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And then he knew that the manner in which he had arrived here was irrelevant。 Kaisho's scheming or mere happenstance； what did it matter so long as he was here？ Her voice； so familiar to him； was like a strand of memory unaffected by time and circumstance。 At once； he glimpsed again those cold autumn nights at the edge of a field where an owl hooted and they had shared an entire universe。
〃Koei。〃
She emerged from the shadows behind an aquarium of sea snakes。 She seemed to have aged not at all； to have existed in another world for all the time they had been apart； and yet the girl had matured into the full flower of womanhood。 The angles of her face were still unmistakable； though slightly softened。 The luster of her huge eyes had only deepened。
A small； shy smile formed on the small bow of her tips。 〃I see your face； your expression； and all the dread in my heart evaporates。 You do not hate me。〃
〃I have hated you； and then later； I hated all that you represented … that world。〃 For a moment he was so overe he could not continue。 Knowing that； she was wisely silent。 Patience was a virtue it had taken her so long to master it had bee as precious to her as rubies or pearls。
〃Let me look at you；〃 he whispered。 〃I feel as if no time has passed。〃
〃But it has。〃 She took a step toward him； a look of concern on her face。 〃I can see it in your eyes。 Your wife。。。〃
〃Dead。 A car accident while I was away trying to protect Okami…san。〃
〃And you haven't been able to forgive yourself。〃
〃Not for that so much as not being able to see that the paths of our lives never ran parallel。〃
〃But life runs two ways； Nicholas。 If our time together has taught me anything； it is this。 The two of you chose something together。 What was the crime in that？〃
Of course she was right It wasn't anything he hadn't thought a dozen times since Justine's death； but hearing another person … and especially this person … articulate what he had been feeling was a source of the most profound relief。
He nodded wordlessly。
〃And now you're here。〃 She reached out tentatively； touched his fingers with her own。 With the contact； he felt a warmth wash over him； and it was as if the intervening years had turned transparent； and seeing the present through them； he could understand it all…everything that he had for so long buried deep in the dark recesses of his soul。
You must be healed； Dich had said。 Now Nicholas began the process。
〃For the longest time I turned my back on the world of the Yakuza； because of my rage； because of the death that was needlessly。。。〃 His voice； thick with emotion； was a whisper on the wind ing in from the open windows。 〃But； in the end； I saw what had really happened。 It was me I was angry with； not you； not the world of the Yakuza。 The fact I could never face； until now； was that I had fallen in love not only with you but with that world。 Just as my father had。 I fought to bury it because it was inconsistent with my conception of honor and the rectitude of my martial arts。〃
〃You know； that was the one thing I could never understand。 You … a ninja； who were society's outcasts in then…day … had every reason to be drawn to the world of the Yakuza； who are outcasts in much the same way。 It seemed so natural； and yet。。。〃
〃In ninjutsu there are only black or red； good or evil； there is nothing in between。 I suppose that was how I saw everything。 I never fully understood how my father could have been best friends with a Yakuza oyabun。 Expediency was one thing。 I knew he had been ordered to work with Yakuza； but he was under no obligation to befriend one。 And in a very real sense I was angry at him for that。 It was the most difficult emotion to bear； and the one I buried the deepest。 I revered my father； I loved him； but I also hated him for taking Mikio Okami as a friend。〃
〃Just as you took me for a girlfriend。〃
Seiko was still in his mind。 He knew he might never have reached this point of self…revelation without her。 I hate you for your righteousness； for not understanding that there are so many shades of gray between black and white。 She had known him better than he knew himself。 He mourned for her。 How was it； he wondered； that your own nature was the most opaque？
They stood very close； and he could feel time beginning to collapse； the years scattering tike dead leaves in whiter。
〃Why？〃 Koei whispered。
That one word summed up everything in their lives that had wounded them and had not allowed that wound to heal。
〃How alike we were；〃 she said。 〃This should have made us closer。 Instead； we wound up hurting each other。〃 She lifted her head。 Her huge eyes peered up at bun。 〃I didn't want to lie to you； but how could I tell you what I myself could not face？〃
〃You couldn't。 It was karma； and we all suffered in our own way。〃
She extended her hands along his arms。 〃I've been waiting such a long time for this moment。 My whole life； it seems。〃
His lips were very close to hers。 In the periphery of his vision the vipers coiled and twined sinuously。 He felt her thigh insinuate itself between his； felt the pink tip of her tongue along his lips。
A heat was rising and the serpents sensed it。 Roused from torpor； they raised their flat heads； tasted the musk on the air with the tips of their forked tongues。
The coiling kraits were in some way attuned to her vibrations。 Their shiny bodies banged against the bamboo； making the cage shudder； and then… hypodermic fangs； normally folded back against the roofs of their mouths； became erect。
He unbuttoned her gauze blouse； held her breasts in his hands。 When his thumbs stroked her nipples； her head came down； and gasping； she bit the side of his neck。 Their blood was boiling； strands of each other entwined in their minds。 His tanjian eye was blazing； reflecting them both in its light。
Her nimble fingers unbuckled his belt； slid his trousers down。 He gathered her skirt until it bunched around her hips。 She was naked underneath。 He pushed her back against a wall and she lifted one leg； hooking her heel against the small of his back。 She guided the tip of him into her at the moment his lips came down over hers。 Their mouths opened； and she opened fully。
She groaned into his mouth； made little sounds； vibrations that set the serpents to writhing。 She arched up against him； canting her pelvis； fitting herself to his thrusts； climbing onto him； into him as deeply as he was into her。
She breathed like an engine； her mind empty of thought and of pain。 Something inside her was freed； loosened in the well of the aura they created together； the intense pleasure that heated her groin and breasts and belly。 Dazed； she recognized it as herself； a pure spirit that had survived the scars of bitter circumstance。 I exist； she thought in dizzy wonder。 Oh； God； I am alive！
She was intimate with the mechanism of sex； but this was a different kind of engine entirely。 Consumed in the moment； she was outside time。 The past no longer had the strength to shackle her in memory and habit； the present no longer imprisoned her hi loneliness and resignation。 It was as if she had awakened from a long； sorcerous slumber and now； empowered by that abiding spirit； was unco