“Wait,”Suzume said as she put up her hand. “So you’re saying this mythical priest is your father? Why didn’t you tell us this before?”

Akira shrugged. “We thought you would doubt our motives if we told you.”

“It’s too late for that. I have doubted your motives from the moment I met you. I think an explanation is in order. What are the two of you after really?”

Akira sighed heavily. “I was afraid it was going to come down to this. As you may realize, Tsuki and I want to be freed from the curse that bound us together, but we’re not the only ones who were effected by Kazue’s curse. She cursed our entire family. She bound us to the staff and forced us to share a body, and our father is being forced to guard Kazue’s heart.”

Suzume’s brain felt as if it was stalling. “What do you mean ‘Kazue’s heart’?”

“What game are you playing, Akira?” Kaito snarled.

Suzume’s head whipped to the side to watch Kaito. His hands were clasped at his side as if he was using all his effort not to strike at Akira. Akira returned his snarling gaze with a tilted smile. She loves taunting him. Rin moved close to Kaito and put a hand on his shoulder. He did not turn to look at her but Suzume could see his shoulders relax. Suzume looked away from them. Her angry words she threw at Rin earlier that day came back to mind. I do not want her thinking I am jealous.

“There’s no game, Dragon. You should know that at times those humans who have exceptional spiritual powers are embalmed so their holy powers can be harnessed. What is hidden in this mountain is Kazue’s remains. They are imbued with Kazue’s spiritual power. You and I both know what danger that could mean if the power fell into in the wrong hands.

Kaito’s eyes had turned a burning blue that he only displayed when he was really angry. She had not seen him this anger since the temple, when he thought she planned to seal him. What is he so worked up about.? t’s just her body.

“Who did this to her?” he growled. The air dropped by a few degrees and Suzume shivered. She rubbed her palms against her arms.

“It was Kazue’s choice,” Tsuki replied once more using his sister’s face to speak. “There was something she could not finish in her first life and so she sealed her powers until her reincarnation was born and could take her place.”

Three pairs of eyes swiveled in Suzume’s direction. She threw up her hands in a defensive pose. “Why are you all looking at me?”

Kaito coughed and it sounded suspiciously like laughter. She scowled at him but he would not look at her.

“We’ve already established Kazue had some great quest I am destined to complete, but why hide her powers up in the mountains? She seemed perfectly content to leave the staff at the shrine.”

“I would assume this would be the best way to protect it.” Akira said. She shrugged again. “Honestly, I don’t know the whys of it. All I know is that Kazue’s heart has the power to break this curse on my family, but only if the right person can access the power within.”

“Meaning me?” Suzume guessed.

“Yes, she intended for her reincarnation to gather the relics of her previous life.”

“What if I don’t want to help? Ever since I unleashed Kaito from the seal I’ve had nothing but trouble. How much worse will things get once I free Kazue’s power?”

“You don’t have a choice; this is your destiny,” Akira said.

Suzume’s hands clenched at her sides. Her building frustration had reached its peak. She was tired, hungry and the worst offender, filthy. Bits of ichor and dirt clung to her torn and ruined clothes. She had gone along at first because she did not have any choice but everyone had a breaking point and Suzume had reached hers.

“That’s what’s great about being human, I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to.” She turned on her heel and stomped away from the group.

Kaito called out to but she pretended not to hear. Her finger tips crackled with power. Red sparks sputtered and flickered along her skin and her hair. She was afraid she was going to erupt into flame once more and that was probably the only thing keeping the others from following after her. She expected Kaito to come after her despite of that but she made it out of the sight of the fire without anyone stopping her. As the light of their camp fire faded behind her, Suzume stumbled over rocks and tore her clothes further. She tripped over a bush and scratched her arm. She swore under her breath as she fell to her knees and pain shot up her leg. She looked over her shoulder, out of habit. There was no one behind her to see her fall. The forest was pitch black. Overhead the stars twinkled against the inky sky. The moon was a thumbnail and gave little light. As her eyes adjusted however, she could see the silhouette of trees. She got to her feet and continued on with her hands out stretched out in front of her. I rather deal with whatever is lurking in these woods than face another moment of my so-called destiny. I’m not stupid, I know they’re just helping me because I can free them from their curse. I don’t know what Rin wants but I’m sure she has her own motives. As for Kaito, he just wants me to be Kazue… That was the most bitter thought of them all.

Cicadas buzzed nearby as she bumped into tree trunks. An animal skittered through the underbrush and she saw a glimpse of luminescent eyes before the disappeared into the forest. A twig snapped nearby and she spun in circles. Her power swam to the surface, coating her skin in a pale red glow. It felt like a prickle along her arm, wrapping her in warmth. It was getting easier to summon the power. She held up her hand hoping the glow of her skin would illuminate her path. Which way back to the shrine? I’m going to force them to let me stay, even if I have to invoke my father’s name. She hadn’t been able to do that in quite some time. The emperor would be upset with her if he found out but it seemed worth the risk. It would at least give her enough time to figure out where to go from here.

The cicadas song cut short and the following silence was deafening. Suzume spun around in circles her eyes squinting in the dark looking for a shadow a hint of what had scared away the insects.

“Kaito, if that’s you, I am not coming back. Go fetch Kazue’s heart yourself. I’m done being your dog!”

A light flickered to life a few feet from her. Suzume turned towards it she removed her staff from her back sheath and pointed it in the direction of the unnatural light.

“Suzume, I thought we had agreed we would not fight one another,” a familiar voice said.

A shiver ran down Suzume’s spine. She knew she had not seen the last of Hisato. He stepped into the light. A golden orb hung above his head like a miniature sun which cast his face in shadows. She could see the sharp edges of his cheek bones, contrasting with the sweep of his eyebrows and his lips which were pulled back in a toothy grin.

