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"Can you trust him?” Tamazusa asked.

Wolf looked annoyed by that question, and I realized that he didn't trust
her
. She knew it, too, from the way she was looking at him. I vowed to stay very close to her, so that Wolf wouldn't be tempted to do something stupid. Not that he would, but if he thought that getting rid of her would make it easier for me to leave here, he might do something. But he'd hate himself if he did it, so I wasn't going let him even be tempted like that.

"I could say the same thing about you, considering what happened the last time that we met,” Wolf retorted.

Tamazusa smiled. “It could be said that neither party was at our best last time. However, did any of you really think that such an insult would go unavenged? And as much as you hate to admit it, my interference saved Keno's life.” She paused for a second. “Both times."

I shivered as I remembered the first time that I saw her. I had been so hurt, physically and mentally. She had saved my life, or at least let me become the man I was supposed to be. Don't laugh. Even when I was out with Samojirou dressed in Sakura's finest, I felt more like a man than I had felt in the hands of the Trust. I supposed I would have probably killed myself by now if she hadn't rescued me.

Tamazusa saw me and frowned. “I didn't mean for you to remember those times,” she said in Japanese. “I apologize for my thoughtlessness."

I shook my head. “I was just thinking that if I had stayed there, I might have been dead by now. I think that I would have managed to kill myself."

She frowned deeper. “And Keno-chan, that would have been a greater tragedy than you could imagine.” She walked over to me and gave me a hug, which felt odd for a second before I relaxed and melted into her embrace. “Your first battle. I am so sorry that I am the cause of it because of my foolishness."

"I didn't do more than just make sure that no one got to Wolf,” I said. “I didn't... I don't think that I killed anyone. I wasn't trying to, but I didn't want to. Which is stupid because they were hurting all those people and trying to kill me."

"And I am a terrible person to be glad of that,” she said softly. “While you are a fighter and brave, you shouldn't be a warrior. I hoped that you would be like the samurai who held the old ideals but never had to go into battle."

"I don't think that's going to happen,” I said, too aware of the fact that Wolf knew Japanese. “You are going to have to fight for your
kuni
."

"I know that,” she said, stroking my hair. “But please don't be insulted if you are not part of my
Hatamoto
."

I wasn't too surprised to hear that from her. She had people who had centuries of fighting experience, like Okita-san and Kazuya-san. She didn't need me in her army. “You will be leaving me behind, someplace safe,” I realized. “I have no problem with that, so long as I get to see Samojirou-sama before you leave."

She laughed, even though it sounded strained. I figured she expected me to argue with her. I couldn't, because I knew I would just be a distraction to them and someone to be protected. But I still wanted to be with them.

Tamazusa

We traveled for several days with Wolf expertly captaining the ship we had stolen. Mason and Keno helped him, but they didn't have the skills needed. From the first, Tholf had been helpful to us. Too helpful, but I thought that it was because we had gotten him off of that farm more than anything more sinister. Helga wasn't so cooperative, and it took a couple of “talks” with her before she realized we...
I
wasn't going to tolerate her being difficult.

We managed to make it to the edge of Iceland without encountering another ship. I didn't know if it was because there was no one else out here or that we were being avoided because others thought we were pirates. I was just glad there was enough water for us to drink, thanks to several gentle rainstorms we had sailed through. There had also been enough to clean us up a bit, so I didn't feel quite as disgusting as I could have without a bath for several days.

It would then be a straight sail down to the barrier between the lands. Hopefully we would be able to pass through it. I was certain Keno was the only reason we had made it through before. Then I would have to sail to Nippon and throw myself upon the mercy of Inusuka Shino. He was the
Hakkenshi
whose
kuni
was the closest to both the ocean and the upper part of Nippon.

"You doin’ all right?” Mason asked.

I nodded. McGann was still slightly seasick and terribly embarrassed about it. I felt fine, much to her annoyance. And Helga still was acting like a bitch in heat around Wolf, even going as far as hinting to the man that she would be overjoyed to bear his child. I thought Wolf was still bedding down next to McGann for his own protection now, not hers.

