“I have to try to talk to Tamao.â€

“What?â€ Shiraishi had clearly not been expecting that.

“You’re right. The kami are not safe. If we don’t deal with the kegare, Tamao will lash out and kill someone. I can’t have that on my conscience.â€

The priest nodded.

“I think you’re right. When should we do it?â€

“Now. Tonight. Is Kazumi still here?â€

Shiraishi nodded again.

“Good,â€ Akiko continued. “She can help at the ceremony. Yoshiko said that you should try to summon Tamao into me.â€

“Yoshiko? Who’s Yoshiko?â€

“The miko I meet at the sacred tree.â€ Akiko quickly pressed on, not wanting to give herself time to worry about what she was doing. “I’ll wear the mask from the fire during the ceremony; I think it’s connected to Tamao. We should all have baths to purify ourselves first, though. We have to be careful.â€ She pushed herself to her feet. “I’ll go and tell Kazumi.â€

They were ready within half an hour, Akiko kneeling on a tatami mat in front of the iwakura. There was no himorogi; that was for summoning the kami into, and this time Akiko would play that role. She held the mask in her hands, facing the stones, the kagurasuzu lying on the tatami in front of her. Her heart was pounding, but she kept her breathing as steady as she could. Would this work?

Behind her, she heard Shiraishi begin the purification norito. She finished, and Akiko heard the ohnusa swing through the air. It was as if cool water had flowed through her body, and suddenly, although the precincts remained dark, she could see everything clearly. Every bump, every hollow, every ridge on the stones of the iwakura stood out, seizing her attention.

It was pulled back as Shiraishi began the norito to call down the kami. Although her stomach was churning with nerves, Akiko’s hands were steady as she raised the mask to her face, pressing it to her skin. The wood was cool and smooth, and she felt Kazumi tie the strings at the back of her head, then the miko stepped back, knelt, and bowed as the priest bowed too, Akiko’s face hidden behind the mask as she also bowed.

She saw herself reach for the kagurasuzu, felt it in her hands as she stood, began to move, her legs following a rhythm that she could feel in her blood, as she saw herself raise the kagurasuzu as, behind her, Shiraishi and Kazumi watched.

She began to dance to the music of her blood, spinning around the stones, turning to watch her own dance, watch herself leap, her legs carrying her higher than she thought possible. As she danced behind the stones, she turned to follow her dance, and could no longer see Shiraishi or Kazumi. She could see Mr Takenaka, though, clearly visible in front of his shrine, his expression concerned, paternal. She danced on, though, round to the back, and Akiko could see the sacred tree looming behind her, twice the height of the other trees, its leaves quivering. She ran on, the ribbons on the kagurasuzu flickering behind her, trailing sparks, them flames, then becoming ribbons of fire.

The rhythm drove her, and she followed it, dancing behind Shiraishi and Kazumi, the fire reflecting off their faces, faces graven with shock. With awe. They weren’t looking at Akiko; they were looking at the fire.

<em>They can see the fire.</em>

Akiko swept on, back round the stones, the fire still hanging in the air, a ring around them as the dance brought her back to the mat, sinking to her knees again facing the stones as Kazumi, looking dazed, got to her feet and stepped over to release the mask.

The stones were silhouetted against the wall of fire. It burned brighter, dazzling but cold, and even the stones disappeared.