by Sarah Ash
“You have until sunset tomorrow,” he heard the creature say. “Don’t fail him.” And then, before Naoki’s dazed eyes, it shot into the air, its body lengthening, its head changing as it transformed in a billow of smoke into its sleek black-scaled fire-dragon form. Then it soared away over the sea, leaving a trail of sparks in its wake.
Sunset tomorrow. Naoki struggled to hands and knees before collapsing again. There was a persistent hissing in his brain, like the sizzling of flames. He called me puny. I’ll show him.
And the Red Kite told Takadai the secret of the Shadow skill he had given him in thanks for nursing him back to health. His enchanted blood, mingled with Takadai’s, had implanted the seeds of the Flame Feathers…
“Flame Feathers,” Naoki muttered, concentrating on the tiny kernel of flame he could sense within him. He slowly lifted his right arm. Channel the heat down into my fingertips…
Suddenly he felt a current of fire spurt from the core of his being and run down his right arm. He yelped, seeing flames shoot from his fingertips, each one a fiery feather, exquisitely flecked, to extinguish themselves in the sea.
“That’s amazing!” He let out a shout of triumphant laughter. “No one will be able to stop me now – least of all lame Lord Kaito.”
***
“Masao.”
Someone was quietly calling his name. He heard the insistent whisper penetrating the roiling clouds of a thunderous headache that was making his temples throb. He opened his eyes a crack and saw a pale face hovering above his.
“Yū?” His voice sounded so weak and hoarse that he wondered for a moment if it was someone else’s. “You’re…all right?”
Cool fingertips brushed across his lips, as if to seal them. “Don’t try to speak. Just listen. They’ve confined us in Lord Toshiro’s tent. The lookouts have just spotted a small boat putting out to sea, under cover of darkness. They think Lord Kaito may be on board.”
Masao made an effort to focus on Yūgiri’s face. And as his vision began to clear, he noticed that the shaman’s translucent skin was marred by an ugly purpled bruise that ran from his left eye to his mouth and his lips were swollen, with a trace of dried blood darkening the corner. Dazed as he was, he felt a bolt of fury sear through him at the sight of his lover’s damaged face. So they had questioned Yūgiri as well – and none too gently.
“They hurt you.” The rush of anger had cleared the fog from Masao’s head. His hand rose slowly to touch the bruised skin and he saw the shaman flinch away.
“I was never in any real danger.” The trace of an ironic smile fleetingly twisted Yūgiri’s battered mouth. “The clan need my skills too much. They – ” Suddenly his ivory eyes glazed over, fixed on some distant point, as though listening intently.
“What is it?” Masao tried to push himself up on one elbow, wondering what had made Yūgiri react so dramatically.
“Fire,” Yūgiri said, as if from far away. He began to tremble. Masao watched, not knowing what to do. Was Yūgiri in the grip of some sort of prophetic vision? He could not smell burning.
“Fire here? In the camp?”
“So powerful,” Yūgiri whispered, still lost in the trance. “Why has he come? What does he want?”
“Yū.” Masao put his arms about him, trying to stop the shaking. “Snap out of it.” To his relief he felt the shaman’s involuntary trembling begin to calm. Yūgiri let out a halting sigh and relaxed against him.
“What happened?” The glazed look had gone, replaced by one of utter bewilderment.
“You went into some kind of trance. You said, ‘Fire’.”
Yūgiri pushed himself free of Masao’s supporting arms and hurried to open the tent flap. Masao followed, moving more stiffly and painfully, to find the shaman gazing down the darkened shore. Crossed spears barred his way.
“Not a step further, shaman,” said a sentry. “Lord Toshiro’s orders.”
“It’s out there,” Yūgiri said, ignoring him and pointing toward the spar of cliff beneath which they had drunk sake together two nights ago. Masao put his hand on Yūgiri’s shoulder, leaning on him for support. Together they stared out into the dark.
