My Ninja Girl 4 by Gideon Caldwell (latest novels to read .TXT) 📕

believe I could pull enough strings to make that happen, but as soon as you crossed the border, even with your disguises, you would be in the jurisdiction of the Society of Monks.”

“Then it is best for us to go back the way we came, through the tunnel that passes to Woodsaka.”

“You aren’t wrong,” Youseg told Yuri. “But imagine doing that with a couple of bodies, how difficult that would be.”

“Choro and your grandmother can stay here,” Bunni said, “which would make it so we could move somewhat faster.”

“But…” Micah looked to the two corpses. How were they going to bring them back? The only solution he’d come up with off the top of his head would be to cut their limbs off, but that seemed gruesome, and it definitely wasn’t something he was going to pitch to the team.

“We would carry them,” Yuri said.

“I don’t know if that’s going to be something we are able to do,” Soraya said carefully.

“Of course it is. Some of your attendants will help us,” Yuri said, nodding to the three veiled monks who were huddled near Youseg. “It isn’t such a long journey from here, and the underground tunnel lets out in Woodsaka. I would be comfortable with them being buried there, in the forest. Plus, we have an AI that can help us from that point forward.”

“I suppose that would be acceptable to me,” Youseg finally told her.

“Thank you,” said Yuri, bowing her head slightly.

“In the meantime, I will have the area cleaned, and the bodies kept cold, including the head. We can have them transported in coffins, but that means you would have to leave at night.”

“We’re fine with that,” Bunni said. “It’s important to us that they be buried in their own country.”

“Very well.” Youseg gestured toward the residence. “May I suggest returning to your quarters for the time being, and let us handle what happened here. There will be a ritual in the morning to make sure the dead are well guided toward the afterlife. We have white robes, and I will have them distributed to you before breakfast.”

“Thank you,” Micah said.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Soraya gesture toward Yuri, the kitsune now holding Kami’s nunchucks. Micah nodded, understanding that she was instructing him to comfort her. He approached Yuri, and slowly placed his arm around her shoulders, the leader of the Royal Star Ninjas stiff at first, but finally relaxing a little in his arms. As slowly as ever, Micah turned her toward their residence, Yuri loosening up with each step.

Once they were inside, he found Choro and Liza sitting with Micah’s grandmother, the elderly woman absolutely distraught.

“Those bastards, those motherfuckers. All of them. The whole lot. It was the Society of Monks that did this, those bucketed bitch-titted baboon anuses! Their brainwashing, whatever it was… I’m not up to pretend to understand how they are able to do what they did, but…” She stood, her fists clenched at her side, her knuckles white. “We have to get back to Neo-Hokkaido. We have to do something about all of them. It’s time to fuck them up!”

“We’re working on it,” Liza said in a tone that told Micah that she had repeated herself multiple times now.

“Working on it? Oh, for fuck’s sake! Work harder, work faster. You know I would do something if I were physically able. It makes me so sick to my goddamn stomach what the Society of Monks did! All of you,” she said, a fire behind her eyes, “all of you need to get better, get back there, and burn that goddamn place to the ground. I’m… I’m coming with you!”

“No,” Micah said in a tone he didn’t often use with his grandmother. “You are staying here; you as well,” he told Choro, who was sitting near Liza, his hand on his forehead.

“But I can help,” Choro said.

“I know you can, but it will be safer for you to help from here. I will have you link up with Bobi. The two of you need to stay here and keep safe. We’re going to go back and do what we can, and then we will return. This isn’t up for discussion. This is how it needs to happen for us to succeed.”

Choro nodded. “I understand.”

“We’ll regroup in the morning, and there will be a procession led by Youseg,” Soraya announced. “As for tonight, everyone should get some rest. Tomorrow, we remember and we train, and after that…”

Micah, Bunni, and Soraya all looked at one another.

“We leave,” Micah said. “And hopefully, we will be back sooner rather than later.”

The night passed quickly, Micah spending most of it with Yuri held tightly in his arms. At one point she woke up and began to sob quietly, and when she did, he did his best to comfort her. All that changed by the time the sun began to rise. As the morning light spread into their room, the leader of the Royal Star Ninjas seemed as if she’d be doing better from this point forward, a hint of determination in her eyes that Micah had only seen glimpses of before, defiance even.

The two dressed in silence, Bunni sleeping in a different room last night as not to disturb them, her lack of presence in the space definitely felt. The Plains Dweller added a dynamic to any situation, but Micah was glad that she was gone for the time being.

Yuri needed his full attention.

Micah heard the older monk’s voice long before he spotted Youseg in the family space below and speaking with his grandmother, a grin on Youseg’s face as she told him some ribald joke. There were stacks of white robes for them to change into, and Liza already wore the funeral clothing, the nun with her hair in a single ponytail