“What are you doing here, back to taunt me some more?” She pointed the staff at him but she suddenly felt very vulnerable. If her previous run-ins with Hisato were any indication, she was no match for him and this time there was no one here to save her.

He strolled over to her with his hands folded behind his back. “No. I came for my answer, Suzume.” The way he said her name is was like a caress. Her spoke her name savoring every syllable.

“Oh yeah, you want me to do your dirty work, right?”

He stopped a few feet away from her, just out of striking distance. He chuckled. “Something like that. What’s your decision?”

She was outmatched by him in a physical match but she knew she could talk to him. “Let me ask you, why don’t you kill him yourself?”

“A good question with a complicated answer. Let’s just say the universe has a certain… balance. I cannot raise a hand against Kaito because if I did, it would upset that balance.”

Suzume frowned and let her staff drop a little. That doesn’t make any sense. He seems more like the type that loves chaos. Hisato’s gaze flickered to her lowered defenses. She took a step forward and jabbed at him with the end of her staff. “But you can kill all the other immortals? Why is that?”

He spun away from her attack and disappeared into the dark. He reappeared behind Suzume and said, “As I said, it’s complicated. Does this mean you’ll agree?”

She had thought about it, seriously even. All Kaito had done since she met him was cause her heartache, put her life in danger and drag her around like a lap dog. But she could not bring herself to kill him —she didn’t have it in her. The problem was she wanted out of this quest, she wanted nothing to do with Kazue, her task or the lot of them. I am running out of options. They let me stomp off for now but I know Kaito will come drag me back any minute.

“I don’t think I am powerful enough to kill him,” Suzume said, as an excuse. She hoped if Hisato thought she was too weak, he would leave her alone. It wasn’t likely, but she liked to stay optimistic.

“That can be remedied easily enough. All you lack is Kazue’s power. If you had her heart, then you could reach your full potential.

“And now we come to the real reason you want me. I already know I’m the only one who can retrieve her heart and no, I won’t get it for you.” She turned to walk away but before she could get more than a few steps, Hisato grabbed her wrist and she spun around to face him.

He was taller than her by a few inches and she had to tilt her head back to look at him. He was handsome, all sharp angles and dark eyes. Suzume wrenched her hand away.

“I am not doing this for myself, Suzume.” When he said her name again and it made her shiver.

“Really now?” He had let her go but he still stood close to her too close really. She should take a step back but she didn’t.

“With power like Kazue’s you could return your life to the way it was. You could go back to the palace, marry the general, flirt with the young men. You would never have to worry about the world of immortals ever again. You would be free of it.”

“What, does Kazue’s heart grant wishes?”

He chuckled, dark, husky sound. “Not quite, but Kazue was one of the most powerful priestess to ever live. With her staff and her heart you would be unstoppable. You could do whatever you wanted. You could even be the emperor if you wanted.”

A flood of images filled Suzume’s mind. She remembered her life as it had been. The silk robes, servants who fell over themselves to attend to her every whim, hundreds of suitors who showered her in gifts and most of all she had never been hungry, scared or dirty. I would be more powerful than my father. I could exile him to some remote shrine in the middle of the sea. She smiled thinking of it.

“I can see this pleases you,” Hisato purred.

She looked up at him with eyes narrowed. It was a pretty picture but she couldn’t help but think there were strings attached to this offer. “This seems too good to be true. How do I know you won’t try and take the heart from me the moment I get it.”

He laughed again took another step closer to Suzume. He reached out and brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. His skin was soft. His fingers were long and tapered at the end. It also occurred to her that sparks never flew when they touched.

“Why can you touch me without my body reacting?” She asked.

He leaned in his breaths mingling with hers. She knew she should step away —he was most likely using her, but she like to imagine she was using him. He gave her information and she got all the benefit. At least that’s how it played out in her mind.

“Haven’t you realized it yet, Suzume?” He purred her name and ran his thumb across her lips which parted beneath his touch. “You were meant for me. We are destined. Get Kazue’s heart, gain the power, and when you have everything you wished for you will be able to return to the life you deserve.” Hisato stepped away suddenly and Suzume felt a chill sweep over her when he moved away. She wrapped her arms around her torso. “It’s up to you, Suzume. Whom do you want to trust? The ones who have deceived you from the moment you met or me?”

“You attacked me, on multiple occasions.” Even when she said it it lacked conviction. She felt strangely conflicted. Kaito had threatened her life more times than she could count. She was positivve Akira and Tsuki were up to something —more than what they had disclosed. The world had turned upside down and she did not know who to trust.

He laughed. “I never meant to hurt you. I wanted you to see the truth, to see what they really wanted from you. Get Kazue’s heart and you’ll see I am right.”

She swallowed past a lump in her throat. She hated to go back and face the others after to storming off so she kept talking instead. “You told me when you attacked you only intended to maim me.”

“It was a joke. You will find our kind have a dark sense of humor.”

“What do you mean, our kind? I seriously doubt you’re human.”

He laughed. “Do you really think you’re human? Don’t be naive.”

Before she could form another retort the orb of light he had blinked out and she was plunged into darkness. The cicadas song erupted and the sound grated on her ears. Along with it was the sound of Tsuki, Kaito and Rin calling her name. Kaito was closest and she could hear him the clearest.

“Come back here before you’re eaten. I will not save you from another ogre today.”

“Technically that was me,” Tsuki replied.

Suzume stared into the dark where Hisato had disappeared. She did not know who to trust but she knew one thing for certain —the only person she could rely on and that was herself.

A/N: After a long Hiatus I have returned. I appreciate you all for waiting. And I have some good news. The story is complete. There are 6 more chapters left! I'll be posting the rest shortly, as my beta readers gets them back to me.