Page 32 of Between Ghosts and Gods

“There has been a change in the programme. Our lead actor is dead. Zui, you will play General Shusa in tonight’s performance,” the Pale Lady announced as she reached the group. Actors – Kasu could see their costumes clearly now. They were running lines together before the show.

A demon with red rings around his pupils dropped to his knees and pressed his forehead to the ground. “It is an honour, my lady!”

Without taking his eyes off the troupe, Arun leaned closer to Kasu and whispered, “The under-realm has plays about General Shusa?”

There were plays about all of the heavens’ major gods, though stories about General Shusa were in vogue at the moment. The four major military gods were each responsible for protecting a different region of the mortal world, with armies of minor gods and heavenly soldiers beneath them and a cavalry a thousand horses strong. Of the four, General Shusa was the youngest and most famous. Tales of his exploits had spread far and wide.

Of course, the shows performed in the under-realm were rather … unflattering.

The Pale Lady gestured for them to follow her to one of the tables. Like Lady Camellia, the demon towered over everyone. When she sat down, she occupied two thirds of the table while Kasu and Arun had to squeeze together in order to fit. Thankfully, they weren’t seated near the edge of the platform.

Soon, the audience began to arrive. Demons and ghosts of all shapes and sizes sat down at the other tables, ordering food and drink from servers who had appeared with the crowd. Though the Pale Lady was taller than every other demon present, no one dared ask her to hunch over or move. She lifted a branch-like arm, and before Kasu knew it, three cups of plum wine and a pitcher of spirit nectar appeared on the table, followed by a plate stacked with meat buns, another full of slices of winter melon, another of mixed vegetables and pork, and three bowls of rice so white and fluffy they looked like piles of fresh snow.

The Pale Lady picked up her cup between delicate fingers but did not drink. Instead, she tilted her head towards Kasu and the moths covering her eyes shook their wings.

“Um, Madam Pale Lady, it really is true what we said about the curse. We didn’t kill your actor.” Kasu didn’t know how to make the demon believe her. She could only hope. And pray to the heavens.

The Pale Lady waved a dismissive hand.

“You’re Lady Camellia’s girl, aren’t you? The one that works at the exchange desk of Camellia House?”

“I am.” Kasu bowed her head.

“Why are you asking about Sunan?”

Arun stiffened. “How do you know that name?”

Sunan. Arun’s mother, Kasu remembered.

“You asked a fortune teller about her. All fortune tellers are performers and therefore they belong to me. I see what they see. Hear what they hear. It was in the contract I made them sign when they became mine.”

Kasu swallowed around the lump forming in her throat. She was glad Lady Camellia only made her employees sign away their souls.

The moths covering the Pale Lady’s eyes fluttered their silky wings. Kasu lifted her head just enough to gaze at the demon’s face. Or at least, what she could see of it beneath the swarm of moths. It was only when she looked at the Pale Lady, really looked, that Kasu realized she had gone about this all wrong.

This was not the time to grovel; it was the time to negotiate.

She would have to be careful, though. Any talk with a demon lord could still end with missing limbs and severed heads.

“We were looking for her because we heard the rumour about the reincarnation wheel. That it was here in the theatre district. And that you can be reborn if you can pay enough gold,” said Kasu. It was not a lie.

The Pale Lady sipped her wine. “Yes, I am aware of that rumour too. You want to know the truth? That woman, Sunan, stole a reincarnation wheel from the heavens and ran here to the under-realm in search of shelter.”

“Lies!” Arun jumped to his feet, his cheeks red with anger. “She would never have stolen a wheel! And she didn’t run from the heavens; she was exiled!”

Kasu hissed and pulled at his sleeve, but Arun refused to sit.

“Madam Pale Lady, please excuse him!” Kasu hurriedly backed onto her knees and pressed her forehead to the floor. They were dead. If they were not dead yet it was only because the Pale Lady was considering the most painful way to kill them. One could not just yell at a demon lord and expect no retribution.

Kasu raised her head in time to see the corners of the Pale Lady’s mouth twitch. She tilted her head and the bells strung around her antlers jingled.

“Believe or don’t believe, it matters not to me. You won’t find Sunan or the reincarnation wheel here any more. She left the theatre district a few weeks ago.”

A few weeks? That was far longer than Kasu had expected. It would take a lot of work to follow a trail that cold.

“And how do you know that?” Arun asked through gritted teeth.

“This is my domain, child,” the Pale Lady replied coldly.