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〃You're wrong； he …〃
〃He would have taken you away！〃 she shouted； and lifted the crossbow：
Nicholas whirled and； with his muscles popping； wrenched the bronze sword from its stone。 The sharp edges of the carved flames shone weirdly in the moonlight； making it seem as if they were real； flickering over the blade。
Seiko screamed and let fly the bolt。
Nicholas leapt； but she was not aiming at him。 The bolt smashed into the thin layer of rock on which he was standing； and with the weight of the gigantic sword； he came down awkwardly on a mixture of stone shards and upturned earth that was already sliding down the steep slope。
He tried to grab on to a tree or an outcropping； but there was no immediate handhold； and he felt himself sliding down into the blackness of the valley as she； still striped in moonlight； dashed upward through the forest and away。
He kicked out； felt a gnarled root slam into his ankle； and immediately he bent his leg。 The root held and he hung upside down； dizzy from momentum for a moment； before he plunged the tip of the sword into the side of the steep hill。 He carefully unhooked his ankle。 The sword held his weight。 He swung up on it； reaching with his right foot for a sharp outcropping of rock。 He gained purchase； balanced his weight； and let go of the sword。
Then he was scrambling back up the hill； scuttling on all fours to increase his speed and to keep himself in the shadows。 He could feel her； knew the moment she paused； turning to look back down into the darkness of the forested valley； thinking of him。
That was enough for him to overtake her。 He meant nothing more than to pin her to the ground； to question her； but he came out of the darkness with such appalling speed that she gasped。 The crossbow came up； its metal bolt gleaming dully in the moonlight。 〃Go ahead。 Shoot me like you shot Tachi。〃
She bit her tip； shook her head violently。 〃You don't understand。〃
〃Why did you kill him？〃
〃He would have killed you；〃 she said softly。
〃So you said； but I don't believe you。 You were jealous of him because of the link he and I established。 It left you out。〃
〃What does it matter what I say？ You don't even have to open your mouth； I can feel how your heart has turned to stone。〃
What could he say when she knew the truth？ Lying to her would be infinitely more cruel than his silence。
〃Now I know I was fooling myself。 Whatever we had came from me； whatever we had was an illusion。〃
〃Is that what you think？〃
〃It's what I know！〃 A tear leaked from her eye； then gaining control of herself； she wiped it away。
〃What do you care； anyway？ You're not interested in me。〃 She shook her head。 〃That damn psychic link made you vulnerable。 I could see you were suspicious； but then that link drew you to him。〃
〃You're wrong about Tachi。 He was a friend …〃
〃Is that what you think？〃 She gave him a lopsided smile。 〃I didn't send for Tachi； he came to me。 He was sent by someone who wanted you dead〃 She saw his expression。 〃Don't believe me？ Tachi was ambitious； but he was in a vulnerable position。 He was appointed head of the Yamauchi clan as a kind of promise。 Because Tomoo Kozo had been a member of the Kaisho's inner council； the two remaining council oyabun； Akira Chosa and Tetsuo Akinaga； had to approve the third member。 Tachi was the only one both would vote for。
〃So you see； Tachi had no real power base。 His oyabun mentor was from a Yamauchi subfamily in Kumamoto； powerful there but without real consequence in Tokyo。 I told you Tachi was ambitious； perhaps overly so。 When an alliance with another； older oyabun was offered； he took it； no questions asked。 He knew he might be signing away his clan's autonomy； but with his hubris he hoped to rectify that before it got out of hand。 But first he had to destroy you。〃
Nicholas looked at her for a long time。 She had emerged like a downy duck from an evilly spotted egg。 The layers of personality were peeling off her like slices of an onion； but with every revelation there seemed more about her he did not understand。 In a sense； he seemed to be looking back through time's terrible telescope at his dead wife； Justine。 They had fallen in love without ever ing to understand one another。 He did not love Seiko in any traditional sense。 But they had shared something so intimate and ephemeral that it eluded most lovers。 He was determined not to make the same mistakes with this woman that he had made with Justine。 Judging her too quickly or too narrowly was a start down a delusive and dangerous path he was not now willing to take。
〃Assuming this is the truth；〃 he said slowly； 〃why are you telling me now … instead of when we first met in Saigon？〃
〃Because at long last self…interest has murdered morality。 I told you I owed Tachi an enormous debt。 He saved me from myself。 I was in danger of imploding … of falling into myself； of being lost in someone else's image of me。〃
〃Your father's？〃
〃Or my mother's or my boyfriends'。。。〃 Her gaze brushed his； bounced off as if burned。 〃But why make a litany of it？ There were so many。 Tachi was the last； and there was some good in him。 I could。。。 sense it。 But it was so deeply buried； so twisted in the mire of self…interest； it was almost dead。 I was good； then； at recognizing the almost dead。〃
〃So you were bound to Tachi。〃
〃Body and soul。〃 She was fighting not to cry。 〃But not heart。 At great personal cost I kept that free。〃 She looked up at him。 〃For you。〃
Her psychic aura； in the guise of heightened intuition； had made her vulnerable to suggestion and abuse。 It had amplified her sense of her environment and those in it。 There was some good in him。 I could sense it； she had said of Tachi。 It was what had pelled her to seek an extreme nontraditional path； what had brought her to Nicholas。
He moved toward her； wanting to take the crossbow from her。 〃Seiko …〃
〃Leave me alone！〃 she screamed； taking a stumbling step backward。 〃I know you too well。 You cannot forgive me for saving you from Tachi。 You think my jealousy blinded me； you think that the precious gift you two shared would have been enough to change him。 You're wrong。 He was above all else a pragmatist。 He was nothing without that deal。 He would have found his chance and he would have murdered you。〃 She brandished the crossbow。 〃I hate you for your righteousness； for not understanding that there are so many shades of gray between black and white。〃
Nicholas leapt upward； knocking the weapon aside。 It flew out of her hand； striking the ground butt first； and with a thick twang！ the bolt was loosed。
It pierced Seiko at almost point…blank range； the force of its entry lifting her off her feet； pinning her to an enormous cryptomeria。 Her eyes opened wide in pain； and her hands held the end of the bolt where it protruded from her stomach。
Nicholas； gaining the high ground of the path； could see the situation at once。 He could not loose the bolt without her bleeding to death within seconds。
〃Seiko。〃
She shook her head mutely。 Tears stood out in the corners of her eyes。 Her chest was heaving and her mouth was filling with blood。 He could not bear to see her suffering。 Grasping the haft of the bolt； he jerked it