This was unlike any festival Koichi had ever seen. There were no kids playing in the streets and no smiling faces. No one shouted out for their wares. Everyone here was as grim as if they attended a funeral.
In a trance.
While being constipated.
It made no sense. And that was what Koichi hated about people. Yokai he understood. They were predictable. After years of hunting them, he knew their habits as well as he knew his own. Right down to what time of night they picked their noses.
They always acted in similar patterns and did what was expected.
People?
He had never quite gotten the hang of them.
They had their own hidden agendas that only made sense to them.
Worse? They could be extremely irrational and acted with no motivation whatsoever. No one ever knew what fueled their hatred or their hostility.
Or even their love.
Made for all kinds of problems.
Such as the brat he carried.
He’d never understood why Haruka had fallen in love with Ryu. Why she’d been so determined to have him, no matter the cost. Why she’d been willing to risk the fate of all the worlds for one man.
Humans and gods made no sense to whatsoever.
And to make matters worse, these people were like nothing he’d ever seen before. There was no light in their eyes. It was as if their souls had been taken.
Just like there was no sun in their village.
Another curse from the twins or their moon god father?
It would certainly explain the villagers’ zombielike state. Why they didn’t care about strangers or anything else.
Gods, what am I walking into?Koichi had no idea, and he liked that even less.
Masaru cocked his head, following Koichi’s observant gaze. “Funny, isn’t it?”
Keiko scowled at him. “What?”
“How much effort mortals have to go through to touch the divine... or even glimpse it.” He passed an irritated smirk toward Koichi. “This would have been so much simpler if Koichi were a kitsune. Then we could have simply walked him into the Ryukage’s lands.”
Koichi scoffed. “Spare us your wit, Masaru. After all, we’re here to correctyourmistake,kitsune.”
With a growl, Masaru moved toward him.
Keiko stepped between the two and caught Masaru before he could make contact with Koichi. “Regardless of why we’re here, I’m sure the Ryukage has discovered the subterfuge by now.” She looked at Masaru and then Koichi. “Every road and path will have the Shadow King’s dark eyes and ears all over them. He will not expect the mighty Masaru to go through all this effort to take the same route as mortals.” She smiled at Masaru. “You are many things, my dear, but hardworking is not one of them. He’ll expect you to take the easy route back to his door.”
Masaru laughed. “What can I say? I’m a creature of habit. Besides, why should I run when I can walk? Or, better yet, sit.”
Koichi shook his head.Yokai. So predictable.Even sneaky kitsune.
Unless they were involved with mortals. Then the mortals tended to wear off on them and make them wretchedly unpredictable again.
A sudden shout rang out, drawing his attention away from his thoughts.
That could only mean one thing—the Noh play had started, and the gods were being summoned to this plane.
