Sakura's Secret: Tales of Evermagic, #8

Copyright © 2014 Jessica Lorenne

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner, save for brief quotations in printed reviews without written permission in writing from the author.

All characters are fictional. Any resemblance to actual people are coincidental.

Cover design by Jessica Lorenne

Copyright © 2011-2012 by Sorkin Type Co (www.sorkintype.com),

with Reserved Font Name Metamorphous.

Cherry blossoms on cover art @

Ninja-Ryo.deviantart.com

***

For Nanna

my sister, my ally, my confidant.

Special Acknowledgment to Sunny,

Thanks for not letting me get away with anything.

And thanks to Rejected Princesses

for introducing me to this fairy tale.

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER 24

CHAPTER 25

CHAPTER 26

CHAPTER 27

CHAPTER 28

CHAPTER 29

CHAPTER 30

CHAPTER 31

CHAPTER 32

CHAPTER 33

EPILOGUE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CHAPTER 1

Once upon a time...

It’s been two years since I was sent six hundred years into the past. I’ve been running away from my brother for a long time now. But recently I made a deal with Rumpelstiltskin––master of the White Tiger guild and notorious troublemaker––to hide in another piece of time. A time where my brother doesn't exist. That’s why I’m here. But as it turns out, Rumpelstiltskin is not just the little goblin man from that fairy tale named after him. No, he also happens to be the trickster god Loki. I wonder what else he is and if this deal was just another one of his pranks.  

Yōkai! One of the crew in the crow’s nest pointed at the coast where two yōkai were racing over the ocean water without the aid of a boat. One, an oni, had long red hair, black skin, horns, and yellow eyes. With him was a sly-looking kitsune with long black hair, fox ears, white tail, and eyes of amethyst.

Captain, yōkai! The first mate, Torstein, cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted across the ship, but it was too late. The captain was crumpled unconscious under the fox spirit kitsune almost as soon as the warning was made.

When they saw him, he was grinning down at the rest of the crew. And then the black skinned oni landed among them with a great boom on the main deck. He straightened and looked around at them, smiling with pointed teeth. With his shoulders hunched, he looked like a starved gorilla. 

The crew, well accustomed to the danger of all lands and all tales by now, stood their ground. They wore faces expressing total confidence in their ability to survive and waited. 

Oh, look at that. A daring crew. Good pick. I'm excited already, the oni said in a low thug-like voice. He smirked as the salty wind flapped against the sails. With them, it flung strands of his hair like a whip about his neck and shoulders. 

Humph, Torstein ground his teeth, his eyes stuck on the fox and ignoring the oni.

The kitsune set his chin in his palm and grinned at the daring first mate. Yes, I imagine they will be much more fun to play with than the last group, he said. What were they? He glanced at his companion, the oni. Naval officers from the west was it?

Indeed, but their ship wasn’t anything like this. The oni smirked as his yellow gaze sized up the boat. It was much bigger with many more sails than any medieval vessel they were used to. His eyes flashed with excitement. A new challenge, how it thrilled him. He whirled around, his eyes now crazed with a lust for violence. Time to play! He leapt at Torstein first, for he didn't like him being so concerned with the captain that he hadn’t been paying attention to him.

The oni bounded down on him but was surprised when the yellow-haired man lifted up his sword to block him. He matched the oni's strength and power with ease and wore a grin that was on the side of insane. Though the oni was taller by a few inches, Torstein proved himself not so weak. He pushed the oni back with a grunt, his muscles rippling out. In response to the effort, his veins rose like mountains under his weather worn skin as if to hint at his true power. 

The kitsune watched a moment and then looked down, already bored with the exchange. The oni was still a child in his eyes, so it wasn’t a bother that he was struggling. Just so long as he won eventually. He glanced down at the captain and flicked out a claw to slit his throat with. But then another crew member came up from the other side of the helm and jumped him. 

The kitsune grit his teeth and grunted as he and his attacker tumbled down the stairs of the deck with a fit of noise. He then snarled when he recovered and turned on the man when they landed. The sailor didn't seem to care a bit that he'd injured himself in an attempt to save the captain. And though the kitsune considered it a noble act, it caused him trouble he didn’t care for.

He threw his hand at the sailor so a ball of blue fire consumed him and he smirked maliciously at his screams. With the sailor flailing behind him, he stood to look up the stairs at the helm. There, waiting for him, was the captain’s body still laying in a heap where he left it. 

He moved to go up to him but paused when two other crew members came to stand over the body. One grit his teeth, a determined light in his eyes.

