The Dragon God's Bride Asked for a Divorce novel · Chapter 14 of 24

Chapter 14: Alive

"She is a ghost," Danjuro said. "A lure. The god sends her to trouble us."

"A ghost leaves puddles," said the miller's widow.

"A ghost wouldn't wear a ring," said one of the old women from the well, and pointed her stick at Shizuku's throat.

Shizuku hadn't thought of that.

Her father's iron ring hung there beside the pearl, plain as a nail.

A man in the crowd said slowly, "That's Hanamura's ring. He never took it off."

"He threw it in the lake," said another.

"Then how does she have it?"

Danjuro's face flicked between them.

"Do not be deceived," he said. "Priest!"

In the boat, the grey-hooded man had already risen.

He raised the great silver bell in both hands and shook it once, and it gave a dull, flat note.

Shizuku's shoulder burned.

It was only for a breath.

She pressed her hand to the mark through the wet cloth, and saw her uncle watching her hand.

"There," he said softly. "You see? She bears the thing's brand. She walks out of the water wearing the god's mark on her skin, and you would stand here and call it your neighbor's girl."

"It's a mark of marriage!" Chiyo shouted. "She's the god's bride! That's the whole point of the lake!"

"A bride dies, child. A bride who walks is no bride. A bride who walks is a demon's whore."

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