“What’s out there?” Yūgiri was still not making much sense and Masao could see nothing but the vaguest outline of the cliff looming black against the night sky.
“That trace of sparks rising above the cliff,” Yūgiri whispered. “Look!”
Masao peered into the darkness. At first he assumed that Yūgiri was still caught in a shamanic vision that was invisible to ordinary eyes. But then he saw the faintest trail of fiery lights snaking swiftly away through the night from the cliff out to sea. He blinked, rubbing his eyes. When he looked again there was nothing there.
“What was that?” he asked. “Did I imagine it? That brief flicker of lights. Like sparks of flame. Or…fireflies.”
“I’ve encountered this presence before.” Yūgiri was still staring out across the dark sea, even though the fiery trail had vanished. “Seven years ago. The day the castle caught alight.”
“What are you saying, Yū?” Masao gripped his arm, turning him around to face him. “That whatever caused the fire was here again tonight?”
Yūgiri gazed back at Masao. “You felt it too,” he said. “You said ‘like fireflies’.”
“But what about the Crane clansman? The one who confessed to Naoki that he started the fire? And – where is Naoki?”
“You said you found hot springs high up the mountain. And the village close by was nothing but a heap of fire-blackened stones. Perhaps the old legends are true…”
“What legends?”
“That this mountain was once home to a fire kami, Kurika.” Yūgiri suddenly shivered. “I can still sense a trace of his power close by.”
It struck Masao at that moment that all the ill luck that had befallen the clan could be traced back to the day fire had destroyed Akatobi castle. “Let’s go, Yū,” he said.
“Go where?”
“There’s no point idling around here any longer. Let’s follow the trace of that fire kami.”
“But how are we going to get past the sentries?”
Masao grinned at him, even though doing so sent a twinge of pain through his swollen face. “I’ll think of a way. But – ” He broke off at the sound of voices outside.
“So you claim you’re fishermen?” The curt, irascible tones were Lord Toshiro’s. My father. Masao pushed the thought from his mind. He had no time to waste on coming to terms with Naoki’s unexpected revelation; he had to concentrate on finding a way for them to slip away unnoticed. “You expect me to believe you? When you’re dressed in fine clothes like those?”
“And where were you going so late at night?” Masao recognized Okitane’s voice this time.
“To check on our lobster pots, my lord.”
Lord Toshiro let out a snort of derision. “They’re obviously spies. Okitane: have them executed.”
“Don’t harm them!” a young, earnest voice burst out. “They’re not spies; they really are fishermen. I paid them to take me back to the monastery.”
In the silence that followed, Masao looked at Yūgiri; Yūgiri looked back at him, one ivory brow questioningly quirked. Masao pointed to the far end of the tent.
“The monastery? So you’re Lord Kaito?”
“Yes,” said the young man defiantly.
“Is there anyone here who’s met Lord Kaito before who can confirm that?” demanded General Okitane.
“Naoki,” said Lord Toshiro impatiently. “Where’s Naoki?”
“We’re still searching for Lord Naoki, my lord.”
As the interrogation continued, Masao crawled toward the far corner of the tent where Lord Toshiro slept, Yūgiri silently following. Behind the clan lord’s futon and armor, he found the place where he had escaped earlier, lifting the thick canvas to create a gap just big enough to squeeze through.
“But it’s common knowledge that Lord Kaito walks with a limp.”
“So this boy is a fake,” Lord Toshiro said. “A double. An impersonator. Identify yourself.”
“Iwaki no Susumu,” said the young man. “I have the honor to be Lord Kaito’s squire.”
Masao put his head out into the night and checked to see if the coast was clear. All was dark on the forest side of the tent; the capture of the Cranes must have drawn a sizeable number of Kites, curious to see what was going on. He wriggled his way out over the sand and then held the flap of canvas open to help Yūgiri through.
“And he sent you in his stead to the monastery with the Tide Jewels?”
