54. Kitaro

Chapter 54

Kitaro

A fter breakfast, Kitaro sought his sister when Vanra went to train with Uncle Jaega.

"Are you here to thank me?" Kizoshi teased as she invited him to sit down in her living room.

Kitaro sat on a chair in front of the fireplace. "You know I appreciate your help with dealing with Nasume." Her impeccable timing had helped her save him from the wolf shifter on more than one occasion. But Kitaro had other concerns. "Why are you so interested in Vanra?"

She steepled her fingers. "For a similar reason to you, Kisano, and Father. I find him fascinating."

"But you never concern yourself with the Living Realm, let alone interact with humans." Something wasn't adding up for Kitaro. "Why is he different for you? "

Kizoshi's tone was airy. "He is clan, after all. This was simply a convenient opportunity to meet him finally."

Nothing was ever so simple with his sister. "What are you not telling me?"

She tutted. "Must you be so suspicious?"

"Yes, because you always have ulterior motives. You never do anything unless there is a direct benefit for you."

She held up her hands in surrender. "I have no ill intentions toward Vanra. He has already endeared himself to me far more than Mitsuki ever has."

"But why ?" It didn't make sense.

She stretched her arm out over the back of the couch. "Because he is remarkable."

"In what way?"

"You have to ask?" Kizoshi arched a delicate eyebrow. "Surely, you know some reasons."

"I know what my reasons are. The question is, what are your reasons?"

Like she always did, she dodged the direct question. "Take care of him, Kitaro. Vanra is worth more than any treasure."

The switch in topics confused him. "I know that more than anyone."

"Yes, you know it, but you do not understand it," Kizoshi explained with emphasis. "You will one day, though."

His sister always spoke in mysteries and riddles. " Can you please share what specific thing you are referring to?"

She shook her head. "No, it is too soon. But I promise you will find out. There is a reason fate brought him here to our time."

That could only mean one thing: his sister's best friend, the reigning Fate Power, had shared secrets. "What did Sophina tell you?" Kitaro's stomach churned with anxiety over all the ways things could go wrong.

"Only what I needed to know."

Kitaro struggled to piece everything together. "Is that why you gave Vanra that ring?" It was an extremely unusual gift from his sister, who was not in the habit of gifting anything to anyone other than Kisano.

She shrugged. "I gave that to him because it was his."

It was difficult not to grow frustrated. "I am the one who should give him a ring, not you."

"You are incapable of giving him this kind of ring."

He reminded himself to remain patient. "And exactly what kind was it?"

"One that he must never take off." Her words sounded ominous.

It struck fear in Kitaro. "Why is that so important?"

"That ring will keep him safe," Kizoshi promised. "I cannot say more than that. But please trust me on this, Kitaro. If you value him, make sure he obeys and never removes it for any reason."

Icy terror took root in Kitaro's heart. "Is Vanra in some kind of danger?"

She hesitated before answering. "I was not lying at breakfast when I said the roads are dangerous. You will make your journey to Satsuma's soon. Things will happen."

The possibility that some harm could befall Vanra during their trip made it harder to breathe. Kitaro couldn't lose the human who had become so precious to him.

"As long as Vanra wears that ring, he will be safe from anything that may happen. Remember, you are a warrior who is more than capable of defending him. And it is not as if Vanra is a normal, helpless human. He can protect himself with his powers." She rested her hand on Kitaro's arm. "Do not despair, dear brother. You know Sophina would never allow anything truly awful to happen to you. I would never forgive her."

The information unsettled Kitaro, but he placed his trust in his sister's friendship with the Fate Power keeping them safe from harm. "Can you at least tell me that Vanra comes home safely?"

"Many things will happen during your journey, but all will be well. Everything that happens is for a reason. But I cannot say anything more. I have probably said too much as it is."

Kitaro pivoted topics. "You have my gratitude for rescuing Vanra from Nasume last night as well."

"Not only did it allow me to speak with Vanra, but it also let me put that obnoxious pup in his place. That was a lovely bonus."

"I will always be grateful for your ability to get rid of Nasume," Kitaro thanked her.

"I regret it cannot be permanently." Kizoshi pouted with a sigh. "It would bring me such great joy to be the one to end his miserable existence."

It was a threat Kizoshi often made about killing Nasume. Kitaro asked her a question he had never dared to before. "Why have you never followed through on your threat to end his life? You care not for Father's alliance."

"Unfortunately, he still has an important purpose in this realm he has yet to fulfill. It saddens me that the pleasure of killing him belongs to someone else. As much as I love throwing the world into chaos, in this instance, I have no choice but to stay my hand. It is too important."

It was a baffling assertion. "What could possibly be important enough to make you not act?"

"You know I only do things for those I love," Kizoshi reminded him. "But I can at least take solace in the fact that the person who eventually rids this world of that stain deserves the privilege even more than me. "

The comment clarified nothing. "I suppose I will find out in due time?" It was Kizoshi's usual answer.

She grinned. "Indeed."

"I know you like being enigmatic, but sometimes, concrete answers would go a long way."

She gave a mockingly haughty scoff. "But I have a reputation to uphold!"

Kitaro smiled at her antics. "I am truly glad you are on my side. You are too fearsome of an opponent."

"I will forever be on your side." Kizoshi patted his arm. "Nothing in this world will ever change that."

"And on Vanra's?" Kitaro asked.

"Yes, he will always have my full support."

Kitaro's eyes went wide in surprise that she had said such a thing clearly. It was most unlike her. "What has Vanra done for you to make such a claim?"

"It is not what he has done," Kizoshi said. "It is what he will do. Remember that."

As much as Kitaro wanted to question her further on that line of thought, he knew better than to push his luck. He was lucky to have gotten out of her what he already had.