for an hour or two.
Kaede lay down, thankful to be able to stretch out. The light in the room was dim and green. Huge cedars shut out most of the glare. In the distance she could hear the cool trickle of the spring,and voices; the men talking quietly, occasionally a ripple of laughter, Shizuka chatting to someone in the kitchen. At first Shizukaâs voice was bright and gossipy, and Kaede was glad that she seemed to be recovering her spirits, but then it went low, and the person to whom she was speaking responded in the same vein. Kaede could no longer make out anything they said.
After a while the conversation ceased. Shizuka came quietly into the room and lay down next to Kaede.
âWho were you talking to?â
Shizuka turned her head so she could speak directly into Kaedeâs ear. âA cousin of mine works here.â
âYou have cousins everywhere.â
âThatâs how it is with the Tribe.â
Kaede was silent for a moment. Then she said, âDonât other people suspect who you are and want to . . .â
âWant to what?â
âWell, get rid of you.â
Shizuka laughed. âNo one dares. We have infinitely more ways of getting rid of them. And no one ever knows anything about us for sure. They have their suspicions. But you may have noticed, both my uncle Kenji and I can appear in many different guises. The Tribe are hard to recognize, in addition to possessing many other arts.â
âWill you tell me more about them?â Kaede was fascinated by this world that lay in the shadows of the world she knew.
âI can tell you a little. Not everything. Later, when we cannot be overheard.â
From outside a crow called harshly.
Shizuka said, âI learned two things from my cousin. One is that Takeo has not left Yamagata. Arai has search parties out and guards on the highway. They will be concealing him within the town.â
The crow cried again. Aah! Aah!
I might have passed his hiding place today, Kaede thought. After a long moment she said, âWhat was the second thing?â
âAn accident may occur on the road.â
âWhat sort of accident?â
âTo me. It seems Arai does want to get rid of me, as you put it. But it is planned to look like an accident, a brigand attack, something like that. He cannot bear that I should live, but he does not wish to offend you outright.â
âYou must leave.â Kaedeâs voice rose with urgency. âAs long as you are with me, he knows where to find you.â
âShush,â Shizuka warned. âIâm only telling you so you wonât do anything foolish.â
âWhat would be foolish?â
âTo use your knife, to try to defend me.â
âI would do that,â Kaede said.
âI know. But you must keep your boldness and those skills hidden. Someone is traveling with us who will protect me. More than one probably. Leave the fighting to them.â
âWho is it?â
âIf my lady can guess, Iâll give her a present!â Shizuka said lightly.
âWhat happened to your broken heart?â Kaede asked, curious.
âI mended it with rage,â Shizuka replied. Then she spoke moreseriously. âI may never love a man as much again. But I have done nothing shameful. I am not the one who has acted with dishonor. Before, I was bound to him, a hostage to him. In cutting me off from him, he has set me free.â
âYou should leave me,â Kaede said again.
âHow can I leave you now? You need me more than ever.â
Kaede lay still. âWhy more than ever now?â
âLady, you must know. Your bleeding is late, your face is softer, your hair thicker. The sickness, followed by hunger. . .â Shizukaâs voice was soft, filled with pity.
Kaedeâs heart began to race. The knowledge lay beneath her skin, but she could not bring herself to face it.
âWhat will I do?â
âWhose child is