I am not going to lose fifty years off my sentence by letting you kill the captain!

The other glared at the kitsune though seemed more upset by his companion's declaration. I should punch you for that! He growled at his mate. 

The rest of you might have taken to our ticket out of here, but I’m not convinced.

So, he is worth that much to you? The kitsune said, smiling as if he had ice for teeth. He lifted his hand so a ball of purple flame erupted into his palm. Then would you be willing to take this for him? He threw it at them, but the men took out a pair of shields and lifted them to protect themselves with. The kitsune narrowed his eyes. And when his attack stopped, the men lowered their shields.

Ever heard of a fire giant? The first man said with a smirk. 

They’re not as friendly as frost giants, the second scoffed. 

The kitsune grinned, his face cold and dark. With a flash, he was no longer in front of them. Both gasped, looking around for where he’d gone. They didn’t think to turn around until it was too late and felt the quick slash of a sword at their backs. Both grunted, their faces full of surprise as they slumped forward. With that, the kitsune stood over them as their blood dripped from the tip of his sword.

I imagine giants are not as sly when all they have to do is lumber about to squash you, he drawled. He took out a fan and used it to toss his long black hair off his shoulder. And then there was a shout on the deck. When he looked that way, he paused to discover that the oni––though he had wounded and killed many men––was still struggling with Torstein. 

The kitsune, frowning subtly, flashed down in a blink. He wrapped one arm around Torstein and lifted his other, claws at the ready, to his throat. Torstein froze, but the oni glowered at his companion, annoyed that he had intervened. 

You really are putting up a fight, the kitsune said, sounding amused. He glanced about to find that, though many of the crew were wounded, they were still standing. Their swords were poised and ready for the moment they had an opening. He suspected that if he wasn’t threatening the first mate’s life, they would have already launched themselves at him and the oni. What for? 

Haven’t you heard? Torstein said with a wicked grin in his voice. Vikings are not easy to kill. With that, he ripped out of the kitsune’s hold and threw him back. 

The oni shouted and moved to counter when there was a sudden scream. The crew froze and the oni lowered his brow, looking about for being caught off guard by the sound. 

The captain is awake, someone whispered in an ominous voice. 

The kitsune, hidden in the corner of the ship he'd landed in, glanced at the helm where the sound had come from. He stared to see the captain had regained consciousness and was holding two of the men he’d killed. He blinked, staring.

Now that the captain’s face was no longer covered he saw that she was a woman. Her face shook with fierce anger as her bulging eyes lifted to look down at the rest of the crew. She stood, her whole body trembling with rage.

Who's killing my lackeys? She hissed with such intensity even the sails quivered.

Ugh, she’s done it again, one of them grumbled with the roll of his eyes. He lifted his hands to his mouth and shouted at her. We’re not your servants, captain!

She ignored him as her leaf-green eyes stared down at the main deck. She looked at each there until her gaze finally landed on the stranger that stood among them. When she spotted him, she leapt up onto the railing in front of her where a blast of wind swirled around her.

She took out a long, straight, single-handed sword with a sakura tree designed through the blade. To see it brought out made the men shiver and cower back. And then she leapt up, her sword set and ready to pierce. She came down on the oni, who barely blocked her when it came.

He gasped and leapt back a couple of feet, bewildered by her speed. He stared at her, gritting his teeth. She was breathing heavily through her nose like a bull in blind rage. And then she came and swung her elegant sword above her head, setting it in position again to attack him. 

She came and he lifted his hand, using it to slice his claws at her, but she bent back to avoid his attack. Doing so, she reached behind her. And still in motion, she took a kanzahi hairpin out of place so her hair came tumbling down. With it in hand, she thrust forward, spun downward, and pierced at the nerve cluster at his knee. He collapsed, shouting curses as he did. When he looked up, the captain had her sword pointed down at his neck.

Leave this place now, she growled through her teeth. Or yours will be the first blood I ever spill, she warned, her eyes shaking with sorrow and anger and––was that fear?

The oni, not seeing his companion anywhere, growled, his eyes turned to slits. He snarled and then in a flash, was gone. The crew and their captain stepped back as a wind signaled he’d left. When he was out of sight, she ground her teeth and looked out at the sea, but the crew had other things on their mind. 

Thank you, captain, Torstein said, walking past to pat her shoulder.

Ales turned around and frowned after at him, her arm slumping under his hand. He was already kneeling and caring for one of the wounded by the time her eyes found him. She went to him and hesitantly helped by putting pressure on the wound.

