Richard Parks - Yamada Monogatori: Demon Hunter

YAMADA MONOGATARI:
DEMON HUNTER

RICHARD PARKS

Copyright 2013 by Richard Parks.

Cover art by Glenn Porter, Sherin Nicole.

Background textures by Ash Sivils, *SolStock.

Cover design by Sherin Nicole.

Ebook design by Neil Clarke.

ISBN: 978-1-60701-394-5 (ebook)

ISBN: 978-1-60701-383-9 (trade paperback)

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I dedicate this book with gratitude to Shawna McCarthy, who bought the first Yamada story for the late lamented Realms of Fantasy and then, apparently without even hesitating, bought the second one, thus convincing me that, yes, it really was a series.

I was just outside of Kyoto, close on the trail of a fox spirit, when the ghost appeared. It manifested as a giant red lantern with a small mouth and one large eye, and blocked access to a bridge I needed to cross. While it was true that ghosts made the best informants, their sense of timing could be somewhat lacking.

I have information, Yamada-san, it said.

Im not looking for information. Im looking for a fox. I started to brush past it.

A silver fox with two tails? Sometimes appears as a human female named Kuzunoha?

The lantern suddenly had my full attention. Im listening.

Youre chasing a youkai pretending to be Lady Kuzunoha. You really do not want to catch it, if you get my meaning.

I did. As monsters went, youkai ran the gamut from mildly annoying to slurp your intestines like hot noodles. By the time you knew which sort you were dealing with, it was usually too late.

How do I know youre telling me the truth?

The lantern looked disgusted. The other rei said you were smart, Yamada-san. How? You can follow that illusion until it gets tired of the game and eats you. Or we can reach an agreement. That is up to you. The lantern pretended to look away, unconcerned, but having only the one eye made it very difficult to glance at someone sideways without him knowing it.

Youre saying you know where Lady Kuzunoha is? What do you want in exchange?

Two bowls, plus prayers for my soul at the temple of your choice.

One bowl, and I havent been inside a temple since I was seven. Im not going to start on your account.

I knew it would all come down to just how hungry the ghost was, but I wasnt worriedId already spotted the drool. It was staining the lanterns paper. The thing grumbled something about miserly bastards, but gave in.

Very well, but do it properly.

Always, I said. Now tell me where I can find Lady Kuzunoha.

The ghost knew I was good for it. Information was the lifeblood of any noblemans proxy, and only a fool would cheat an informant once a deal was agreed. I wasnt a fool... most of the time.

Lady Kuzunoha is in Shinoda Forest.

I sighed deeply. I dont appreciate you wasting my time, rei. My patron already had the place searched! Shes not there.

If the idiot hadnt sent his army he might have found her. She had more of a romantic rendezvous in mind, yes? If youre really looking for her, thats where she is. Go there yourself if you dont believe me.

All right, but rememberI may not be intimate with temples but I do have contacts. If youre lying to me, Ill come back with a tinderbox and a priest who specializes. Do you understand me?

Shes there, I tell you. Now honor our bargain.

I reached inside my robe and pulled out a bag of uncooked rice already measured out. I took a pair of wooden chopsticks and shoved them point first through the opening of the bag and held the offering in the palms of my hands before the lantern.

For the good of my friend... uh, whats your name?

Seita.

Seita-san.

The bag floated out of my hands and shriveled like a dead leaf in a winters wind. In a moment the pitiful remnants of the offering drifted to the ground in front of the bridge and the lantern let out a deep sigh of contentment.

Quality stuff, it said. I hope we can do business again.

Maybe, if your story proves true and Lady Kuzunoha doesnt send any more youkai after me.

But Lady Kuzunoha didnt... ahh, please forget I said that.

For a moment I thought the lantern was just looking for another offering, but that wasnt it. The thing was actually scared, and there arent many things short of an exorcist that will scare a ghost.

If she didnt send it, who did?

Just before it winked out like a snuffed candle, the lantern whispered, Yamada-san, there isnt that much rice in Kyoto.

The servant who had come to my home the day before claimed to be from Lord Abe no Yasuna. At first I didnt believe him, but I wasnt so prosperous that I could chance turning down work. I also couldnt risk the potential insult to Lord Abe if the servant was telling the trutheven the Emperor would think twice before courting the Abe familys displeasure.

Like most members of the Court, the Abe familys ancestral lands were elsewhere, but they kept a palatial residence within the city to be close to the seat of power. Courtiers and supplicants waited two deep within the walled courtyard, but the servant ushered me right through. I didnt miss the raised eyebrows and muttering that followed in our wake. It didnt bother me; I was used to it.

Technically I was of noble birth since the minor lord who was my father lowered himself to acknowledge me. Yet he had met with misfortune and I had no inheritance, no regular patron, and no political connections, so the main difference between someone such as myself and your typical peasant farmer was that the farmer knew where his next meal was coming from. Yet, if it hadnt been for that accident of birth, people like Abe no Yasuna wouldnt deal with me in the first place, so I guess I should count my blessings. One of these days Ill get around to it.

I was ushered in to the Abe family reception hall. Throne room would have been a better description, and not too far from the truth. The Abe family counted more than a few actual royalty in their family tree, including the occasional emperor. The man himself was there, waiting for me. He was tall and imposing, probably no more than forty. Handsome, I would say. There was a peppering of gray in his black hair, but no more than that. He seemed distracted. Kneeling at a discreet distance was an older lady. At first glance I assumed she was a servant, but then I got a better look at her kimono, not to mention her face, and saw the family resemblance. It was unusual for a noblewoman to greet male guests save behind a screen, but perhaps the circumstances were unusual. I suspected they might be.

I bowed low. You sent for me, lord?

He studied me intently for several seconds before speaking. Yamada no Goji. Your reputation for effectiveness... and discretion, precedes you. I trust it is deserved.

It was all I could do to keep from smiling. A delicate matter. Gooddelicate matters paid the best. I am at my lords service.

Lord Abe turned to the kneeling woman. Mother, I need to speak with Yamada-san alone. Boring business.

Family business, said the old woman dryly as she rose, but do as you will. It seems you must, these days.

Mother. Now I understood. I had heard of Abe no Akiko by reputation, as had nearly everyone in Kyoto. She had been a famous beauty in her day and, judging from what I could see of her now, that day was not long past. She also had a reputation for being a fierce advocate of her familys position at court and was rumored to have put more than one rival out of the game permanently. Still, that wasnt an unusual rumor for any courtier whod lasted more than a few seasons. More to the point, she wasnt the one who had summoned me