Page 70 of Drawn into Oblivion

No one said a word, only stared. She looked so different, and yet so achingly familiar, as though he had been waiting to see her as she now appeared, hair barely long enough to braid into a ponytail, which she touched nervously while wincing at him.

“Is it bad?” she asked.

“It’s beautiful,” he declared without hesitation. Of course she was as stunning as ever, perhaps more so, but he realized the significance of cutting off so much and would do or say anything to ease her misgivings. He stepped close and lifted her hand to his lips. “I’m so deeply in love with you,” he whispered before laying a soft kiss in her palm.

Her cheeks were red when he lifted his head, and turned redder still when he winked at her. He barely refrained from kissing her.

“I was starting to wonder whether Rosuke would need to go get you,” Shumei said.

“M-my apologies, Empress,” she said, turning her gaze to Shumei. Mai nodded as she acknowledged the rest of those assembled. “To everyone as well. I realized my long hair could prove a liability. And it’s time to let go of the past,” she added.

Shumei gave her a benevolent smile. “Smart thinking.”

Mai laughed. “It’s amazing how much lighter my head feels.”

“Perhaps I should also…” Rosuke wondered aloud. He reached back to touch his ponytail, now much longer than hers. She looked up at him with a small pout of resistance, which he regarded with a mix of shock and affection. “No?”

“Right,” Shumei said with authority. Everyone gave her their attention. “Now that we’re all here, it’s time. This will work, I know it.”

Rosuke nodded in firm agreement, nervous and yet confident at the same time. Never had an empress so powerful gone up against the Damned One, and never with such a daring, unconventional plan that put her in more danger than what previous empresses had faced during their invasion attempts.

As Vallen and Shumei led the way, Vallen linked hands with her, and Oka walked on the empress’s other side, her hand resting on his nape. The rest of Shumei’s companions followed. They passed the Blue Room, a meeting space meant for house elders. Both of the Winter ladies bowed from the open door and joined their procession. Half a dozen officers who had convened in the Green Room also joined.

As they walked the halls of the residential palace, the line of witnesses behind them grew longer. Officers, house elders, pages, and even the handful of brownies who staffed the kitchens. Mai was relieved to spot Kyoko as they proceeded past the Yellow Room. Kyoko’s eyes were dry, albeit still red, but she walked with her head held high and proud.

A few dozen court members had joined the empress’s procession by the time they entered the rear of Lantern House. No one spoke, and the sound of so many feet marching on the marble of the central hallway sent a chill up Mai’s spine. She felt as though she was one breath away from throwing up, and glanced at Rosuke, curious to see if he looked anywhere near as anxious as she was.

He must have felt her gaze on him, for he turned to her with a small smile and a nod, and his warm hand squeezed hers. His attempt to reassure her almost had an effect, for he appeared as placid as a quiet, early morning, but the tightness around his eyes betrayed his anxiety. Strangely, knowing he was also nervous still somehow bolstered her.

Ahead of them, a bright yellow glow shone through the decorative transom windows above the entrance. As Shumei approached, two palace guards opened the wide, ornate doors and revealed the collective gleam of a thousand lanterns held aloft by the silent throng of the Dark Court. Mai dropped her jaw in awe. Shumei, Vallen, and Oka continued forward without pause and followed a winding route through the crowd.

The only voices Mai heard as she walked behind the empress were those whispering prayers, but every face along the path beamed with hope and pride. She recognized several people from House Sakura, and their earnest expressions filled her with determination. Their group then proceeded beyond the complex’s outer walls and into the city, where even more people waited along the main road, lanterns and candles held high.

Despite the humbling show of support, Mai couldn’t take her eyes off the darkness ahead, past the city gates. Like any human who valued their life would, no matter the color of their hair, she knew of and feared the horrors that emerged while the sun was away. In reaction, her magic prickled with irritation. Even if the empress’s plan worked and they defeated the Damned One, a long time would have to pass before anyone felt safe traveling at night.

“Mai,” Rosuke whispered, scattering her thoughts. She looked up at him, then down at their clasped hands. She was crushing his fingers. Loosening her grip, she grimaced at him in a silent apology. He smiled faintly and mouthed the words I love you. Touched, she returned the sentiment with a small smile.

A moment later, they were past the city gates, and she felt it the second she passed through the barrier over the city—a shell of sizzling magic that had stood strong against demons for months. It certainly wouldn’t do if the empress, now exposed, were injured by a stray demon before she could even make the journey to Oblivion, so the officers in their procession formed a protective ring around them, eyes watchful. Having left behind the glow of lanterns and candles, Mai glanced at the sky, where the shadowed face of a new moon sat. She wondered whether this would be the last time she would see stars.

The dark silhouettes of unoccupied homesteads dotted the outskirts of Houfu. Their barrier charms had failed, and any homes that hadn’t been burned during the first demon invasion had been abandoned as the farmers fled to the relative safety of the city. The rest of the farmland was bare, the year’s crops already harvested, and Mai could see exactly where they were heading. Someone waited for them, torch in hand, in the middle of an empty field.

Her heart pounded. If all went well, the gate spell would be active in only a few minutes. And that meant she’d be setting foot in Oblivion in less time than it took to get dressed in the morning. Nervous energy made her want to shake out her trembling hands, or twist her sleeve cuffs, or even hit something.

Her only solace was seeing the same nervous energy in the others. Rosuke took deep, deliberate breaths, in through his nose and out through his mouth. Behind her, Jun obsessively stroked his beard, and Kiyoshi pounded his fist on his right leg every time he took a step. Even Vallen clenched and relaxed his free hand, popping his knuckles one by one. The only person who seemed calm was the empress.

When they came near enough, Mai recognized their torchbearer as Captain Yuushi. His expression was grim. “Good evening, Empress,” he greeted as he held out a satchel.

“Good evening, Captain.” Shumei took the bag from him and looped its strap across her chest. “Is everything ready?”

He nodded and shined his torch over a twenty-foot circle on the ground made with a thick line of coal dust. Within the spell area, sulfur had already been used to draw the magic circle that would take them into Oblivion. An incantation written in Mahou encompassed the outer ring, and another incantation spiraled inward. A small circle near the center contained a rotten, fleshy mass that was supposed to be a demon’s heart, and another circle positioned on the outer ring was empty. Soon, it would accept an offering of human blood.

The empress studied the sulfur-drawn circle, looking for any mistakes, while her companions waited at the edge of the ring of coal dust. The rest of the court watched from a safe distance. She then nodded, satisfied, and spoke a few soft words to Yuushi. He bowed low in response before backing away, taking the light of the torch with him.

Mai’s eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness, and she watched with a lump in her throat as the empress went to her knees to hug her brother. Oka’s young, shaky voice carried far on the chilly breeze, begging her to be careful and come back alive. Shumei’s response was too low to make out, but the empress kissed her brother’s head, and Mai found herself turning away.

A warm hand grasped hers, and she started as she looked up at Rosuke, whose desperate gaze pierced the darkness. “This isn’t a goodbye kiss,” he said, sliding his other hand to her nape. His face dipped close, and her eyes fell shut as he claimed her mouth. She laid her hand on his chest and found his racing heartbeat. His kiss was softer than expected, sweeter and slower. She tasted love on his lips, and a promise.

He pulled away sooner than she’d have liked, stroking her cheek as he did, and regarded her a moment more before turning his attention to Shumei. Oka had gone to Yuushi’s side, and beyond the captain, the rest of the court solemnly stood witness.