a question of motives

Like a boulder pushed from the top of a great hill, events seemed to be crashing and rolling with increasing severity. First, the murders of the dhampyr--now, a gaki killed. Zhizhu leaned forward to make herself more aerodynamic on the motorcycle, the wind whipping her hair wildly. Shard had asked her to join the rest of the uji at the graveyard where Scarlet Seed had meet his end. The Tiger was not so sure that was where she was actually headed.

Why, she thought, would anyone be killing dhampyrs? The Sohei could be doing it, but would the Sohei bother? Now that Scarlet Seed had been killed, she could more readily imagine the Sohei being behind it. Shard's attachment to Kiku aside, the dhampyr were commonly seen by gaki as tools to be used or set aside. Perhaps the Sohei had been using the dhampyr as well, to get to Scarlet Seed. But why?

Why do you care? the demon laughed.

Because a threat capable of taking out Scarlet Seed is a threat to the entire court.

The demon laughed harder. Good one. Why do you really care?

Zhizhu pondered that question more seriously. I do not wish to see Kiku hurt. Or Shard.

Sentimental fool.

Shard is like her namesake. Fragile. A threat to Kiku has turned her hysterical. Should Kiku meet the same fate as her siblings, it is possible that Shard will come apart. Sentiment has little to do with it.

Liar.

My uji is in a tenuous place. Too many unknowns factor into the balance of this.

You should use Shard's weakness. She is unfit to be in your uji--now is the perfect time to remove her. That infant devil shows much more promise, especially since you are to have a hand in his training. Besides, the Scouts are now not the only uji lacking a fifth member. Play your cards right, and your position can be elevated.

Shard's intelligence is more than a match for your scheming, and to turn against her at this time would reflect poorly upon me. Your plotting will earn me nothing more than a well-deserved sepuku. Shard's flame has been burning steadily brighter. I will not be the one to extinguish that!

She pulled the bike over suddenly, pulling out her cell phone and punching in Flaring Grin's number.