Albin, Jens, and Simon are dead, she whispered, bowing her head as she remembered their corpses. She’d seen death before, that wasn’t what bothered her. She grit her teeth. She was angry that she’d lost so many people willing to put up with her and treat her in more or less a way she was used to. Like a princess.

Torstein nodded. That was the fox, he said. The oni killed Steffen, Walter, Yngve, and Samuel II. Most everyone else was just wounded or knocked around.

Ales put her head in her hand. I’m sorry, Torstein, she whispered looking up at him.

He shook his head. You could not have prevented this. That fox knocked you out the second they reached us. I should have been better at protecting you. He smirked then and tightened the bandage on their companion, who grunted. Ales put her fingers on his forehead to brush away the sweat that was there. Funny, though. We were contracted to care for you in exchange for our sentence being shortened. He looked back at her and shook his head. And yet it is you that has saved us more times than I care to remember. 

Hmmm. She smiled up at him. I wasn’t too enthused with the deal myself. But it hasn’t been all bad, she said with a nod and glance about. At least she wasn’t alone, and they were taking care of her. She couldn’t do that herself. It turned out that desperate men were easy to manipulate. She was getting away with more than she would have in any other case with them.

To think the Rumpelstiltskin of your time and the god Loki are the same person. He thinned his lips. Makes you wonder what other spirits have more than one identity.

She stood and sighed. I suppose a spirit or god would be seen differently through the eyes of varying people. Then there is their habit of changing faces. Who might be the goddess of love in this part of the world might be the goddess of love in another. Only her name and face would be changed... She pushed back her hair and went to another wounded mate. Torstein followed her and they helped him as others were hurrying about to do the same. I have been curious, she said, wiping the blood off this one’s chest but not being too gentle. She didn’t care much for any kind of work. But at least this way she was doing enough so that they wouldn’t be too irritated with her. What did Loki make you do that got you banished from your home for two hundred years anyway? She asked.

Torstein scoffed. Just one of his pranks. Thor was not pleased. He is the one who sent us away. He nodded, thinking about it. But he also agreed to take off fifty years of our sentence if we looked after you for a hundred years, he said. 

Was it worth it? She asked quietly. 

Torstein paused. He smiled and nodded. It was difficult at first, you not liking the idea of being a pirate. But we got a new ship from the future out of the deal and a loyal and protective comrade to boot, he said with a nod at her. She grinned, knowing she ought to feel guiltier for not reciprocating his fondness for her. We never cared that you’re a girl. Our women have always been fierce in battle. It is only difficult that you don’t enjoy our practices. But. He stood, now going to another mate. We have made more loot with you in charge and less of us have died up ‘til now. He looked back at her and laughed. I suppose it is because you abhor violence and won’t let us play ‘less the necessity of it is absolute.

Ales chuckled dryly at his referring to death as a game. She still couldn’t get over their habit of killing. She’d imagined doing it many times but was never able to bring herself to commit the act. She feared the guilt too much. 

Torstein’s face fell then, and he turned full to face her. But instead of continuing the conversation as seemed to be his intent, he stopped and swallowed. She stared curiously at him and then pivoted around to look behind her where he stared. 

Whisper, Col, she swallowed. The crew had gathered around her now, staring down the two boys who had appeared as suddenly as the yōkai.

Another fox? One of the crew growled when he saw the one’s ears and tail.

No! Ales turned around and held out her arms to stop any fight they might start. She looked back at the boys, swallowing again. No, they’re all right. She faced them then and took a deep breath. Why have you come? She asked weakly. She hadn’t expected to see them for another ninety-eight years.

I am sorry Miss Penta-lady, Col, the dark-haired one said, his eyes a little sad. We have to take you back now. His look was of one who was struggling to break the news to her.

Take her back? Torstein came and stood between her and them. She has ninety-eight years with us. Why would you be taking her back now? Loki, or Rum––whoever he is to you––made a deal. We get her for a hundred years. In exchange, Thor takes fifty off our two-hundred-year banishment.

Whisper was in his face in a flash. Your god changed his mind, stupid.

Ales stared, surprised by Whisper’s impatient comment. The usual softness in his face, though remained relaxed, had a bitterness to it she didn’t understand. Torstein grit his teeth. He swiped his hand to grab Whisper’s throat, but the boy was out of his reach with the same disappearing act as that of the yōkai. 

Ales took Torstein’s arm and stared at the boys as a seagull called overhead. I don't understand. Why am I being brought back? She asked.

