Chapter XXXIX (39)

  “That’s no way to speak to your father,” he reprimanded her. His face was a mixture of confusion, hurt, and anger. Mitsuko savored the expression. “I raised you better than that.”

  “Did you?” Mitsuko answered flippantly. “Or was that Ma?”

  Her pa recoiled as if slapped. He couldn’t meet her eyes, instead looking over her shoulder as he stuttered something incoherent.

  “You chased me to the other side of the sea. Fine. This is your one chance, Pa,” Mitsuko said coldly. “Try to tell me your side of the story.”

  “I…I don’t know what you’re talking about. I know I shouldn’t have let her ride that horse. Foolishness from me. For the same reason I can’t let you continue gallivanting out here. You’ll get hurt. You’ll die and leave me.”

  “You sure you don’t want to reword that? Perhaps remove some of the lies?”

  “I am concerned, Mitsuko!” he protested. “The world is a dangerous place.”

  “Not as dangerous as being near you. Besides, the guards here won’t let me walk away after killing someone in cold blood in their city.”

  “I’m sure we can speak to the guards to solve this misunderstanding with Akuto. They’re reasonable people. Just explain to them that you’re innocent and what exactly happened with Akuto. They’ll let you go after asking you a few questions.”

  “There is no misunderstanding. I killed Akuto. That man wasn’t worth the slime under my boots.”

  “That…that’s not possible, Mitsuko. You love him! Besides, he’s an accomplished battle mage who protects our village now. You’re not capable of slaying someone like him. Grief must be weighing heavily on your mind.”

  Mitsuko barked a humorless laugh. She leaned forward and bore her teeth at the man who’d sired her. “You’re right. I would never be able to kill a true mage. But you think that was an accomplished mage? He was pathetic. I’ve witnessed truly marvelous magic. He never grew up from the time when he used to throw mud at the smaller children in the village.”

  “Just come home. Piaki is worried sick about you as well. She is running the inn in my place while I came here with Akuto to fetch you.”

  “Piaki,” Mitsuko spat the name.

  “I thought you were over your childish mistrust of your stepmother!”

  “Oh, she’s not the one I mistrust. In fact, every thought I’ve had for her in the last five years has been buried in pity.”

  Her pa placed a hand over his face and massaged his temples.

  “Mitsuko, what is it that you want from me? I can’t bring your mother back.”

  “I know that. I know people who’ve traveled to the Land of the Dead. And I’m friends with Hon’s Court Necromancer. No. Ma is gone forever. I accept that.”

  “You were…no, let’s not get side tracked. What do you want?”

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  “For you to leave my life forever. Never speak to me again. Don’t even utter my name. But if you insist on being here, tell me about the night Ma died.”

  He gulped and turned away. He took a moment to gather his thoughts. Meanwhile, Mitsuko seethed with rage.

  “It was a bad day. Your baby sister didn’t make it. I don’t like thinking about it.”

  “Yes. Miscariage. I know that part. And how did you respond to that?”

  “I can’t recall exactly,” he lied. “I let your mother go outside and saddle up our stallion. She wanted to get fresh air, perhaps. It was a mistake. I wasn’t thinking clearly. But why does this matter right now?”

  “Mistake.” The word tasted vile in Mitsuko’s mouth.

  “Yes. I don’t know why I let her go outside, but I won’t do the same with you! You’re my daughter!”

  “Unfortunately.”

  “What is it you want me to say? Tell me, Mitsuko! Why won’t you come home?”

  She’d written the reason in the letter she left him. Not directly. But only a blind man wouldn’t be able to understand. His adamance almost made her doubt herself.

  “You’re in denial,” she finally realized. “You won’t even admit to yourself what you did.”

  “What I…did.” His face went pale. A part of him knew what she knew, but wouldn’t admit it. It was a lie he thought only he knew the truth to. An old one he thought he buried in the dirt with her mother.

  “Do you know who I travel with? Her name is Holly Silverhearth. Now she is an accomplished mage. Nearly unrivaled in her disciple. I know of only two people in the entire world who could match her caliber. Any chance you know what discipline she specializes in?”

  “I don’t know why you’re talking in circles like this.”

  “Divination.”

  “That…that’s the magic that lets you see things far away.”

  “Yes. And they also can tell lies from truth.”

  He wiped the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief. But he still stuttered on, trying to claim ignorance.

  Mitsuko decided to just say the words and be done with it.

  “You killed Ma.”

  “What? Of course n—”

  “Stop insulting my intelligence. I know what happened.”

  “You don’t…I mean, you must understand. It’s not like you think.” Her pa was floundering with words. There were tears in his eyes. The sight made Mitsuko’s heart boil.

  “What do I not understand?” she asked coldly.

  “That night…it’s all a blur. I think perhaps I was possessed by a dark creature of the forest. It wasn’t me.”

  Mitsuko nodded slowly. “I think you’re right.”

  He finally met her eyes again, relief evident across his face. He gave a pained smile.

  “But,” Mitsuko continued, “not something of the forest. This was born out of a whiskey bottle.”

  His expression froze and paled. He tried to stammer a response out. Then he gave up.

  “Excuse me, Mitsuko. I’ll do my best to get you out of here.” And then he was fleeing from the interrogation room.

  As he exited, Mitsuko spotted a sickly rat enter. It said nothing but it came up and rested its small body on her foot.

  Mitsuko stared at the mirrors in the room. Her reflection. Not the reflection of the village girl she’d once been. No. Her dark eyes now held hollow apathy where they once sparkled with wonder. She desperately longed for that feeling of wanderlust. But at the moment it was so difficult to feel anything beyond anger. Her father and ex had butted their way back into her life. She didn’t want them here in the Prismatic Spiral. She wanted to never see them again. More than ever before, the time loop felt more like a curse than a blessing. Every week she would need to purposefully avoid this area of the city.

  “He pushed her down the stairs,” she said to the mirror. “Then dragged her outside to the stables and left her there behind a horse for the rest of the night. Pretended the horse kicked her head in. Our neighbor found my mother there early in the morning. It was the worst day of my life.”

  “I understand better than you could ever know,” Sterling said softly below her.

  For once, Mitsuko didn’t press him for more answers. She simply waited for the guards. They found her there, staring into a mirror, trying to find the village girl her pa wanted to save.

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