He shuffled off toward the kitchen. In the bedchamber, Hirata lit lamps and spread a futon on the floor. Gratefully Sano lay down on it. The pain was now a throbbing ache that consumed the upper right part of his body. He closed his eyes, fighting the fear that he’d lose the use of his sword arm.

Hirata knelt beside him. “Gomen nasai—I’m sorry, but I have to remove your clothes. I’ll try not to hurt you.”

With a sharp knife, he cut through Sano’s cloak and kimonos. Sano winced when he saw all the blood on them. After Hirata peeled away the last layer of cloth, Sano nearly fainted at the sight of the arrow, protruding from the wound from which more blood oozed.

“Tell me what happened.” Hirata’s voice sounded as though it came from very far away.

Sano explained how he’d come to be shot, and his theories about why. The act of speaking helped him retain his grip on consciousness.

Hirata frowned as he gathered up Sano’s ruined garments. “The Deshima guards practice archery. I saw them outside the guardhouse yesterday. Could one of them have shot you?”

“It’s possible, if they’re the ones behind Spaen’s murder or whatever is happening on Deshima.”

Sano’s strength was spent. All he wanted was to have his wound treated, then rest before telling Governor Nagai about Captain Oss’s ultimatum. Yet he couldn’t put off dealing with Hirata’s insubordination.

“You shouldn’t have been anywhere near Deshima,” Sano said, “or questioned the guards. And you shouldn’t have gone to the pleasure quarter looking for suspects. I ordered you to stay out of the investigation. You disobeyed. Tomorrow morning, you leave for Edo.”

Before Hirata could reply, Old Carp entered the room, carrying a water bucket in one hand and a laden tray balanced on the other. “I’ll soon have you back in good health again, master,” he said. Setting down his burdens, he knelt beside Sano. His mouth puckered tighter as he examined the wound. “Very shallow, and the arrowhead is small and thin. You are lucky. But I must remove the shaft and push the head through.” From his tray, he picked up a knife. “This will hurt, I’m afraid.”

“Just get it over with as fast as you can,” Sano said, turning his face to the wall.

The servant touched the arrow, and the pain flared. Sano jumped. “Lie still, please,” Old Carp said.

Sano gritted his teeth, holding himself rigid while the knife sawed through the cords that bound the arrow’s shaft and head. Involuntary tears leaked from his closed eyes.

“Be careful,” he heard Hirata say.

“Sorry, sorry,” Old Carp soothed. “Almost done. Aha! Here we go.”