The Minister glared at the onmyouji and mujina who sat across from him. “You idiots. You complete incompetents. Thanks to your utter ineptitude, not only have we failed to recover the mirror, but now, Fujiwara Minbukyou’s widow has died.”

The onmyouji protested, “We had nothing to do with—”

“Silence. If you had done your jobs, then we would have the mirror, and the inspector would be dead. Instead, you bungled the initial attempt to get the mirror, then you killed most of the group assigned to ambush the inspector. Because of his interference, I had to take action to remedy the situation, and that action resulted in the death of an innocent lady.”

In a soothing tone, the onmyouji said, “Minister, I understand your point of view. We won’t fail you again. This time we’ll get—”

“You’ll get nothing,” the minister screamed. He regained control of himself with a visible effort. “Your services are no longer required. I don’t know what we will do to get the mirror, but we will do it without you.” He stood. Looking down at the men seated before him he said, “Don’t try and contact me again. Our association is at an end.” He left the room.

The mujina slammed his fist down on the table, smashing it to bits. “How dare he speak to me like that. I am no human flunky to be kicked aside. You people approached me. I told you I have no interest in your human political games, but you persuaded me. Told me you would get me that which I wanted.”

The mujina rose slowly, glaring at the onmyouji. “I am going to kill you both and gnaw on your bones. Then I am going to take the dancer without your help. I never needed it.”

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His companion smiled weakly and also rose to his feet. “There is no reason to be hasty. How are you going to deal with all her men? She is well defended. You know that. That is why you haven’t taken her already. Well, that and the fact you would be hunted down.”

The onmyouji gazed out the door after the departing minister. “I understand your frustration—he offered to make me the head of the Onmyouryou. I, the most powerful onmyouji in all of Japan, who has been passed over for promotion for years because I am not an Abé. I have had to bow to those talentless hacks as they fumble about with their divinations and strut around performing their feeble magicks. None of them can even summon a weak kami, while I have bound several powerful spirits to my service. Aiding the minister would finally allow me to put them in their place.”

Recalling the slights, the onmyouji’s voice had become harsh and loud. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “But don’t do anything rash. Not yet. You didn’t listen to him carefully enough. In his anger, he said more than he intended to.”

The mujina looked at him questioningly.

The onmyouji smiled. “The minister himself was responsible for the fire that killed Fujiwara Minbukyou’s widow, and he had it set because something the imperial inspector discovered affected some scheme of his. I think we can convince him he is better off continuing to employ us to get the mirror. I want you to stay out of sight, but quietly locate this imperial inspector and the mirror. While you are doing that, I will find out what the minister is doing he is so anxious to keep hidden. When we next talk to him, we’ll ask him how his superior, the Minister of the Left, would react to news of the minister’s little sideline.”

The mujina gave a nasty grin. “When we find the information, then we will be the ones giving the orders.”