The information Sesshoumaru gleaned from Umeko that evening left him feeling like he’d feasted on hollow rice: Looked like rice, tasted like rice, but was nothing more than an empty husk. What was and wasn’t true about Umeko’s report, Sesshoumaru wouldn’t be able to say until he could compare it with information he collected independently. She’d told him Lord Yomitora was still waiting for word from Lord Asahi whether or not he was willing to make an alliance, which directly contradicted what Sesshoumaru had learned from Lord Arashi’s bat demons. Furthermore, he still wasn’t so sure about those two. Much of his suspicion stemmed from the fact that Lord Nishi had refused to meet with them in his den, choosing to hear their message in a forest clearing away from the den’s entrance. Sesshoumaru could understand his father wanting to keep the precise location of his main residence a secret. And yet…this was the sort of meeting that would ordinarily have taken place in the den. Seshoumaru’s lip twitched into a smug smirk: Lord Nishi had been pleased with him for thinking to send Jigokuyari ahead to warn him about the visitors before they got very deep into the forest.
        As he sat on the roof of Lord Yomitora’s mansion, waiting for Umeko and Lord Yasha to exhaust themselves, Sesshoumaru recalled the audience with the bat demons and tried to sort out exactly what bothered him about them. Lord Nishi had clearly been suspicious from the start:
        "Did you think I wouldn’t know about the alliance between Asahi and the human?" Lord Nishi had rumbled at the messengers, his golden eyes flashing like hard topaz. "And how did your Lord hear tell of this alliance?"
        Lady Houseki had bowed her head, but her body remained stiff, like a taught bowstring. "My Lord has spies in the houses of his enemies, as I’m sure you do, as well, Lord Nishi."
        Lord Nishi’s expression had remained cold and unreadable. "That would imply Lord Arashi has spies in my halls…"
        "And you in his, my Lord."
        "And Lord Asahi in the house of your Lord," Lord Nishi had countered evenly. "You come to me from Lord Arashi, but I can’t seem to find his mon anywhere on either of you." He’d gestured with an elegant wave of his hand at Sesshoumaru and Jigokuyari and added: "See? Here are my son and my vassal. There is my mon on each of them." He’d pointed then to the plum blossom motif on Sesshoumaru’s kimono and the plum blossom crest on Jigokuyari’s coat, just below his shoulders. "Show me proof that you come from Lord Arashi, and I will hear his offer of alliance."
        The bat lady had smiled, allowing her teeth to show. "We have just come from Lord Asahi’s lair, spies for Lord Arashi. We would not wear our Lord’s mon in the house of his enemy."
        "But you told me you had just come from Lord Arashi!" Sesshoumaru had interrupted. To his relief, his father had only nodded his approval.
        "We had first to report to our own master," she had replied smoothly. "Lord Arashi ordered us to go quickly to your Lord father. We did not change our clothes."
        In the room below Sesshoumaru’s perch, Umeko let out an extended wail of ecstasy, distracting the demon from his thoughts. How could they go at it for so long, every single night, he wondered. Why couldn’t they do something more useful to him, like having long, detailed discussions about their Lord’s plans. And while they were at it, how about some information on the mysterious Lord Yasha who may or may not have anything to do with the Yomitora-employed mercenary named Yasha, whom Sesshoumaru’s parents had killed and eaten all those years ago? The more he was forced to only hear and smell the man, rather than see him, the more curious about him Sesshoumaru became (and just what was that weird spice scent that always clung to him?!) Who was he and what was he to Yomitora Clan? The most he’d been able to determine was that Yasha was an assumed name but he couldn’t tell if the man used it exclusively, or if he also had a family name to go with it. So far, he’d only heard Umeko talk to him, and she always called him either Lord Yasha or just Yasha. He and Umeko seemed to be in love, though they also seemed to have a Lord/Servant relationship outside of the bedroom. That still didn’t tell Sesshoumaru whether or not Umeko was a Ninja, as he’d wondered after she’d sneaked into his room the other night. So far, his cautious post-Umeko prowls hadn’t revealed any evidence that Lord Yomitora employed Ninja. That could just mean the Ninja were disguised as ordinary members of the household (which supported his Umeko theory), or that they hid themselves very well. He doubted Lord Yomitora would house them away from his palace: With war brewing, he’d want them near to hand in case his enemy made an assassination attempt. Or he wanted to make one on Lord Nishi, Sesshoumaru thought with a frown. No, that would be foolish, sending mere humans into a Great Demon’s den to assassinate him. Hmmm…or was Umeko’s foray into his chamber an experiment, as she’d told her precious Yasha, to see if she could sneak up on a demon and get away with it? Of course, she’d also said she was curious to know what sex with a demon would be like, but Sesshoumaru believed the first reason more (though he couldn’t blame her for the second, since demons were far superior to her own race in every way).
