WHAT SEEMED LIKE only moments later, Taro stood beside Hiro and Hana in silence as they waited. Shusaku had gone with the abbot to meet the messenger. It had been decided that Taro and his friends should stay hidden in the shadows of the hall – it was better to assume that Lord Oda didn’t know Taro was here. No point in endangering themselves if they didn’t have to.
Of course, Taro knew that there was little hope Lord Oda didn’t already know everything. He’d known where the ninja mountain was, thanks to Yukiko, and he’d even seemed to know where the fake ball was hidden in Shirahama bay, given that his ship full of pirates had turned up just after Lord Tokugawa’s. But Taro was willing to stand in the shadows, if it meant there was the slightest chance of protecting his friends from violence.
After what seemed an interminable delay, Shusaku and the abbot entered the hall. They walked close together, and Taro wondered again what shared history they had – though he could think of no way of asking that would not be too direct. He’d learned over the months with Shusaku that the ninja did not respond well to direct questions.
‘Lord Oda has given an ultimatum,’ said the abbot without preamble. ‘We hand over Taro by dawn, or they attack. This time they will destroy us completely.’ He turned to Taro, and hesitated.
Hana leaped to her feet. ‘No! You can’t just sacrifice him.’
The abbot looked pained. ‘We wouldn’t do that,’ he said hurriedly. ‘Of course not. But the monks. . . there are still dozens left. And the scrolls. If we resist Lord Oda, he will crush everything. It will be as if the monastery was never here.’
‘I should go to them,’ said Taro, his shoulders slumped. ‘I should let Lord Oda have me.’
‘No!’ said Hana. ‘Stop it! There must be some other way.’
Hana turned to Shusaku, an imploring expression on her face, but the ninja seemed to be still deep in thought. Finally he raised his head to the abbot. ‘He didn’t mention the ball,’ he said.
‘I’m sorry?’
‘The ball. The messenger didn’t say anything about it. So Lord Oda doesn’t know whether Taro has it or not. By the time his pirates reached Lord Tokugawa’s ship, the fake ball was gone, and he can’t know anything about Taro’s journey to hell.’
‘I don’t see what difference it makes,’ said the abbot.
‘It explains their caution,’ said Shusaku. ‘They could have attacked straightaway, but instead they gave us a deadline. It means they’re on edge, and likely to make mistakes.’ He hung his head in thought a moment longer, and this time when he looked up he was facing Taro, though Taro could not, of course, see his face.
‘You say that thing can control the weather?’ he asked.
‘Yes,’ said Taro.
‘In that case,’ said Shusaku, ‘I think I finally understand what Lord Tokugawa has been planning.’