The first time she uses one of the knives, its blade bites deeply into her index finger, becoming stuck in the top joint.
The metal tastes blood for the first time in centuries and rekindles its thirst for combat.
The blade sings its spirit into the pulsing rush of her blood. Her body absorbs every nuance of the sword’s memories, imbuing them into her soul.
Gently pulling the blade from her finger, she carefully rinses the Hamon clean from the claret stain of the cut. She washes away her life as a housewife under the running water.
Sam respectfully slides the knife back in the drawer with its brethren. She listens as the knives murmur in soft tones. Shutting the drawer, she can still hear their whispers.
The knives let Sam see the world through the eyes of Tomoe Gozen, a fierce female samurai warrior and the sword’s last master.
