To Chart the Clouds: A Legend of the Five Rings Novel by Evan Dicken
Author:Evan Dicken [Dicken, Evan]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: samurai, legend of the five rings, media tie-in, fantasy
Publisher: Aconyte
Published: 2022-01-18T00:00:00+00:00
Chapter Nineteen
âI donât believe you.â ShinzÅ gripped the hilt of his sword, but Isami was grateful to see it remained sheathed for the moment.
âIt hardly matters what you believe. The records are there.â Keisuke kept his hands well clear of his blades.
âLady Miya,â ShinzÅ turned to Isami, âthis is but another ruse.â
âIf I wanted you dead,â Keisuke replied, âI had but to order Masaru to cut your throat.â
ShinzÅ looked as if he wished to spit. âThe Scorpion wishes to lure us into his lair.â
âAh, yes, Journeyâs End City,â Keisuke said with a wry thrust of his chin. âTruly, the Bayushi will shower me with accolades when I present them with an apprentice cartographer and disgraced archivist.â
Isami ignored the insult. âWhat does Keisuke have to gain by taking us to the Scorpion archives?â
âInformation,â ShinzÅ spat back. âNone know where we are, so no one will speak out if we are tortured for details.â
âDetails on what exactly?â Keisuke cocked his head. âThe finer points of Lion genealogy?â He flicked his fingers at Isami. âHow to properly shade riverbanks?â
Gorobeiâs stifled chuckle earned a glare from ShinzÅ, but the former rÅnin only shook his head.
âHe makes a fair point.â
âAre you not familiar with the parable of the Scorpion and the Frog?â ShinzÅâs scowl was as unyielding as granite. âHe is a Bayushi, he does not need a reason for betrayal. If we trust this man, we shall be dead before winter, mark my words.â
âYou speak of betrayal, yet the only blade I needed fear was yours.â Isami could see from the twitch of ShinzÅâs frown that her barb had struck home. Isamiâs already brittle temper began to fracture. Master Tadataka had spoken of moving sand, but Ikoma ShinzÅ was like a boulder â difficult to shift and impossible to stop once he had begun rolling.
Isami swallowed against the tightness in her throat. She needed to resolve this argument before things ended in blood. There was but one path left to chart.
âIf you cannot see reason, then go.â
As she had hoped, the suddenness of Isamiâs command seemed to surprise ShinzÅ.
âAre you not a scholar? Do you not deal in facts?â Isami took a step toward the archivist, uncomfortably aware he still had a hand on his blade. âWe have lain out our arguments. If anger overwhelms your reason, then there is nothing more to say.â
âLady?â Confusion warred with fury in ShinzÅâs eyes.
âReturn to Lord Hanbei, tell him the Scorpion have quit Stone Willow Valley. He will be pleased, Iâm sure. Perhaps he will even reinstate some small scrap of your former reputation.â Isami made a vague gesture toward the north. âYou will have delivered new land to the Lion, at least until Lady Kaede arrives with reinforcements and drenches the valley in blood.â
ShinzÅ opened his mouth, but no words emerged.
âWould you give your life for your clan?â Isami asked. âFor the Empire?â
âWithout question.â ShinzÅâs reply came before Isami had even finished.
âThen do it,â she said. âIf this is a trap, you are no more doomed than now.
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