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stead she had expressed the proper sentiments in the proper manner； honoring both of them as well as Sato…san。
〃I appreciate your thought； Tomkin…san；〃 he said； his voice softened by emotion。 〃You are wele to return to your hotel。 Or； as I said before； I will assign pany personnel to take you about the city； as you wish。 In any case； you will be informed the moment we have word of Linnear…san's whereabouts。〃
〃If you don't mind； I'd prefer to stay here；〃 Justine said。 〃That is； if you don't think I'll be in the way。〃
〃Absolutely not；〃 Nangi said； and rang for Kei Hagura。 He had learned his lesson； no woman was summoned。
In the dense forest surrounding Itami's house； Nicholas began his search； employing several of the simple implements he had taken from his aunt's kitchen with her blessing。
He was searching for any of several kinds of holes in the ground； and it took him some time。 The forest was thicker than it had been when he had been here as a young boy。 But that could only be his imagination； for one is never as alert to one's surroundings when at a place one despises。
The sky； when he could catch a glimpse of it through the arching canopy of branches and leaves； seemed odd and yellow。 It was certainly no longer day； yet it was like no twilight he had ever seen before。 Too； the atmosphere felt different。 It was as heavy as lead； windless； not a blade of grass stirring。 Even the insects were quiescent。 He saw no birds。
At length he found what he had been searching for and went to work。 Most of the time was spent up in a tree； waiting。 When he was finished and quite satisfied； he set off。
In little time he found an outcropping of rock and settled down on it to wait。
And that was how Akiko found him； sitting in the lotus position。 Darkness was encroaching； long shadows as blue as ice creeping along the woodland carpet； over rocks and toadstools； moss and wildflowers。 It was the time of the evening when； normally； the changeover from diurnal to nocturnal was being made。 Larks and finch giving way to whippoorwills and owl； boar and rabbits to foxes and weasels。 There was little stirring。
She stopped before him。 She had emerged out of the dense foliage as just one more shadow； approaching。 〃I regret that I could not bring you back your dai…katana〃 she said。
〃Would you have killed me with it？〃
She answered him only in the most oblique fashion。 〃e down off your lofty perch；〃 she said； 〃and we will speak together。〃
With deliberation； Nicholas descended。 He was thinking of Masashigi Kusunoki。 Ever since Sato had mentioned that name in connection with the Tenshin Shoden Kaktori ryu； it had stuck in his subconscious like a thorn。 Although he had been away from Yoshino for quite a long time； still he knew of no sensei either in Japan or outside it who went by that name。
Yet he knew that Sato had not lied； and that he had not been lied to。 For what possible purpose would either thing have been done？ He could think of none。 Masashigi Kusunoki existed…or had before he had been murdered…yet he did not exist。 Who had he been； and who had killed him？
Had it been Akiko； his pupil； who had sat before him across the tatami； speaking of mundane matters； hiding her intent with what Kyoki； the madman； had taught her so that the sensei felt only the glow of her wa； and was thus put off his guard？ Was that what she was about to do with him now？
Grass verge served admirably as their tatami。 Darkness； stealing in over the hills and treetops； shrouded them； nocturnal creatures that they were； gentling them in its webbed cradle。 They were home again in the blackness of the night。 The merest trace of starblaze smeared their faces in cold blue highlight。
〃I would have found you out even without the tattoos；〃 he said。
〃No one but you would have understood their true nature。〃 Her head inclined slightly。
〃Yes；〃 he agreed。 〃I know the legend of Hsing； the shape…changer； the akuma he created with jaho。〃
She was laughing at him。 〃And you believed all of that？〃
〃I believe in the Kuji…kiri；〃 he said。 〃In the Kobudera； and in the Wu…Shing。 I knew one maho…zukai。。。〃 He had kept his inflection up so that she would know that he had not finished。 She was no longer laughing。 〃You knew him too； Akiko…san。 Saigo。〃
He had brought the key in his pocket and now he had offered it to her。 He thought that she had taken it but might not yet be ready to use it on herself。 He continued。
〃Now I know the truth。 Your twin dragons spoke to me with tongues of fire。 Before he was murdered by his jealous patriots； Hsing had branded his akuma。 Hsing was sensei to many arts； tattooing was only one of them。
〃He did this； so it was said； so that he might be able to identify his pupil for all time； so that they would be inexorably linked on the wheel of karma。
〃Did you have a sensei； Akiko…san； who marked you so with such skilled hands？ I cannot think you went to a mon parlor off the street。〃 He might； of course； have said more； mentioned Kyoki by name； but in doing so he would give up an enormous advantage。
〃So you know about Wu…Shing〃 she said； inserting the key he had given her。 She nodded。 〃Perhaps it is a relief to me that someone else knows。 That that someone else is you。〃 And all the while she thought； Amida！ I can't believe it。 I look upon him and my love for him is so strong that I need to clasp my old hate to me with white fingers； I must concentrate on it every single moment or it threatens to slide away from me like sand。
〃Hsing's akuma had just cause to enact the age…old vengeance。 As do I。 My family name is not Ofuda…〃
〃No；〃 Nicholas interrupted deliberately。 〃It is Sato。 And Sato…san； your husband； is dead。〃
She inclined her head。 〃I suspected as much。 I am sorry。〃 Her eyes blazed in the cruel starlight。 〃Sorry I could not end his life by my own power； using the fourth state of the Wu…Shing。〃
〃Kung；〃 Nicholas said； using the Chinese word for 〃palace；〃 the eunuch's punishment。 〃You would have castrated him before you killed him。〃
〃He deserved no less；〃 she said with venom。 〃As does his friend； Tanzan Nangi。 He has yet to experience my terrible power。 Together they conspired to destroy my real father； Hiroshi Shi…mada。〃
Nicholas was truly surprised。 〃Your father was Vice…Minister Shimada？〃 He knew the name well and in a quite personal way because Shimada had been one of the Colonel's prime postwar targets。 〃But his wife bore him only two sons。〃
〃His mistress was my mother；〃 Akiko said proudly。 〃She was tayu oiran in the Yoshiwara。 She was the best there was。〃
〃Shimada mitted seppuku。 There was a huge scandal…〃
〃Cleverly concocted by Nangi； Sato； and their mentor； Yoi…chiro Makita。〃
Nicholas knew that this was patently untrue。 The evidence against Shimada had been overwhelming and incontrovertible。
〃They made up lies； half…truths； innuendoes。 It was enough〃… her face was twisted with her hate…〃more than enough in an atmosphere that bordered on phobic hysteria when it came to the subject of the war。〃 He felt a gathering of her forces。 〃But it was your father； Colonel Denis Linnear； who insisted on making these falsehoods public knowledge。 Linnear had wanted my father out of th