"I just hate that it's taking so long,” I said quietly. “Aboshi...."

"What's wrong?” Mason asked roughly. “You and Keno aren't saying shit, but there's something that you're hiding from us."

"Nothing that matters,” I dismissed.

"You mentioned that he'd think that you're dead,” Mason said. “How would he know that? It ain't like you're phoning in to check with him or something. So why would he think that you're dead?"

"I do not want to talk about it,” I told him coolly.

"If it's something that's gonna bite us on the ass, we have to know about it,” Mason argued.

I shook my head, changing the subject. “We are going to have to appeal to Keno's family when we arrive for help. They are closer to us than Aboshi is. And on the correct side of Nippon."

That is, if he were still at our estate or someplace on my
kuni
. If he hadn't done something foolish, thinking that we were dead. If that were the case, Keno would join his lover as soon as he could. That was something I expected. Not that I accepted, since that would be too much of a waste to me. I didn't want to lose either of them, never mind both of them because I had been foolish, overestimated my charms, and underestimated Iida's intelligence.

"I hope that they still ain't pissed at us,” Mason said seriously.

I laughed. “The only one who you will have to worry about is Yatsufusa. I think that he isn't too upset with you. You were a noble knight and protected his wife."

"But there's something going on besides that,” Mason repeated, not distracted by my comments.

I looked up at him. Helga was too interested in what we were talking about, so I wasn't going to tell him anything right now. I didn't need that woman knowing my business!

Mason saw where I was looking and nodded. “I get it. I don't want to give the bitch any more ammunition, either. But you're eventually going to have to tell me, or us, what has you and Keno so nervous. And it ain't just because were on this fun
Love Boat
cruise."

"I do wish that I did understand some of your references,” I said wryly, changing the topic of conversation. “I did have to ask McGann what a wet T-shirt contest was."

Mason got this strange look on his face. “Shit!” he cursed.

I laughed. “I'm not angry. She was amused, as I was, about the comment. And she did defend you by pointing out that she didn't think you could be polite to someone for too long without hurting yourself. She also told me that you would have made the same comment if you had seen her that day too."

Mason relaxed at my comment. “Still willing to take you salsa dancing and drink mojitos if you want to."

"I'll think about that,” I promised him gravely. I would have to ask McGann what they were first.

He laughed and slipped an arm around me for a hug. “I don't think that you still need to do that.” I pointed out, wondering why I was letting him.

"Yes, I do,” he said seriously. “If I don't, I'm worried that Helga the Horrible is going to make a move on me. I think that she finally realizes that Wolf isn't willing to play with her. So I'm doing this because I want your protection. I see that she ain't givin’ you too much shit."

I laughed at that, even though something felt off. I was, for some reason, slightly upset that Mason wasn't serious.

Mason

I wasn't much help sailing the ship. I didn't think that I would be, but I hate to say I was happy Tholf was there. I guessed he wasn't as dumb as I thought he was. He had gotten out of a dead-end place, and in his mind this was a step up from herding goats or whatever it was that he had done there.

"So you have allies in Nippon?” Tholf practically bellowed at me when I brought him something to eat. The man even loved the MREs we'd originally had for supplies and were now eating since we were away from the village. I sure as hell wasn't touching the food here. I liked my stomach where it was.

"Talk to the boss about that,” I said.

"McGann?” He grinned at me.

I wasn't buying the act, though. He wasn't as dumb and happy as he wanted us to believe that he was. I just didn't know why he was putting on the act. Did he think he could hook up with us because Logan was gone? Shit, I was going to have to see if Tamazusa could find someplace for him with her posse. If he went with us, his ass would be toast the moment we got back to the real world. I wouldn't even wish that on Helga. Tamazusa would take care of him. There must be some place on that spread for him. Shit, I bet she even knew she'd have to take Helga back with her too, as annoying as that woman was.

"Last time that I checked, Wolf was the man in charge,” I corrected.

