Journey Through Fire by Maya Snow

have escaped that attack unscathed. This isn’t your evil, Kimi. We both know who is responsible—Uncle.”
    Relief flooded my heart. I had been so worried that my sister would hate me.
    I walked over to stoke the charcoal fire that was burning in a corner of the room. I bit my lip as I tried to decide whether or not to tell Hana about my vision.
    â€œWhat is it, Kimi? Tell me,” she called over from her bed. I turned around and saw how beautiful my sister looked, despite her burns. Surrounded by the white linen bedcovers, the pale skin of her face looked almost luminous. I had to tell her.
    â€œI’ve seen things,” I began, looking at the floor.“I’ve dreamed of battles. We were all fighting…Tatsuya was there…I’m so worried about Tatsuya. It’s been so long since we have heard anything of him. Daisuke says that it’s unusual for the ninja to kidnap people. Normally they kill immediately. So why did they take him, Hana?”
    Hana’s face turned pinched. She gazed past me and I could see that I had brought back painful memories. “I don’t know,” she said. “I wasn’t completely separated from the world, when I was asleep. I had dreams, too. With every dream I felt Tatsuya’s hand guiding me as we practiced with our swords. And with every dream…” She stopped.
    â€œI’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
    â€œI just want to know if he’s all right,” she said quietly. A fresh tear streaked her face, and now I understood why I had seen that tear on my sleeping sister’s cheek.
    She had been dreaming about Tatsuya.
    A voice came from the doorway. “Welcome back, Hana,” Daisuke said with a smile.
    My sister turned her face up to him and beamed. It was so good to see her smile again. I watched as Daisuke persuaded her to get back under the bed covers.
    â€œYour body still needs time to heal,” he said. “Kimi, please bring me fresh bandages.” He didn’tsay a word about the exposed burns or the pile of dirty bandages that sat on the floor beside Hana’s bed—evidence of our hasty rebellion while Mother had been out of the room.
    I passed Daisuke fresh rolls of linen.
    â€œNow, leave,” he told me, as he began to bind Hana’s arm.
    â€œBut…” I didn’t want to abandon Hana—not now that she was awake again.
    â€œYou haven’t slept all night. Don’t think I don’t know. Please, go to your room and rest. You’ll be no use to us otherwise.” Daisuke’s tone of voice was kind, but I knew he was serious. I looked over the top of Daisuke’s head at my sister. She smiled her agreement with the monk.
    Reluctantly I turned to leave. I paused in the doorway and looked back into the room. Hana was laughing gently at some joke Daisuke had made. The monk kneeled at the side of her bed and was tucking in the last of her bandages. Neither of them needed me right now.
    I turned and went to my room. It was my turn to rest.

CHAPTER TEN
    S unlight poured over me and teased me awake. I opened my eyes slowly, enjoying the sensation of the floorboards beneath my limbs. Ever since training with Master Goku, living as a servant, I had craved the feel of a hard floor beneath my sleeping body.
    The throaty song of a bird made me turn my head to gaze out of the open window and I saw that Moriyasu’s bed was empty. So was Mother’s. How long had I slept? I got up, stretching my arms high into the air, and went to the window. The courtyard below was busy with people and the sun was high in the sky.
    I strode down the walkway toward Hana’s room, but as I pushed open the door I saw that it was empty, too. Where is everyone? I thought.
    I ran back to my room and quickly climbed into a simple pastel-green kimono that had been laid out for me.
    â€œHana? Moriyasu?” I called hopefully. Perhapsthey were