The Priestess and the Dragon (Dragon Saga Book 1, Wattpad Version)

Chapter Thirty-One

Kaito and Tsuki were going down a list of names and Tsuki was ticking off more deaths to Kaito’s continued horror. Kaito crouched down on the ground, his head resting in his hands. He kept asking about more people, while Tsuki recounted numerous gruesome deaths, his descriptions getting more graphic with each new name.  Suzume felt a sudden urge to be away. She needed fresh air she decided. She stood up and slipped out of the room. Kaito and Tsuki were so ensconced in their conversation, neither of them noticed her leaving.

Outside the night was closing in. Cicadas sung in the dark, their shrill cries rising up to the moon and stars above. Suzume walked towards the decimated temple where she had talked with Hisato. In the dark, the beams and broken shards of wood look like a barren forest.  Would I be willing to join Hisato, if it meant I would be free of all of this? The thought kept popping up in her head. Kaito, Akira and Tsuki, even Rin all saw her as Kazue. I’m not her. I’m Suzume.  Hisato said he knew her, the real Suzume, no one had said that to her before. No one knew the real her, she hid it deep down where no one could touch it, yet Hisato had spoken her thoughts. He was right; she did have a blood lust, a boiling anger that sometimes threatened to swallow her whole. How can he know me? Or am I Kazue? And he is just telling me what Kazue was like before me? She growled and raked her hands through her hair.  

Footsteps fell on the landing behind her. Suzume spun around expecting another attack. She left the staff behind and she felt naked without it.  There was no light in this part of the temple but the stars above. The shadows were long and reaching Suzume. She squinted in the dark looking for a possible attacker. Rin approached, materializing from the darkness and shadows Suzume had been cloaked in. Rin had her arms wrapped around her torso, as if she was fighting off a chill. Now that the clouds had dissipated, however, it was humid, the heat and moisture stuck to the skin and sweat rolled down to the small of Suzume’s back.

“What do you want?” Suzume said. She would rather be alone.

“You’re not going to do it, are you?”

Suzume froze up. Did Rin suspect Suzume of wanting to go over to Hisato? Suzume wanted to learn more about him, like how he knew things about her that no one else knew.

“What are you talking about?” Suzume’s voice was high and squeaky.

Rin sighed. She walked over and surveyed the dark temple grounds. She was close to Suzume but not close enough to be considered a threat.  Rin spoke to the darkness, “You’re not really going to try and seal Kaito away again, are you?”

Rin looked at Suzume from the corner of her eyes.  Suzume turned away. Even though she wasn’t looking at her directly, Suzume got the impression Rin could see right through her, as if she were transparent.  “Not if he doesn’t give me a reason to,” Suzume said.

The wind rustled through the gingko trees and there was nothing said for a few moments.

Rin exhaled. “I’m glad, I was worried...”

The relief in her voice irked Suzume for some reason. Rin had insisted there was nothing between Kaito and her but Suzume couldn’t help but wonder. What does it matter if there’s something between them? Maybe if there was, he wouldn’t look at me like I’m Kazue, his reincarnated lover. No matter what she told herself, however, she felt a twinge of jealousy.

“What do you think about this Hisato guy?” Suzume asked Rin just for want of a change of subject.

Rin did not answer right away. She leaned on an intact pole that was held up what was left of the covered walkway.

“I don’t know but he gives me a bad feeling. He’s very powerful, if he can create an illusion that realistic. Not to mention, he fought you while maintaining two illusions at once. I wouldn’t say this to Kaito but I don’t think even he could do that.”