        The sound of Lord Yasha walking to the open window snapped Sesshoumaru into full alertness. His dark-haired head leaned out the window, then started to turn to look up at the roof. Sesshoumaru quickly and quietly moved to the other side of the roof peak, out of sight. Another advantage a demon had over a human, one even a Ninja couldn’t match, Sesshoumaru thought smugly. He waited, belly pressed against the tiles, listening and sniffing the air. Yasha smelled human, like a man and a woman, being covered with Umeko’s sweat and scent as well as his own. He used scented oil on his hair, that spice that was unfamiliar to Sesshoumaru. Mixed with the smell of sweat and sex, it was simply nauseating to the dog demon’s ultra-sensitive nose. Wait a minute: Why was he able to smell that so clearly from here when the man was in a room on the other side of…
        Sesshoumaru cursed silently and jumped off the roof just as Yasha’s head peeked over the crest of the roof. The demon pressed himself against the wall of the house, under the eaves, looking for a better hiding place. If he was seen lurking about after his meeting with Umeko… But wouldn’t they expect it? No matter, he mustn’t be discovered. He looked up to find an open window just over his head. It was dark with no sounds coming from it, but there were the scents of a man and a woman. He hoped they were asleep and jumped through the window to land soundlessly on the floor just inside. Carefully closing the shutters behind him, he moved to one side of the window and hugged the wall as he moved around to a corner hidden by a rice paper screen. He got behind it and hunkered down to plan his escape. Going back outside was no good. He might be able to sneak through the house at this hour without encountering anyone. He flexed his claws. Except Umeko. No doubt when Yasha went up and over, Umeko went into the house to cut off that means of escape. He could kill them… After all, Yomitora had already made up his mind about war, if Umeko and the bat demons were to be believed. And yet, he hadn’t noticed that the Clan was preparing for war. He’d expected more armored men, weapons being stockpiled and prepared, horses freshly shod, messengers coming and going more frequently. The place was…peaceful. Even during the day. Most unusual.
        "Can’t just sit here and wait for Yasha to crawl through the window," he thought in disgust and decided to risk sneaking about the house. He got the distinct impression that Lord Yasha was someone who would soon be missed, by more than just his lover, should Sesshoumaru be forced to kill him. Sesshoumaru moved from behind the screen and along the wall to the door. He pulled back that screen as quietly as he could, then slipped through and closed it behind him with equal care. Empty, dark passage with another door across from him. He guessed that was Yasha’s room. If that was so, he should be able to smell Umeko from here. He sniffed and easily caught her scent. He strained his ears to listen for her, eyes darting back and forth, monitoring either end of the passage. Someone was moving about in the room across from him—and in the one behind him! A soft thump: Could be someone dropping down from a window sill, or it could be one of the two people who’d already been in the room moving about in their sleep. Sesshoumaru decided not to take the chance, picked a direction and ran. Inside door…inside door…big, open door! He ducked into the enormous room and frantically looked around for another exit. None. He looked up: Heavy wooden beams supporting a wood plank ceiling. No hiding in the rafters, then, not that he expected the possibility in such a house. It was then that Sesshoumaru realized he was in Lord Yomitora’s audience chamber…and it bore the faint, fading aroma of demons. So, the old fool had indeed entertained demons as recently as…sniff-sniff…tonight. He prowled the perimeter of the room, keeping to the shadows, and sniffed, trying to better pin down when the demons had been in that room. Not long ago…just after moonset?! How had he not detected them then, when he would have been meeting with Umeko? Surely the scent of demons would have carried to his nose at some point, or he would have sensed them, or seen them arrive or leave! What could prevent him from noticing demons nearby? He prided himself on his keen senses, so he was sure this was no failing of his. Sorcery?
        A movement at the entrance to the great room caught his eye and he moved deeper into the shadows of the corner. No windows, just the one open exit. If this room held to the usual human architectural pattern, some of these walls should slide open to provide more space or hide guards. Could he open one and get through without being noticed? Had he already been noticed?
        Sniff-sniff-sniff. What? No scent? None at all?! He was sure he’d seen someone enter the room—just a shadow, a flicker of movement, but he was quite certain it was a person, and they had come into the room. Where was the demon scent now?!
        The bottom dropped out of his belly and he thought: "Sorcery!" at the same time as his pursuer caught up to him. Sesshoumaru jumped out of the way of the hand that darted out to wrap around his mouth, but the blade in the other hand tore his kimono. He spun to face his opponent and found only the briefest glimmer of dark eyes before even that disappeared. It was then that Sesshoumaru decided that running for the main exit wasn’t such a bad idea after all and made for it at top speed.
