Dragon Sword and Wind Child by Noriko Ogiwara

had caught it, that she was jolted to her senses and felt terror sweep through her like a wave of nausea.
    â€œStop! Please! I serve the Light!”
    The shrine maiden shrieked in a voice like grinding metal, “Silence! How dare you make such a claim?”
    â€œBut it’s true! I serve the Light with all my heart,” Saya cried as she dodged the approaching blade once again. Then, turning, she began to run. The older woman’s feet were slow and Saya should have outdistanced her with ease, but she tripped on a rock and fell hard on the sharp gravel. She had no time, however, to feel any pain. The woman was already upon her. The black silhouette of her demonic form towered above Saya as she brought the blade down with a triumphant cry.
    She’ll kill me! thought Saya. Just as she closed her eyes, a piercing scream rent the air. Realizing that the voice was not her own, she opened her eyes in surprise to see the shrine maiden cowering in fear, shielding her face with her arms. Two black shapes swooped down upon her, attacking repeatedly. Blood spurted from her arm, and once again the woman screamed. Her cry mingled with the sound of beating wings. Birds. She was being attacked by two crows.
    The woman swung her dagger, but struck only empty air. The crows were swift and cruel. Saya saw blood dripping from one eye in her contorted face. Her screams and gasps grew fainter, gradually dwindling into sobs. Finally, exhausted, she sank to the ground and lay still, clutching her head in her hands. Only her shoulders moved, rising and falling with each ragged breath.
    Through all of this, Saya had not moved from where she had fallen. The blood on the stones lost its color in the twilight, looking like a black stain. She felt sick. Her ears rang, and she thought she would faint if she tried to stand. The crows, which had stopped attacking as soon as the shrine maiden quit struggling, settled on a large round rock a slight distance from Saya, where they began preening themselves as if nothing had happened.
    They stole surreptitious glances at her from their crafty, gleaming eyes while she stared back at them. Satisfied with their appearance, they flapped their wings and sharpened their beaks on the rock. Then one of them calmly croaked, “Sa-ya . . .”
    â€œStu-pid . . .” the other added.
    Saya’s mouth dropped open in amazement. Just then, another voice came from behind her.
    â€œAre you still too scared to move?”
    There, small and slight, stood Torihiko. He seemed to have materialized out of thin air. He wore the same old black clothes, and his uncombed hair was tied in a careless knot.
    â€œAre you all right?” He peered into her face, his hands behind his back. He wore an expression of feigned innocence and did not look in the least concerned.
    Saya said hoarsely, “What are those?”
    Torihiko eyed the crows. “Ah, you mean my birds. This is Big Black and that one is Little Black.”
    Then, leaping from stone to stone, he went over to the cringing woman and gazed down at her. “Why don’t you hurry home, lady, and take care of those wounds? I’m so sorry that I cannot escort you. But you tried to kill Saya, you see?”
    â€œOhhh!” The shrine maiden groaned loudly and staggered to her feet, one hand pressed tightly to her eye. Her hair had long since fallen into complete disarray.
    â€œSo! Spawn of evil. You have shown your true self,” she hissed, gasping for breath. “Just wait. Princess Teruhi will . . .”
    â€œYou sent the mirror back, didn’t you? So how will you report this?” Torihiko said calmly.
    â€œJust–just remember. You can’t fool Princess Teruhi. She knows who the new handmaiden is. I already sent her a full report. She’ll—”
    â€œDo you intend to keep on talking?” Torihiko interrupted impatiently. “I would think it would be rather inconvenient to lose your other eye as