Kuro struggled against the ropes binding his hands. Without charms to strengthen them against spirits, Kuro could theoretically snap them in half. Just like he could theoretically get the Kusanagi fixed. Kuro bit his bottom lip. He didn’t have time for thoughts like that. Not when he could barely wriggle his wrists.

Maybe he could pick the knot. He scraped at the knot with his claws, but the knot was pulled so tight from his wrenching that his claws scuttled over the surface without finding purchase. Kuro groaned. Maybe if he just sawed through with his claws? But that would take far too long with his half-fox form’s blunted claws. Ren would be long eaten by the time he snapped the first thread.

Ren, who, while Kuro wriggled on the ground, remained by the rug-covered entrance and continued to stare at the Yuki Onna with a dopey grin as two of them relieved him of his basket and straw cloak. He hadn’t even noticed Kuro, despite his usual keen sense for when Kuro was failing. Ren should not be so besotted as to miss the saliva dripping down the sides of their mouths as they licked their lips. He’d never heard of other human males acting so dopey, but the tales usually skipped the part between the mortal man entering the Yuki Onna’s domain and getting eaten.

What if Ren’s fascination was the key? The Yuki Onna had ensorcelled him, and if Kuro just got his attention, the spell would break, and Ren would be disappointed in him but escape.

“Ren!” Kuro yelled. “You don’t even like women!”

Ren blinked. His gaze dropped to Kuro. The edge of his mouth tightened, and Kuro cringed. But Kuro must have imagined it, because as if nothing had happened, Ren said, “There you are, Kuro. Do you know these ladies? They’re very lovely.”

So much for that slim hope!

Ren tilted toward the nearest Yuki Onna, eyes sparkling in the hearth-light. He tilted so far that he overbalanced, and stumbled, but never removed his gaze from her face. Just like a drunkard with a beautiful geisha. That had to be it. The Yuki Onna had gotten Ren stupidly drunk on the trek over.

“Ren, focus on me,” Kuro snapped. “They’re not actually ladies.”

“How can you say that?” Ren asked. “You’re so rude, Kuro. So rude.”

“They’re Yuki Onna! They’re trying to eat you.”

“I hope so.” Ren grinned as if it was innuendo. Kuro groaned out loud. His Ren didn’t recognise innuendo.

“In a bad way! Look how they’re salivating!”

Saliva dripped down their mouths. One Yuki Onna licked her lips, revealing inch-long fangs instead of teeth.

“So eager.” Ren licked his own lip.

If Kuro managed to live a thousand years, he’d never understand how drool all over one’s chin could ever be considered attractive. Maybe in his Dark Days, but probably not even then. Humans.

“You have to escape.” Kuro wriggled, as if that could shove Ren back out the door. “Now!”

“Don’t leave us, kind stranger,” the six said together. The Yuki Onna that Ren had nearly stumbled into ran a sharp fingernail over his jaw. “We need you so badly.”

And now Kuro was trapped in a terrible erotic story, the type that drunkards told in the bars while Kuro snatched their purses.

The other Yuki Onna glided closer to surround him. The two that had guarded the altar stepped around him to block his view of Ren. Or Ren’s view of Kuro. As if Ren had a single thought left for him, surrounded by so many “ladies.”

“Gah!” Kuro bit his lip, but the two Yuki Onna in front ignored him, fully fixated on Ren. Because Ren was besotted and confused and didn’t know what was going on and tasty — so very tasty — and any second now, the Yuki Onna would descend upon him in what would initially look like Ren’s vision, but was really them swooping down to feast on his semi-divine flesh.

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And now Kuro was hyperventilating. Perfect.

He had moments, maybe only seconds. He needed to do something. The Kusanagi fragment? No — the sacred mirror. If the mirror bolstered the Yuki Onna’s power, then taking it from them would break their enchantment over Ren.

He just needed to free his hands.

Kuro closed his eyes, trying to summon the rush of peace and potential he’d felt in the cave, but his chest just tightened further, reminding him of his deadline. But he’d done this. He’d played the game and summoned the foxfire, and in circumstances no less dire. So what if his hands were tied behind his back? He didn’t need to see them.

But Ren would see. Sure, he was distracted by the Yuki Onna at the moment, but he’d still glimpse him out of the corner of his eye. Then Ren would know. He’d never believe Kuro’s lies. Kuro shivered.

