Page 37 of Between Ghosts and Gods

“We can’t do that, we both made promises.” Besides, if Kasu ate a living human she would definitely not be able to return to the mortal realm for the next millennium. Maybe ever. She was not about to throw away her best chance of gaining the heavens’ attention just because Arun smelled lovely.

“So? I’m a curse and you’re a ghost. We don’t need to keep promises.” Ruo licked the space between their claws.

“I do. There are twenty different Heavenly Principles about keeping your word.” Kasu glanced at Arun, who had managed to pick himself out of the river before any of the skeleton carp could bite him and was limping back to the bank. “I … apologize. Let’s … let’s start again, shall we?”

How had they even got into this argument? She couldn’t remember.

Arun’s only response was to pin her with a weary glare.

“I know you’re angry,” she said. “I know you’re desperate to find your mother. I know you think she’s innocent and needs your rescue. If you believe in her then that’s all that should matter. I will help you find her, no matter what. And once you’ve found her, I will ensure that you leave the under-realm safe and sound. I swear it.”

The smallest of smiles tugged at Arun’s lips, though his eyes seemed to resist. He looked more tired than ever, his shoulders sagging under an invisible weight.

“You’re right. It doesn’t matter what anyone else believes. My brothers always said that when I get angry I lose my ability to think rationally.”

“So, in other words, I was right to bite you and I’m the hero.” Ruo purred.

“Sure, you’re a big hero.” Arun reached a hand out as if to pet the cat, then, thinking better of it, wiped his hand against his tunic. He turned to face Kasu, expression contrite. “We have a lead and we should follow it. Even if it turns out to be nonsense, at least we’ll know.”

Kasu could barely contain her relief. She was glad he was finally being sensible.

“In four days’ time, Lady Camellia will go to the mortal realm for the demon bazaar. That’s where she sells everything that Camellia House has collected in trades over the past few weeks. She’ll be gone all night. We’ll sneak into her chambers while she’s away, find this elixir and deliver a few drops of it to the Pale Lady.”

“The bazaar?”

“It’s a black market held in the mortal realm where demons disguised as humans sell things like bad-luck charms or the venom of a three-headed snake. The location changes every month.”

The humans who visited were often criminals or scholars of the dark arts – those looking for illegal solutions to their problems instead of turning to the Heavenly Principles.

“I know what it is,” said Arun. “I visited it once, actually. To find a map that would lead me here, to the under-realm. I just— It’s weird to think I might have seen Lady Camellia there.”

“Maybe you did. She would have been disguised as…”

An old woman with a voice like the rustle of dead leaves.

“And when you die,” she said, “your soul will belong to me.”

“Kasu?”

Kasu jumped. She blinked until the memory disappeared from her mind, banished like winter frost before the morning sun. “It’s nothing. You’ll have to describe the bazaar to me sometime. I’ve always wondered what it’s like.” She forced the corners of her mouth into a smile.

Arun nodded as if he did not trust his voice. He looked down at his ankle again. The bleeding had already stopped, leaving two bold red marks on his skin.

“Does it hurt?” she asked.

“It’s fine. I’m just exhausted. Let’s go back and sleep.”

While Arun limped back to the street, Kasu and Ruo took their time climbing the riverbank. Kasu’s shoulders slumped. A bone-deep exhaustion dragged at her steps. Arun was right; it was time to sleep.

“You know what your problem is?” Ruo said as they observed her fatigue. “You take living too seriously.”

“I’m dead,” said Kasu.

“Exactly.”

Chapter Nineteen Kasu

Kasu managed to get about three hours of rest before Camellia House opened for the day. She had operated on less, but that was usually because she’d been meditating or reading by candlelight, not because she had spent all night being chased by the Sage of a Thousand Faces, pursuing a curse, or running after a human.