee.

She met her reflection’s eyes. Strange, she didn’t look like someone who had fought dog soldiers, who had dueled with the empress, had reshaped the face of the city, had exorcised a demon, and had communed with the Divine One in his Garden. She saw thin wrists, a small frame, and a nervous frown. She saw fear in the flick of her eyes and the renewed trembling of her hand.

Slowly, purposefully, she set down her brush and picked up her dagger. Its sheath pulled free without a sound, and the long, slender blade shone brightly. She could tell just by looking that it was sharp enough to split hairs. Perfect.

⁂

Rosuke paced with agitation in the Red Room. Everyone who would accompany the empress into Oblivion had dressed for the mission and had arrived within moments of each other—all but Mai. And a quarter hour had passed wherein she hadn’t appeared.

Vallen and Shumei spoke quietly while they all waited, and Rosuke could tell they weren’t discussing anything romantic. Vallen appeared more rested than the last time Rosuke had seen him, and he marveled that his friend could have slept at all since lunch. Shumei had one arm around Oka, who tightly hugged her waist while he stared at nothing. Jun and Kiyoshi also talked among themselves while practicing the hand signals they’d memorized earlier, leaving Rosuke nothing to do but wonder what was keeping Mai. How long should he wait before going to check on her? What should he say if—

“I apologize for my delay.” Mai’s husky voice cut into his thoughts, puncturing the pressure building in his chest. He turned expectantly, ready for whatever expression she wore, but then froze with his mouth open.