"He seeks her counsel,” Tholf pointed out. “And he seems to know the boy very well also, for all that he doesn't care for his sister."

"We've known the kid for a while,” I said. “And his sister isn't bad once you get to know her."

He laughed at that. “You seem to know her very well."

"Don't fucking talk trash about her,” I growled. If he started that shit around Keno, he'd kill the both of us. I wasn't going to tell him who Tamazusa really was, because I didn't know what he might do. I wasn't going to give that secret away yet.

"She is a formidable woman,” Tholf complimented, looking at me as if he knew why I was acting this way and thought it was funny as all hell. “Fearless, since she is willing to deal with Helga."

"Keeps her occupied,” I muttered.

Not that there was a hell of a lot to do on the ship that didn't center on keeping the damn thing going. I was fucking thankful it hadn't done more than sprinkle the days we had been sailing. If a storm blew up, even if it wasn't as nasty as the one that drove Keno and Tamazusa onto that island, we were toast. I knew that there weren't enough of us to make sure we could ride out the storm on this thing. I was really appreciating airplanes right now and wishing my ass was on one.

"We're close to the barrier,” Tholf said, getting serious. “She's going to have to tell us how we're going through it."

"How can you tell?” I asked, feeling like a dumb fuck.

"The water is getting lighter,” he explained, and he managed not to sound like I was a dumbass for not knowing this. Tholf understood that I knew two things about boats: jack and shit. “Around the barriers it does that. The sea is rough, because it keeps hitting something that shouldn't be there. It isn't even like this when the serpent is stirring,” he continued. “There's a shimmer to the air where the barrier is. Sometimes the air is colder or warmer than it should be, depending on what's on the other side of the barrier. You need a powerful shaman to cross it. I don't see that you have one."

"And if we don't have a shaman? What then?"

"Then you need to bargain with a merchant for space on his ship.” Tholf frowned. “You would not like the price that they would want.” He was silent for a moment before adding almost delicately. “And I think that you know what it would be. I'd ask Tamazusa what she is plotting."

"How do you know that she's plotting anything?” I asked, not liking what he was hinting at. And shit, I knew it was true too. But even if we couldn't get through the barrier, I wouldn't ask someone to do that to cover my ass.

He grunted and adjusted the tiller. “I should say that she is a woman and they do nothing but plot, but that is not the truth.” He stared at her for a minute. Tamazusa turned around and looked at the two of us, almost sensing that we were talking about her. I grinned and waved at her. Tholf continued to study her, a thoughtful look on his face. “She, out of all of you, is a leader,” he pronounced. “Odin would be proud of her."

I had no clue what he was talking about. I thought that it showed on my face, because he roared with laughter. “You really don't know about One-Eye? She would be a match for him."

"Don't know shit,” I told him truthfully. “Learning wasn't something that I did a lot of."

With that I wandered off to talk to Tamazusa, because I really did want to know what she was plotting. I managed to sort of corner her alone, or at least away from everyone else in the ship. Keno was being useful and running interference with Helga. I could tell that he liked being able to give Tamazusa a break from having to ride herd on her.

"Tholf wants to know what you have planned,” I told her bluntly.

She looked at me with a cool smile, “I knew the man wasn't as stupid as he pretended to be. Sort of like another man of my acquaintance."

"It happens,” I admitted. “You got a shaman up your sleeve to get us back to your place?'

"You know what I do and do not have,” she said bitterly.

It frosted her cookies that she had to depend on us. And you know what, I didn't fucking blame her for hating that. But there was also a hint in what she said, something she expected me to get. I stared at her for a long minute before I blurted out, “Keno!"

She nodded. “He doesn't know that he has done this before. And I don't know how to tell him."

I tried to wrap my mind around the fact that Keno was the person who saved their asses. Don't get me wrong, I know that the kid can fight and had a set of balls—really big ones—underneath the girly dress-up he had been doing. But I just couldn't see him doing something like magic. Shit, how did it really work? Could he make it work again?