        The doors slammed shut in his face, and he only barely stopped himself before smacking into them. He stuck his claws into the crack between the doors and pulled them apart just as a knife plunged into his back. He stumbled through the doors and ran down the hall toward a set of doors at the far end. He no longer cared what lay on the other side. If it was a room full of people, he decided he’d just run through and jump through their window and fly away. Why was it so hard to run? Ah. The knife had hit his spine, a crippling injury for a human, just a bloody inconvenience to a demon. He’d been in pain for days, and he hadn’t even been able to see or smell his attacker. It had to be Yasha, though! He was certain of it! Yasha had pursued him across the roof…it had to be him! Sesshoumaru looked over his shoulder as he fumbled with the door: Empty hallway, but…quick twinge of scent, like a spark that quickly disappears into the cold, winter air. He had to be a sorcerer! Sesshoumaru didn’t waste any more time looking over his shoulder. He dashed across the empty room and dove through the open window. He landed unsteadily, then jumped toward the sky and flew fast for his father’s forest. He looked back and saw a shadow that could have had the form of a man, but it was gone before he knew for sure it wasn’t his imagination. He tried to pull out the dagger, but it was in just the right spot to keep either of his hands from reaching it. Dizzy… Sesshoumaru shook his head to clear it. Poison on the blade? Wouldn’t do much to his demon system beyond slow him down a little. No matter: Jigokuyari was waiting for him on the road to Lord Nishi’s forest. Even if the sorcerer was able to follow him, having Jigo there would make the odds a little better. He wished for Lady Gintsuke, though: She could see through illusions with her cat demon eyes and work magic of her own. Next time, Gintsuke was going with him, that he vowed.
        Another look back showed nothing but a dark, grassy landscape, dotted with trees. Getting close to the forest now. Where was Jigokuyari? Then he saw him: A darker shape in the shadow of a tree. He alighted at his friend’s side and stumbled, catching himself with a hand against the tree trunk.
        Jigokuyari saw the knife hilt sticking out of his friend’s back and cursed the one who’d put it there. "Who could sneak up on you, Sesshoumaru? Surely, not even a demon cold do this." He pulled it out and sniffed the blade. "Poison, I think. Here." He held it beneath Sesshoumaru’s more sensitive nose so he could take a sample sniff.
        Sesshoumaru nodded weakly. "Poison. Strange…why is a human poison making me so—" He fell against the tree and started to slide downward, but Jigokuyari caught him.
        "This is bad, my friend," he murmured. "I didn’t recognize the scent of the poison, did you? Sesshoumaru?" Alarmed, he patted Sesshoumaru’s cheek, then shook him, but the other demon didn’t stir. "Lord Sesshoumaru!" Nothing. Jigokuyari ground his teeth with an angry growl. "Who could have done this to you, Sesshoumaru? Surely not one of those feeble humans! Had to be a demon," he decided aloud, then lay Sesshoumaru on his belly on the ground to try and suck out some of the poison. "But what kind of demon could get a knife into Sesshoumaru’s back?" Suck-spit! "And what is this poison that it affects him so strongly?" Suck-spit. It was like Sesshoumaru’s own poison, the one he excreted beneath his talons, but it wasn’t Sesshoumaru’s. It just had a similar effect. Jigokuyari wiped his mouth and tried again to get rouse his friend, but Sesshoumaru remained silent and still. Jigokuyari listened for a heartbeat and frowned at the weak, trembling patter he found in Sesshoumaru’s chest. "This is very not good," he muttered with a hard knot in his stomach.
        He put Sesshoumaru over his shoulder and took to the skies. He glanced down at the offending dagger, which was tucked into his belt, over his armor. It didn’t look like any knife he’d ever seen before but it was beautiful and clearly the possession of a very wealthy individual (or a cunning thief). Its hilt was gold and covered with red and white gems and pearls. The blade was sharply curved, broad, short and unadorned. It was probably foreign make, but it didn’t look Chinese, which was his only other frame of reference. Looked like good steel and craftsmanship, too, though it was hard to tell in starlight. He’d get a better look at it in Lord Nishi’s den. Where did it come from, and who had stuck it into Sesshoumaru’s back? "Whoever he is, he’s a dead man when Sesshoumaru recovers." That made him smile and kept his spirits up all the way to Lord Nishi’s den.

