Seven Paths to Death by Dorothy Hoobler

Author:Dorothy Hoobler
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin USA, Inc.

12

OVER CONFIDENCE

It was a new experience for Seikei to share a cell with Bunzo. They occupied the one next to the carpenter’s. As soon as Kitsune made his move, Bunzo and Seikei would trap him.

At least, that was the plan. Although Seikei couldn’t exactly see any flaw in it, he felt they were underestimating Kitsune. “I saw him defeat three men before they even realized they were being attacked,” Seikei warned Bunzo. “And he was only using his hands and a fighting stick.”

“They were carpenters,” replied Bunzo. “You could probably have defeated them yourself if you’d been more alert.”

Seikei had to admit he’d been off guard. “But Kitsune has many weapons. And he can change into the form of a fox.”

“If he’s a fox, he can’t drag our prisoner very far,” Bunzo said. “You know what Kitsune’s greatest weakness is?”

Seikei was curious. As far as he knew, Kitsune had no weaknesses.

“His overconfidence,” Bunzo declared. “He’s so used to people fearing him because he knows a few tricks and sneaks around in the middle of the night that he thinks he cannot be defeated. I’m surprised that you believe it. Remember when you marched onto his sacred mountain and forced him to confess to a murder?”

Seikei could hardly have forgotten. It was one of his proudest moments. He had been given his two swords in recognition. “But when that happened,” he reminded Bunzo, “I had a gofu, a stone that contained a spirit. I traded it for the confession.”

Bunzo shrugged. “I have something better than a magic rock.” He patted the two hilts at his obi. “I have my swords.”

Seikei’s spine tingled. He’d seen Bunzo practicing with wooden swords, which he wielded so swiftly that the air whistled. As for his real swords, Seikei had seen Bunzo unsheathe them to polish and sharpen them. Only once had he seen Bunzo use them. To test the long blade’s sharpness, Bunzo had taken Seikei to the execution grounds. There the dead bodies of criminals were displayed as a warning to those tempted to violate the law.

Bunzo had found a body that was relatively fresh and suspended it from a rope. With one blow of his sword, he had sliced it in two. Witnessing that, Seikei felt a mixture of awe and fear that anyone could wield such power. The same emotions swept through him now as he wondered how he would feel if Bunzo did the same thing to Kitsune.

Time passed. Seikei could hear snores coming from the cell next door. They had not wanted to alarm the carpenter by telling him they were there for his protection. Seikei himself felt weary, but he was too nervous to sleep. Across the cell, he knew Bunzo sat as alert as a cat—breathing softly, ready to spring into action. That thought alone was enough to prevent Seikei from falling asleep.

Seikei remembered Kitsune’s warning that Seikei could not defeat him. “Then I will die in the attempt,” Seikei had told the ninja.

Were those only words? Or

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.