The Spirit King is demanding it, Col said with regret in his tone. He says it wasn’t time for you to come here. He was pretty upset. He scratched his arm and sighed. Please. Though the Spirit King isn’t violent, he can cause a lot of trouble for our Master in other ways.

Ales stared at him and then she shut her eyes and lowered her head. And what about my brother? She asked, her voice shaking. The crew tensed, exchanging glances. After two years, they had eventually learned what she was running away from. And now that she was one of them, a sense of protectiveness for one of their own made it hard to let her go back to that life.

You will have to keep running, Whisper stated, his usual calm returned.

Ales stared at him and then looked away as a brush of sea breeze wrapped around her neck and limbs. She’d hated that feeling until now. Hesitantly, she nodded, peeling out from the bodies surrounding her. They took a step after her but stopped themselves. They knew what she was. And because of that, she could not disobey the Spirit King. She went to the boys and then looked back at the men who had taken care of her for the past two years. She smiled sadly.

Thank you, she called to them. For everything. She sniffed and laughed at her sadness. She hadn’t expected to feel so melancholy at having to leave them. Or maybe it wasn’t that at all, but knowing she was going to be on her own again. She didn’t know how to live like that. On her own. No servants, no one to call for in a moment of crises caused by her own ignorance, and she didn’t care much to learn. 

Training the lot to be at her beck and call had been bothersome. And now that she’d just finally gotten used to their ways, she was being forced to start all over again with nothing. 

Torstein. I relinquish the duty of captain back into your hands. Take care of them. And holding both boys by the hand, she disappeared without a trace.

In the sails above, the kitsune considered what he’d seen. And then, humming to himself, he vanished.

CHAPTER 2

After two years of playing a not very good pirate, I was brought back to my own time only hours after I first left. The Spirit King was gone, and Rum didn’t look all too happy to see me again so soon.

Rum sat with one leg crossed over the other at his desk. And the old man face he’d been wearing when Ales first met him was gone. He looked young and handsome with black hair and blue eyes so dark they could have been mistaken for black also. He sighed and looked up at her as she and his two youngest guild members appeared. He glanced down at the boys, and with a nod, sent them out. When the door clicked shut behind them, Ales opened her eyes to glare at him.

What am I doing back? She snapped, the timid little girl of before gone. 

He stared at her, surprised a moment by her fierceness. She had been so meek when he first met her. He sighed, deciding to blame it all on the Vikings. They would teach her to be snappy. Though it very well could have been a selfish princess thing also. Since he didn’t know her well, he couldn’t say which was the cause of her rudeness. Though he sensed a weakness in her that suggested it might have been the latter. 

It was not my intent to return you so early, nor at this time and place, he began.

"Right. Because our deal was I would spend a hundred years in the past so that when I came back, it would be ten years from now. And you promised it would be in the last place he would look for me! She cried, keeping her panicked tears trapped behind her eyes. He is already looking for me here!" She shouted, her hands trembling at her chest.

Rum frowned at her. He nodded, thinking perhaps it really was that she was just spoiled. It was obvious she was used to getting her way. Though, if she had trained the men to treat her like a queen, that she hadn’t changed was partially their fault. They should have been putting her right as he’d hoped. 

I know. He stood and went around his desk to the shelf he’d only just set a graft of cherry blossoms on. He turned and held it out to her. And because I had to retract the deal, here is your payment returned, he said, watching her.

Ales stared at it, swallowed, and looked away. Can you hide it here? She asked, her voice trembling. If a part of me is kept somewhere safe. I might... She cleared her throat. If he has his way I might. She lifted her head to quicken back the tears gathering in her eyes.

Rum frowned at her. He nodded and twisted around to place the branch back. I wish I could give you an acceptable explanation, but Alaric offered me none. He only spoke with anger of how your timeline cannot be tampered with. He insisted that the next time you are to do any time traveling he is to be consulted with, he explained.

I have never met him. Why does he care? She asked with the bitter shake of her head.

Rum smiled wryly. "Jack the Green is aware of all those under his care. And he does care. Too much sometimes I think. But we have very different roles in our different worlds. I cannot understand why he does what he does, for my motivation is not the same as his. Though contrary to popular belief, I do like to be helpful when I’m not playing," he said, now sitting again. 

What happens to the crew? She asked, not able to make herself sit.

Rum considered her, thinking a moment. Do you really care? He asked.

She pursed her lips together and looked off to the side, not looking as if she did.

He smirked. "My