Page 89 of Between Ghosts and Gods

With a snarl of frustration, the general shifted his grip on Kasu so that he could hoist her over his shoulder. Kasu squirmed and sank her teeth into his hand. With an angry yell, he jerked back, and Kasu used the opportunity to slip out of his arms and into the crowd.

The furious crowd that was baying for her blood.

“Kasu!” Arun shouted. Behind him, a woman rose from the ground, smoke escaping from her mouth, and charged.

A warning cry barely escaped Kasu’s lips when a dark blur barrelled into the woman and shoved her to the ground.

“Ruo!” Kasu gasped.

The cat leapt towards her and the three of them met in the middle of the courtyard, surrounded by gods and attendants.

A guttural roar echoed through the space. One by one, the gods who had been poisoned rose up – slobbering, writhing figures with melted skin and contorted limbs – and lunged at the other attendees.

As if a dam had burst, the crowd descended into chaos. The gods tore into whoever they could catch, their nails turning into claws as they ripped through muscle and sinew, but General Shusa’s staff were ready. When they ran, they headed straight for the exits that led out of the estate and into the rest of the heavens, leading the feral gods away from the household.

Someone lunged at the Celestial Empress’s back. The goddess did not turn around. Lifting her arm, there was a flash of light, and a man, half transformed, lay broken on the ground in a pool of blood.

“We need to get out of here!” Arun grabbed Kasu’s hand and pulled her through the crowd.

Gods lurched towards them as they raced along the courtyard. Kasu jumped and dived out of the way, avoiding claws and gnashing teeth.

“You cannot escape, vile ghosts!” General Shusa roared.

“Quick! This way!” Kasu took the lead, yanking Arun inside the estate as General Shusa gave chase.

She didn’t dare look back as she skidded down wide, polished corridors, along hallways decorated with priceless china vases and through empty, unused rooms. She could hear General Shusa’s heavy steps pursuing them, pounding like the beat of a war drum.

“Over here!” Ruo leapt ahead and nudged open a pair of intricately carved double doors.

Kasu followed the cat into a storage area. Crates covered in a fine layer of dust and large clay jars filled the shelves lining the walls.

The reincarnation wheel stood in the middle of the room, silent and steady.

There was a loud bang behind her. Kasu whirled around, only to come face to face with General Shusa.

With a look of pure fury, the god marched towards them. His face twisted into an ugly sneer.

“Little ghosts shouldn’t wander where they’re not welcome.”

Chapter Forty-Five Kasu

“Come with me now, little ghosts.” General Shusa continued his approach, sword in hand. “You cannot escape your punishment.”

“Punishment for what you did.” Arun growled. “You can’t blame this on us! Even if the Celestial Empress covers this up, you’re still going to suffer as well!”

“Because you ruined everything!” the general screamed. “The plan was perfect! If only you hadn’t stopped the Celestial Empress from drinking the elixir!”

“I don’t understand,” said Kasu. “Why do you want the Celestial Empress dead? Why would someone like you do all this? You’re General Shusa! You’re the guardian god of the south!” He had everything a person could possibly want – the strength and immortality of a god, the renown of a hero, the palace, and the servants and soldiers that would make even a king green with envy. There was no hunger in General Shusa’s world, no daily slog, no back-breaking labour. Why would he throw away everything he had?

“You stupid children.” General Shusa’s voice dropped like a hammer. “I try to give you mercy, and still you throw it all back in my face. You don’t know how much you’ve ruined things for me. Camellia was only able to make a single bottle of elixir, and then you had to go and kill her! That was my one shot!”

Kasu’s mouth flapped open and shut soundlessly, like a fish gasping for breath. Lady Camellia? She remembered General Shusa saying he would send someone to retrieve her elixir and lock it away, but from the way he was speaking now it felt like they’d actually known one another. General Shusa and Lady Camellia. A well-respected god and a demon lord.

Then again … didn’t Lady Camellia have a portrait of General Shusa in her chambers? It had been a strange picture, not of the general as he was now but much younger, when he had been a cowherd…

Little flower, dressed in red, left alone to wither and rot –

Lady Camellia always wore red flowers in her eye socket. Roses. Spider lilies. Poppies. It had never occurred to Kasu that the red flower in the song was Lady Camellia, but when she thought of the plays about General Shusa, the stories matched. No wonder Camellia hated the Pale Lady so much – those performances had been mocking her too.