Hi everyone. Here's a sample of MIrror, Mirror the timetravel novel
featuring members of the Shisnengumi. The book is due out in e-book format
May 12 and in a paperback version sometime in July...
* * * *
I sat in musty, dark storage room off the kitchens and wondered how much
time had passed since Hijikata had me placed in here to await Kaemon's
arrival. I glanced toward the tiny barred window at the far end of the shed
but couldn't really see the sky. It seemed that it was just beginning to
lighten but then there had been a few large paper lanterns strung around the
compound so I wasn't quite sure about the light or its source.
I tried to erase the image of Kaemon's furious expression from my mind. Why
did he blame me? It wasn't as if I planned to have all that stuff happen.
Okay, so maybe I shouldn't have gone busting through the Inamoto-ro but I'd
been scared. Those gorilla guys were after me and I didn't even want to
think about what their slimy little boss had planned for me back at his
place. It was obvious that he had me pegged for some new male prostitute or
other, but once they found out I was a girl, there was no telling what they
would have done.
What was I supposed to do? Let them take me or try to go politely in the
brothel and asked sweetly for Kaemon to come to the door and reason with the
gorillas?
Like that would have worked.
I sighed and leaned back against a pile of rice sacks. I closed my eyes
while sending silent farewells back to Uncle Jake, my mother and
grandparents.
I imagined the tombstone:
Here Lies Emmi Maeda, Executed A Century Before She was Born
** * * **
Though Kaemon pretended to rest in the palanquin that took him from the
Imperial Palace to Mibu, he covertly peered across the carriage to his
companion and personal retainer, Kishi Matsuyama, who had been conspicuously
absent during the incident at *Inamoto-ro*.
Supposedly he'd been so occupied with one of the new whores, Matsuyama
hadn't realize he'd returned unexpectedly with Aneko and was involved in the
commotion. That account did not agree with the one from off-duty Shinsengumi
captain Kanryussai Takeda.
The palanquin stopped.
"My Lord," Matsuyama said. "We've arrived."
Kae sat up and made a show of rubbing the sleep from his eyes then followed
his retainer out of the carriage. They entered the Shinsengumi compound
where the chief officers and a few of the captains waited.
Following an imperceptible nod of Kaemon's head, Toshizou Hijikata
instructed two of his men to escort Matsuyama away.
"M-my Lord-"
"No one betrays me, Matsuyama, and lives. No one."
Those softly spoken words chilled me to the bone as I was led past the man I
recognized as Kaemon's friend who'd gotten us out of the brothel the night I
arrived.
I saw the man struggle only to be knocked to the ground and bound with rope
then dragged away to a darkened corner. Light glinted off a katana blade as
it sliced through the air seconds after Kaemon's former friend cried out.
"Your turn," Hijikata muttered as I was led past him and toward Chief
Kondou's quarters.
I gagged and raised my bound hands to my mouth as my stomach churned.
Kondou read the same list of charges that Hijikata had read while Kaemon
stared at me with the same deadly expression that he'd worn when condemning
his friend to death only moments ago.
--
~Chloe Michelle
http://chloemichelle.com
http://www.myspace.com/emmi_kae
http://chloe-michelle.livejournal.com/
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