At least Ren would live long enough to hate him. He had to do this.

“Leaf, Fire, Water,” Kuro murmured as he bounced his fist behind his back. He cupped his hand. Foxfire. He exhaled heat.

A blue orb hovered in front of his nose, where he’d summoned it. Yes! Except the foxfire was nowhere near the ropes. Okay, next iteration of the game, if Kuro lived that long, would include summoning it to different places. For the moment, Kuro wriggled until he rolled over and slid his bound hands up to the foxfire.

The flames licked his fingers, spreading warmth without burning. The straw rope sizzled. Kuro wrenched his wrists apart. The rope strained, then snapped.

Kuro grinned and shoved himself up. Letting the foxfire die out, he dove for the sacred mirror.

Gold light exploded through the hut as Kuro threw off the silk cover. The Yuki Onna screamed.

Kuro hefted the mirror up, his arms trembling. The mirror was small, but it seemed to weigh as much as the sun. “Get away from Ren!”

The Yuki Onna snarled at Kuro.

“Ren, you’re free! Run!”

But Ren just stared, unblinking. It hadn’t worked?

A Yuki Onna cried out, high and piteous, followed by a thump. The Yuki Onna froze and whirled, but not before another followed the first to the ground.

“Get out!” Yumi roared. “Or I’ll bind you all here!”

Kuro peered through his eyes. The Yuki Onna had frozen in fear, and who wouldn’t, with the way that Yumi crackled with spiritual power two steps from the doorway.

Ren, meanwhile, crossed gracefully, feet never crossing, to stand in between Kuro and the Yuki Onna, a dagger in hand.

“Go!” Yumi stomped her foot.

The Yuki Onna burst into whirling snow and flew around Yumi’s back, disappearing around the fluttering rug.

Then they were alone, the three of them. All safe and unnibbled. Kuro lowered the mirror. Whenever he next found mochi or coins to offer, he’d give them all to whichever god had performed this miracle.

Yumi’s knees bent, and she sagged to the ground. “I can’t believe that worked!”

“You waited long enough,” Ren snapped.

“They did something to the door.” Yumi waved a hand. “And I had to make sure they were all distracted. I’m not very good at this, you know.” She thrust her wrists forward.

“Y-you…” Kuro stuttered. Every single thought of relief had flown from his head, leaving him with just a stupid blizzard of numbness. “You planned this. You weren’t — you weren’t actually in danger.”

Ren knelt next to Kuro, dagger still in hand. Kuro flinched as Ren extended the dagger toward him. Maybe he hadn’t almost gotten Ren killed, but he’d needed Ren to rescue him. Yet another offence to pile upon his heaping mountain of flaws.

But instead of the blade cutting through skin, he felt the straw ropes binding his ankles released. Kuro glanced up at Ren.

“Don’t even think about running,” Ren warned him.

Kuro dropped his eyes. Holding the mirror with one hand, he rubbed his ankles. His toes had gone numb. Kuro shook his head, and hung it. “I thought you were…”

Furious. In danger. Kuro didn’t know which one to say, but Ren didn’t care.

“I told you, I don’t like women like that,” Ren said.

“But…” Kuro curled around his knees, the mirror tucked in his lap.

“I needed to distract the Yuki Onna while Yumi snuck in,” Ren explained as he stood and leaned back against the pillar holding up the hut wall.

Kuro nodded.

“But that plan didn’t include you getting attacked by the Yuki Onna before Yumi arrived.”

Right. Yet another mistake Kuro had caused.

Kuro looked down at the bronze mirror he cradled in his lap. The bronze no longer blazed like the sun, and he couldn’t feel the weight anymore.

While Kuro had festered in his den, failing over and over again, Ren and Yumi had both grown. Either from facing the Shogun and the Night Parade, or since then. They’d tracked him down, even getting ahead of them on the trail. They’d concocted a brilliant plan to rescue the fox dumb enough to get captured by weaklings.

His stomach clenched, elbows tightening to his waist. Flee, his body urged him. Run, run, run, run, run, before it’s too late.

He squeezed his eyes shut, steeling himself for the horrors the mirror contained. He dropped his eyes to the reflection.

No more delusions.