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"We made our way back to his ship, only for it to blow up in our faces."
Jun laughed.
"After that he showed me his backup - a pirate, it seems, is always prepared. After we were well on our way, I slit his throat
and dumped him over. You have been aggravating to find."
"I am impressed you've found me. I would be concerned other bothersome persons might locate me as well, but once I
have your secrets I will be moving on."
Kasumi sneered. "What secrets are those? I will give you nothing."
Jun laughed and stroked his cheek again. "My dear, you are in no position to say no. I am beginning to doubt your skill -
first kidnapped by a pirate, then taken down by mere thugs? Though you did take out several before the last two finally took
you. Did you leave the ones upstairs alive?"
"All but one," Kasumi said. "Is this where you start trying to torture me?"
"No," Jun said. "This is where I ask you nicely. If you fail to cooperate, I torture Minoru."
Kasumi said nothing.
Jun smirked, then moved to a small chest in the corner. From inside it he began to pull out several silk-wrapped bundles.
One by one he unwrapped them, and Kasumi trembled with increasing rage as each one was revealed.
Sixteen masks in all, amongst them his. Five total from his clan, all half black, half colorful, but each with a different pattern
of colors. Another three from the West clan, deep gold on one half with brilliant flame tones on the other. Four more from
the South clan; one half deepest blue, the other half painted to resemble ice and snow. The last four were a rich, dark
brown on one side, the other patterned with leaves, flowers, ivy, all manner of greenery. "Bastard," he hissed. "Those do not
belong to you."
"I took them, they are mine," Jun said, no small amount of smugness in it. "Once I unlock their secrets& ah, the fun I will
have. No more will I be ignored or packed off to some dismal countryside."
Kasumi was going to kill him, slowly and painfully. Then he would rip the bastard's heart from his chest and see how he
liked it. He barely repressed a shudder as his own mask was picked up and stroked. This bastard had no right to touch it so.
He held still as Jun walked toward him with the mask held tight.
"You will die," he snarled.
"No, I do not think so," Jun said. "It is not my problem that despite your lineage you are obviously an idiot. I am amazed
Lord Minoru is still alive. Now, tell me what spells are laid into your mask. Some I can guess; spells to improve the senses,
strength, things like that." He carefully touched several marks - or what he believed were marks. Kasumi would have
laughed in his face if doing so would not have given away that Jun was sorely mistaken. "Which of these is the spell for
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AmaSour Fiction
keeping all but a precious few from removing the mask?"
Kasumi did laugh at him then. "You can cancel the spell, but do not recognize it?"
Jun motioned to a man standing nearby, who stepped forward and backhanded Kasumi.
He licked blood from his lip. "You'll ruin my pretty face if you keep that up."
"Yes, that would be a pity," Jun agreed. He wiped a stray drop of blood away with his thumb. "It's a shame you are too
dangerous to keep alive, I can think of much better uses for you than protector."
Kasumi sneered, but said nothing.
"I will ask you one more time," Jun said. "Tell me what I want to know."
"No."
Jun motioned, and the man moved to Minoru, roughly grabbing his hair and pressing a knife to his throat.
Kasumi bit back an angry protest, glaring furiously at Jun. "You will pay."
"So you keep saying," Jun said. "I wish you would see reason."
"All I see are many reasons to kill you the very moment I am free of these bonds." Which, hopefully, would be soon. Unless
he'd made a horrible mistake& for some reason even thinking that twisted his gut. He turned away from the thought and
focused on Jun.
Who stroked his face with far too much familiarity. "Pretty Kasumi, why do you fight me? I could use one of your skill and
ability."
"You just said I'm obviously lacking in skill," Kasumi retorted.
"One as pretty as you would have many skills, I'd imagine," Jun said. "Besides, even a sub par shadow warrior is ten times [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]