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ew over the embankment； down twenty feet to the riverbank。
Akiko； running to the edge； saw Saigo's back arch； agony contorting his face。 Then she was half sliding； half scrambling down the rock…strewn embankment。 Landing on her buttocks； she lashed out with her foot； catching the wolf on the snout with the toe of her boot。
The animal leaped high into the air； yelping； and when it landed； turned and loped upward into the rising copse of pine where its cub still wandered； lost and bewildered。
Akiko knelt beside Saigo。 His face； shoulder； and forearms were a mass of slashes。 She saw a set of teeth marks just above his left wrist。 All these were minor。 But his spine was canted at an unnatural angle and his rolling； dilated pupils showed how much pain he was in。
With the utmost care she turned him onto his stomach。 It was immediately clear to her that in his fall he had smashed part of his upper spine against the outcroppings of rock spiking the embankment。
Delicately she ran her fingertips； as a surgeon might； along the ragged； jutting spine。 At least three vertebrae were involved； perhaps four。
She took a deep breath。 Among other things Sun Hsiung had been a koppo sensei。 With two fingers he could break any bone in the body of his enemy。 That was koppo's most monplace and well known expertise。 But Sun Hsiung had taught her the other aspect of koppo： katsu。 It was a form of deep resuscitation。
Once she had seen him use seikotsu； an adjunct to katsu； and had begged him to teach her this more esoteric and difficult art。 It was a form of bone…setting。
She slowed her breathing； knowing that if she began the process and failed； she would most likely doom Saigo to a life of partial paralysis。 For him that would surely be a death sentence。 But what was the alternative？ She could not move him。 She could not leave him for the time it would take her to search out a telephone。 He was already in shock and unconscious。 She could not ask his permission； and if she did not act swiftly the cold would infiltrate his natural defenses and kill him。
Without another thought； she put her fears aside and went to work on him。 For twenty minutes she labored with only one brief interruption。 As she had suspected； a fourth vertebra was involved； lower down than the others。 She did not know if any of the seikotsu aiki would work here。 She did not know whether to proceed。
Then she closed her eyes and sought the no…thought that was the Void。 Here； instinct…and something more…guided her： a sense of cosmic harmony。 Using both thumbs at kyusho…vital spots…on either side of the unaligned bone； she pressed inward and apart。 Heard the pop like a cork ing out of a bottle of champagne and thanked Buddha for strength and courage。
For a time after that； she knelt over him； slumped with fatigue and relief； her hot breath keeping the ice from forming on his naked back。
Then； gathering herself for the ordeal； she slung Saigo's still unconscious form across her shoulders； settling his weight as fortably as she could。 As a weight lifter will； she rose with her burden and started off home。
〃And that is how you came here；〃 he said。
Akiko nodded。 〃It was Saigo who told me of you； it was he who suggested that I seek entrance where he could not。〃
〃I consider that presumptuous of him；〃 he observed。 〃But hardly surprising。 He was not fit to stay here。 I do not believe that he is fit to stay anywhere for very long。〃
She resented his words bitterly； knowing that Saigo had deliberately paved the path for her that he had sought for himself but had been denied。
Kyoki broke into her thoughts。 〃What is it that you seek here； Akiko…san？ What do you believe I can provide you that others cannot？〃
〃I want to learn how to hide my spirit；〃 she said。 〃To exhibit perfect wa even when I am about to strike down my enemy。〃
Kyoki poured them both more tea。 He menced to sip his。 They sat cross…legged facing each other across the flagged stone floor。 The castle in which they sat； he had told her； had been built by Ieyasu Tokugawa sometime during the first decade of the seventeenth century for a woman who was half…Portuguese and half…Japanese。 A very special woman； Akiko had thought。
Outside； a komuso with a reed basket over his head played his bamboo flute in plangent fashion。
〃Tell me；〃 he said after a time； 〃how a young girl es to have so many deadly enemies。〃
There was no recourse but to tell him all of it： of Ikan and Fuyajo； of Shimada； her father； and those who had set the wak…izashi in his hands； guiding it in two powerful lifedenying strokes into his lower abdomen； destroying his hara。 His life。 Seppuku。
Kyoki closed his diamond…shaped eyes。 〃It is gratifying to see such an unwavering expression of filial piety in one so young。〃 He took up the goldthread fan lying beside him and began a soft； fluttering motion at his cheek。 It was feminine and； Akiko felt； unflattering。
Immediately Kyoki ceased this motion。 His eyes pierced her； penetrating her thoroughly。 The fan was a stilled butterfly at the side of his head。 〃Does my use of the fan disturb you； Akiko…san？〃
She had to stifle the urge to lie to him。 Saigo had cautioned her against this。 Kyoki…san will know； he told her； and at once you will be asked to leave。
The truth shamed Akiko and she felt blood rush into her cheeks。 〃The fan seems unbeing to a great warrior such as yourself。〃
〃Or yourself。〃
〃I am no great warrior； sensei。〃
〃But you aspire to be。〃
〃Hai。〃
〃Then you spurn the fan。〃
〃As a woman I…〃
She watched； openmouthed； as the fan hummed through the air； embedding itself in the exact center of a camphorwood chest across the expanse of the room。
〃Not as a woman；〃 Kyoki said； 〃but as a warrior。〃 Unconcernedly； he sipped more tea。 〃Please retrieve my weapon；〃 he said when he had put down his porcelain cup。
Akiko rose and went across the room。 She reached up and as she touched the thing； spread like the hand of Buddha； spearing the wood； he said； 〃This is no ogi； no mere fan； you pull from my chest； Akiko…san。 It is gunsen； a weapon of battle。〃
As she brought it back to him； he said； 〃All ten ribs are of hand…forged steel； the fan itself a membrane of steel mesh that can slice through skin； flesh； viscera。。。 even bone； with the proper strike。〃
In his hands again the gunsen fluttered back and forth at his cheek； the docile butterfly returned to its chrysalis。
〃Your room is on the second floor；〃 he said。 〃Directly below mine。〃
〃I have no parents； I make the heavens and the earth my parents。 I have no home； I make saika tanden my home。 I have no body； I make stoicism my body。 I have no eyes； I make the flash of lightning my eyes。 I have no strategy； I make sakkatsu jizai《 Free to kill and to restore life 》 my strategy。 I have no designs； I make kisan《 Taking opportunity by the forelock 》 my designs。 I have no principles； I make rinkiohen《 Adaptability to all circumstances 》 my principles。〃
Akiko； alone in the Room of All Shadows； knelt before the double line of joss sticks and long white tapers。 Both were lit and the resulting scents pervaded the chamber。 The atmosphere seemed to absorb her prayers as if it were listening。
Kyo