“My lord is crippled. Sometimes he needs to rest to conserve his strength.”
“And where are the Tide Jewels? Did you think you could fool us with an empty casket?”
As they ran for the cover of the trees, the interrogation continued until they were too far away to hear clearly what was being said.
“So Naoki’s gone, huh?” Masao said as he led the way up through the trees. “Gone running back to his puppet master, leaving us to take the blame?” Whichever way he looked at it, Naoki had betrayed him. And that knowledge hurt, rankling like a half-healed sore. He had risked everything to save his master from execution and this was the way he repaid him?
“I can see lights out in the bay.” Yūgiri had stopped to look back over the sea.
“Is it Flood again?” Masao turned around.
Yūgiri shook his head. “They look like ships’ lanterns.”
Masao peered out between the gnarled trunks at the dark sea below. He let out a low whistle. “I can see at least a dozen ships out there, maybe more. Making straight for the beach.”
A series of blasts on conch shell trumpets rang out from the shore. The lookouts were sounding the alarm.
“We’re under attack.” Masao could not believe what he was seeing. For, by the light of many torches, he could just make out the standard flying from the masts, the gold and purple rising sun. “It’s the imperial fleet.”
Chapter 35
“Let Tide Dragon boy find his own way back over the mountain.” Honou was in a bad mood, kicking at stones in their path. “I want to stay here.”
“You’re just cross because Mai was making such a fuss of you.” Sakami had had considerable difficulty in persuading Honou to leave the kitchen where Mai had been feeding him delicious tidbits.
“And you’re just jealous because I like Mai.” A malicious light flickered in his amber eyes. “She’s much nicer to me than you are.”
They were nearing the ruins of Sakuranbo village and the daylight was just beginning to fade. The higher they climbed, the further away they were from the sea, but Inari’s instructions dominated Sakami’s thoughts.
‘Throw the Tide Jewels into the sea.’ But even if I could lay my hands on them, can I trust her word? Would Kai and Lord Naoki really be set free? And what would happen to me? The only possible consequence that she could imagine was a horrible and painful death at the hands of the emperor’s executioners. Thrown into a vat of boiling oil…crucified…
As twilight covered the mountain in a cloak of violet shadow it was becoming increasingly difficult to see clearly, yet she could not help but notice when Kai stumbled and almost lost his balance.
His leg must be aching badly. It was hard to watch him determinedly struggling on without a word of complaint, even though his pace was slowing and he had begun to drag his foot. She faked a little stumble of her own, pretending to stub her toe.
“Ouch. It’s so dark I can hardly see the path.”
“Liar,” muttered Honou.
“Are you all right, Sakami?” Kai asked as he labored up the steep slope toward her.
She felt tears well up in her eyes. I love you so much, Kai. I want us to be together. But if I obey Inari’s command, what will become of us?
***
So you thought you’d fooled me, did you, Lord Kaito? The Ebb Dragon tattoo had begun to gleam in the fading light, its curled form becoming clearer against Naoki’s skin, the sapphire blue of its eye glinting bright as the first star of evening overhead. Well, my father and the other old men fell for your little deception, but had you forgotten that I have a Sacrifice seal too? Or maybe you believed that I’d finally given up and gone back to the island with my tail between my legs?
“Wind of the Seven Stars…” Naoki rose through the mountainside trees, startling a colony of crows returning to roost. As they circled around him, cawing agitatedly, he sped away, silently laughing. Everything delighted him as he darted from one treetop to the next, exulting in his newfound freedom: the fresh resinous scent of the pine sap, the caress of the cool breeze.
And I never realized how useful this cursed seal would be till now. It’s growing brighter; the jewels can’t be far.
***
By the time they reached the ruins of Inari’s shrine, Kai was flagging. Toiling up the winding mountain trail had used more of his strength than he had realized. Pride had kept him going for the last hundred steps or so, but the nagging pain in his leg and back had become so intense that he had begun to stumble.