        Kuailong flew over her homeland, a powerful sense of foreboding and urgency spurring her ever faster toward Japan. Her visions in the temple hadn’t been disturbing in and of themselves, it was the feelings that had come with them that had made her hastily take her leave of the monks in Tibet. Close to dawn, as the sea that separated Japan from China came into view, Kuailong was struck with a terrible vision that almost knocked her out of the sky: The young demon from her earlier vision lay pale and motionless on a mat, then a jeweled knife with a curved blade. She recognized the cursed blade of the gods from stories told to her by her father and from records in the Indian monasteries in which she’d studied since parting ways with Nishi centuries before. She forced her wings to pump harder, hoping against hope that it wasn’t the real dagger, just a clever, poisoned fake. If it was the real one, Nishi’s son didn’t have much time.

        Lord Nishi held the dagger carefully while he sniffed the blade. He shook his head with a deep scowl and handed the strange knife off to Lord Ryuuko.
        He sniffed the blade, then tasted it with his forked tongue. "Blood of sssome creature I do not recognizsse. Unfamiliar ssspice." He thought a moment, then added with a puzzled expression: "I alssso feel sssome kind of ssspell. Lady Gintsssuke?" He handed the knife to the cat demon.
        She held the hilt in both hands, pointed the blade toward the ceiling, then closed her eyes and chanted. In a few moments, the knife was swathed in a pale, silvery mist that rose up from Lady Gintsuke’s hands and swirled and twisted about the blade like dancing snakes. "It’s a curse, very old." She pursed her lips in grim amusement and continued: "The poison is redundant. The curse promises painful death to whoever is stabbed by this knife. It…it is the curse of a god." There were startled murmurs at that from Lord Nishi’s gathered vassals. The Lord, himself, only looked thoughtful. Gintsuki continued: "This is an ancient blade, yet I sense only a few hands have touched it: I, Lord Ryuuko, Lord Nishi, Lord Jigokuyari, Lord Sesshoumaru, a human, a goddess, a god. That is all." She opened her eyes with a soft sigh, and her spell dissipated to the continued murmurs of her fellow vassals. She handed it back to Lord Nishi. "I can’t tell where it came from, My Lord, but the gods I felt are not those worshipped by the humans of this land."
        Lord Nishi held the knife in his lap and turned it over and over as he spoke. "I have seen weapons made like this one, with a curved blade like this," he ran his hand over the blade without touching it, "and this style of hilt. It was while I was studying with the dragon Yazi in China. Lord Yazi had a dagger very like this one—the stones were blue, rather than red and there were no pearls, but it was shaped like this one. He said he acquired it in a land called India, to the south of China, a beautiful land with high mountains and flowing rivers. The earth there is full of gems and precious metals, and the sea is filled with oysters, each one with a perfect pearl. I tasted spices he found there—I smelled a hint of them on this dagger when Jigokuyari first handed it to me." He continued to turn the knife absently, his mind on his stricken son, his firstborn and heir, perhaps his only son if Shinju bore a girl. Sesshoumaru lay in his chamber as unmoving as a corpse, watched over by Jigokuyari and Jaken. Gentle Shinju had insisted upon tending her step-son, for all the good it would do against a god’s curse, Lord Nishi thought bitterly. How long till the curse claimed Sesshoumaru’s life? He’d sent Samuishi and Kontonkaze to China but held little hope that they could find even one dragon, much less Yazi or Kuailong, before it was too late.
        Lord Nishi sighed. "Lady Gintsuki, do you know how to break a god’s curse?" He looked up at the cat demon, but she only shook her head sadly.
        "My Lord, I know many curses, but a demon has no power over a god’s curse, and this one is strong and full of grief, like vengeance. Forgive me!" She bowed her head to her knees with a soft sob. "I will try what spells I know, if My Lord commands it, but—"
        "But what, Lady Gintsuki?" Lord Nishi asked wearily.
        She sat up and looked into his face with tears on her cheeks. "This is a god’s curse. I don’t know how it would react to a demon’s spells. It might…" she looked away, leaving the thought unfinished, but Lord Nishi knew what she meant. She meant the curse might react by killing Sesshoumaru quickly, rather than leaving him linger as he was.
        "Lord Ryuuko, can you create an antidote for the poison, at least?" Lord Nishi asked.
        The snake demon shook his head. "Without knowing the ingredientsss, I cannot create an antidote, My Lord. Forgive me!" He, too, bowed down, but since a snake has no tear ducts, he could only make a choking sob.
        Lord Nishi bowed his head. "Lady Gintsuke, humans have many temples. Find one and ask its priests about this god’s curse. Be polite, Lady. They will be less likely to try to drive you off or kill you if it seems you come in peace."
        She nodded, bowed and hurried away on her errand. When she was gone, Lord Nishi got to his feet with a sigh and went to a small chest of drawers by the fire. He opened the middle drawer and pulled out a small, white cloth. He wrapped the dagger in it, then stuck it in his belt. "I will be with my son if there is any word."