“You cheat.” Kuro stabbed Ren’s chest with a finger. “You can’t hide your top knot.”

And with that poke, Kuro invited the vengeance of another samurai. He stepped back, noting the distance to the gate and the next crossroads down the road.

Ren tensed, eyes darting left and right. “Do you see something?”

“I see a lying samurai.” A lying samurai who hadn’t alerted the retainers to his presence or his tail. Probably so he could have the privilege of gutting Kuro himself.

“I’m not a samurai.” Ren sighed. “It came to my attention that someone is letting demons through the Dragon God’s barrier.”

It came? He spoke like Ren was a samurai lord or something. Kuro’s heart pounded in his chest. Why wasn’t he carrying two swords like every other samurai?

“Agitators who abandon their farms to collude with demons. They set up houses near the Dragon God’s river to hide their nefarious activities.”

“You mean the Undesirables?” Kuro really should be using Ren’s distraction with his own melodrama to escape.

Ren nodded, firm and imperious like the Shogun himself.

Kuro burst out laughing, folding over at the waist and slapping his thigh.

When Kuro’s laughter drizzled out, Ren said, “I do not see how colluding with demons is a laughing matter.”

Kuro tried to look away. He tried to think about dogs, about samurai and their swords, about rivers. But another chuckle filled his cheeks, breaking through the seal of his lips, and he was laughing again.

“Shh!” Ren rushed toward him, darting looks at the house.

Kuro must have overestimated the human’s age, because he must be a child playing make-believe. He covered his mouth, muffling himself, but he still couldn’t stop laughing.

Ren pressed his hand over Kuro’s. “Be quiet. You’ll alert them.”

Kuro thrust Ren’s hands away, somehow choking back the laughter. “Wait — wait — wait. You’re spying on this house.”

He nodded.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

“Because they’re — they’re Undesirables.”

He nodded again.

Kuro didn’t even try to control himself that time. He laughed so hard his belly felt like wet linen being wrung out.

Ren slapped his hand back over Kuro’s mouth, and slammed him against the wall. He pressed his body close. Kuro narrowed his eyes, all mirth extinguished. If he slipped under the humans’ arm… But not yet.

“I told you—” Ren started.

This was getting old. Kuro slapped Ren’s hand away again. “You’re an idiot.”

“I’m not the one giving away our position.”

“First of all,” he said, “they’re not Undesirables.”

“They fit the description.”

“They own a storehouse!” He resisted asking how stupid Ren really was, but only because it would take precious seconds from explaining to him his stupidity. “They live above the riverbank. They’re obviously a merchant family.”

Ren pursed his lips.

“Second,” he said, “Undesirables fled from their farms because demons like to eat them. That’s why they came to live on this side of the barrier. They live in mud while samurai hire commoners to beat them, all to get away from demons. Helping demons — it’s ridiculous!”

Ren looked up to the right. “Unless the demons threatened the rest of their family.”

All right, that was actually a good point. “Which brings me to three. Why are you spying on them in the middle of the day? Demons only come out at night.”

He tensed. Kuro tensed in response, ready to shove him away. He wasn’t about to protest that Kuro was a demon, was he?

“They’ve attacked towns during the day,” Ren said.

Kuro didn’t allow himself to relax. “Not in the Capital.”

“Easier to sneak through when no one’s looking.”

“If you’re going to hunt demons, you really should brush up on the barriers,” he said. “You know, the Dragon God’s Eastern Barrier and the Onmyouji’s Western Barrier? They weaken at night, which allows demons to sneak through.” And neutral spirits, fleeing the wrath of the stronger demons. “Which has nothing to do with Undesirables.”

Ren looked down and to the side.

Kuro shoved him back, and Ren met his eyes.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I have better things to do.” Kuro slipped past Ren.

“Wait!”

Kuro didn’t pause, but only said over his shoulder, “You should be careful, or that nice merchant family will find out you’re spying on them.”

Ren dashed up behind him. “Then take me to the real Undesirables.”

Kuro sneered. Take Ren to the Riverbank Settlement? “Sure, then I’ll turn myself in to the Shogun.”

“Please.” Ren grabbed his shoulder.

He tried to shrug him off, but Ren grabbed his other shoulder and pulled him into a stop. They stood there, Ren behind Kuro, trapping him. Shivers ran up Kuro’s spine.

“You’ll figure it out,” Kuro said. Or more likely, the merchant families would call the samurai’s constables on him before Ren even found the riverbank.

“I won’t have to if you show me.”

“It’s a waste of time, per why you’re stupid reasons two and three.”

Ren’s fingers tightened. Why didn’t Kuro just wrench himself free? No matter how much Ren pleaded or threatened, he wasn’t going to help a samurai thug. Next thing he knew, he’d be helping Ren chase down kits and pups.

If they were all lucky, Ren really would find a demon and then get eaten.

“I guess you must not know where it is,” Ren said.

Kuro bristled. “Of course I know.”

“So you claim.” Ren released him.

Kuro whirled on him. “Claim nothing. I’m not a human; fox don’t lie.”

Mockery danced over Ren’s features as he formed two infuriating words: “Prove it.”