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The voices stopped suddenly and the candle was extinguished.

Jack jumped back on to the walkway, silently cursing his haste to cross the stone garden. He hurried round the edge, keeping close to the shadows. He hid in an alcove near the entrance to the shrine and waited.

No one emerged.

After what seemed an age, Jack decided to risk a peek inside. Ever so slowly, he approached the shoji and slid it back a touch. There was a waft of freshly burnt incense. A statue of a Buddha sat upon a small stone pedestal surrounded by offerings of fruit, rice and saké, but otherwise the shrine was empty.

‘Can I help you?’ asked an authoritative voice.

Jack spun round, his heart in his mouth.

A monk in black and grey robes stood over him. The middle-aged man was muscular and compact, with a shaved head and dark glinting eyes. Jack thought about running, but there was something in this man’s demeanour that suggested it wouldn’t be a good idea. The monk exuded a lethal stillness. The tips of his fingers were held together as if in prayer, but his hands looked as deadly as two tantō blades.

‘I… was looking for a friend,’ stammered Jack.

‘In the middle of the night?’

‘Yes… I was worried for her.’

‘Is she in trouble?’

‘No, but I didn’t know where she was going –’

‘So you were following her?’

‘Yes,’ replied Jack, the guilt striking him like a slap across the face.

‘You should respect people’s privacy, boy. If your friend needed you, she would have asked for your company. She is clearly not here, so I think it’s time you left.’

‘Yes. I’m sorry. It was a mistake…’ said Jack, bowing low.

‘It is only a mistake if you do it twice,’ interrupted the monk, though his expression remained unforgiving. ‘Mistakes are lessons of wisdom. I trust you will learn from this one.’

Without another word, the monk escorted Jack back to the main gate and indicated for him to leave.

‘I do not expect to see you here again.’

He then closed the double doors and Jack was left alone on the stone steps.

Jack walked slowly back to school, contemplating his actions. The monk was right. What business did he have spying on Akiko? She had only ever shown him trust. When he’d asked her to keep his father’s rutter secret, she had. He, on the other hand, had not respected her privacy and was breaking her trust by following her around. Jack hated himself for it.

Still, doubt plagued his mind. Akiko had denied going out at night, so what was she doing that was so secret she had to lie about it?

When he returned to the Hall of Lions, he passed Akiko’s room and couldn’t help peeking inside. He realized then that he must have followed someone else to the Temple of the Peaceful Dragon.

For there Akiko was, fast asleep in her bed.

22

MAPLE LEAF VIEWING

‘And I thought the cherry blossom in spring was beautiful,’ said Jack, looking around in awe at the maple trees as they wandered through the gardens of the Eikan-Do Temple.

Akiko had taken Jack and the others to the temple to view momiji gari, an event similar to the spring hanami party, but held in autumn when the leaves of the maple trees turned into a magical kaleidoscope of colour. Jack was astounded by the display. The hillside was ablaze with red, gold, yellow and orange leaves as far as the eye could see.

‘Let’s go up to the Tahoto,’ proposed Akiko, pointing to the three-tiered pagoda that poked through the flaming canopy like a spear. ‘There’s a wonderful view from there.’

With Akiko leading the way, Jack, Yamato, Saburo, Yori and Kiku climbed to the top tier, where they could look down on to the trees below. Each leaf was as beautiful and delicate as a golden snowflake.

‘Glorious, isn’t it?’ commented a deep barrelled voice from behind.

They all turned to see Sensei Kano, their bōjutsu master. Despite being blind, it seemed he was admiring the view as well.

‘Yes… but surely you can’t see it. Can you?’ asked Jack, not wishing to offend.

‘No, Jack-kun, but life isn’t bound by what you can or can’t see,’ replied Sensei