“The Sacred Sister bids you speak your piece and be on your way.”
Yukiko stared at the blond woman, bitter winds blowing dark tendrils across her eyes. She clawed the locks from her mouth, remembering the last time they’d seen each other. Yukiko had been a prisoner, helpless and terrified. But now she stood tall, reaching across the island’s bleeding face, into the impossible, ancient strength still roaming its waters.
“Your fleet is destroyed. Every Morcheban seaman has fled the Bay of Dragons or now slumbers beneath it. Every ship in your armada lies rusting on the bottom of the bay.”
A brief exchange passed between Mostovoi and the Sister.
“You tell us nothing we do not know, beast-speaker.”
“Know then, that the dragons who destroyed your ships did so at my command.”
As Mostovoi repeated her words, an angry murmur rolled amongst the gaijin troops. More than one took a menacing step forward, stopped in their tracks by Buruu’s bellowing roar.
“You tell us this, why?” the Kapitán asked.
“Because we must trust each other now, Aleksandar Mostovoi. Because if we do not, all of us will die in this place. And trust cannot grow in a field of lies.”
“You killed our people. Brave soldiers, all.”
“You killed my—” Hana’s voice cracked, tears in her eye. “… You invaded our country. Burned Kawa city. Women and children—”
“The Shimans took our women and children!” Mostovoi growled. “My mother. My sister. Love of the Goddess, Hana, you are a daughter of rape. The rape of my family, my country, all at the hands of these slaver pigs!”
THIS WAY LIES RUIN. BLOOD FOR BLOOD.
Gods, I know but—
THE FIRST STEP MUST BE YOURS. RAISING ANCIENT DRAGONS FROM ENDLESS SLUMBER. SLAYING DEMONS FROM THE DEEPEST HELLS. RIDING A THUNDER TIGER. THESE ARE EASY THINGS FOR ONE LIKE YOU.
Easy? Gods above …
AKIHITO IS GONE. MICHI IS GONE. DO YOU NOT THINK THEY WOULD WISH, AS YOUR FATHER DID, THEIR SACRIFICE MEAN SOMETHING?
Yukiko wrapped her arms about herself, shivering in the bitter chill.
Something greater.
She looked at Mostovoi, at the soldiers around her. Hundreds of miles from home. All driven by that same thirst for revenge, caught in that same downward spiral. And she’d seen exactly where it led …
“I know we’ve wronged you, Kapitán.” She softened her voice, palms upturned. “If it were within my power to undo, I would. But you should know it will never happen again. The Lotus Guild was destroyed this day. By my people, my friends—men and women who could no longer live in a country built with the blood of your kin. I’m sorry for your loss, I truly am. But we face a greater threat now than you can possibly imagine. And we need your help to defeat it.”
Mostovoi paused for a cold, empty forever before repeating the words. Yukiko watched Katya’s eyes narrow, bitter laughter spill over sharpened teeth. Her words were a viper’s hiss.
“Hana has killed the Holy Mother. The hand of the Imperatritsa herself. There can be no peace between us, girl.”
“Then we’ll die,” Hana spat. “All of us. All of you.”
“Threats, my blood? This is your overture of peace?”
“Hana speaks no threat.” Yukiko shook her head. “An evil rises to the south. A wound in the world, bleeding demons. They’re weak now. Stunned by their birth. But soon they’ll come. From the tip of Seidai to the isle of Shabishii. From the eastern seas to the edge of Yotaku. The children of the Endsinger will march, and everything before them will perish. Everything.”
“And this concerns us how?”
“You have no fleet, Uncle,” Hana said. “You’re trapped here like the rest of us.”
Yukiko stepped forward, pleading eyes aimed at Sister Katya.
“We have wronged you, gods know it. But if you cannot find it in yourself to forgive us, every living thing on this island will die.” She looked down to her stomach, felt the warmth within her, growing by the day. “I…”
The words caught in her throat. The impossibility of it all. The enormity.
“I will be a mother soon,” she said. “These babies will come into a world I help shape. And the thought absolutely terrifies me, Katya. But what terrifies me more is the thought they may never have a chance at all. And a part of me wonders if I shouldn’t just fly away, leave all of this behind. To tell myself that I tried as best I could, and hope that lie will let me sleep at night. But I think of the other mothers and fathers on these islands, who all played their part in your people’s suffering to be sure. But still, they love their children. And those children deserve a future, just as much as mine. And if I can fight to give them one, if losing my life and the life of my own means a hundred thousand more can be saved…”