“Shall we stay here overnight?” Sakami suggested. “Then we can make an early start before sunrise.”
He nodded, grateful that she had understood how tired he was without openly referring to it.
“What have you brought to eat?” demanded Honou.
“Just enough for Lord Kaito and myself,” Kai heard Sakami answer back sharply. “Go and find your own food.”
Honou let out a whine. “You’re not kind to me anymore. Mai’s kind to me.”
“Then go back to the castle and ask her.”
“You can have one of my rice balls,” Kai said. “I’m not very hungry.”
Honou approached and sniffed the offered food suspiciously. “Pickled plum,” he said, wrinkling his nose unappreciatively. “Why spoil good rice with sour pickles? Bleh.” He turned away and loped off into the undergrowth.
“Well, I like Yuna’s pickled plums.” Kai shrugged and took a bite of the rejected rice ball. “Tastes good to me.”
Sakami didn’t reply and in the darkness he couldn’t see her expression clearly. She had been unusually quiet since they left the castle. Was she worrying about leaving Shun?
“I’m so glad you’re here with me, Sakami,” he said, and reached out to put his arm around her, pulling her close till her head rested against his shoulder. “I don’t know how I’d have managed without you. At this rate, we should make the monastery in two days’ time. And then the Tide Jewels will be back in their rightful place and the festival can go ahead.”
***
The Ebb Dragon tattoo on Naoki’s wrist began to burn.
Just as it did the day the monks etched the colored inks into my skin. My father told me to be a man and not to cry. But Naoki could remember biting his lower lip to hold back the sobs as tears welled from his eyes. He hadn’t wanted to let his father down by wailing like the other little kid. He was five years old, not a baby.
Now he welcomed the pain because it told him the Tide Jewels were close by. His keen night-sight, sharpened by the Kite Shadow, showed him two human forms far below, lying asleep in the shelter of a semicircle of tumbled stones and cherry trees.
And there you are, Kaito.
He descended, alighting silently on the moon-silvered path and waiting a moment for the heady rush of the Kite Shadow to calm a little. Then he padded silently toward the tree-shaded clearing where Kaito and his servant were sleeping.
Two pale figures loomed up out of the night. Startled, he stopped – and then saw that they were only statues, fox guardians. A ruined shrine to Inari? One hand instinctively slipped inside his tunic to grip the kunai he had concealed inside. Can’t be too careful…
As he crept closer, he spotted a portable medicine chest propped up next to Kaito. Is he still playing at being a physician? Is he going back to the monastery for good? Has he turned his back on his clan? And then he checked himself. Why the hell am
I wondering about Kaito at a time like this? Why should I care what he’s doing with his life? He’s my enemy, nothing more.
***
Kai had fallen asleep already. Sakami raised herself on one elbow, listening to his breathing. It was slow and regular. With what’s been happening at the castle, he must be exhausted. A single lock of dark hair had strayed over his forehead. She put out one hand instinctively to gently stroke it away and then paused. No. I have to act now, before he wakes up.
Yet as she sat up, she felt an ache around her heart so strong it almost stopped her breath. How can I do this to him? He’s going to hate me when he discovers that I’ve betrayed him. And yet if it sets him free from the curse of the Sacrifice seal…
The waning moonlight was less bright than last night, filtered through the canopy of branches overhead: wild cherry, larch, and white pine.
But where has he hidden the Tide Jewels? If Kai was carrying them sewn into his robes, stealing them would be impossible without dosing him with a strong sedative.
He let out a soft sigh, turning over on his side. Swiftly she retracted her outstretched hand. Her heart had started to pound so fast that she was sure he would hear it. She waited, not daring even to breathe, watching. He didn’t wake.
I’ll check the medicine chest first…
***
A sudden movement caught Naoki’s eye. Shrinking behind one of the fox statues, he saw the servant sit up. A girl. That surprised him. Was she a bodyguard, a Crane shinobi?
Have I been discovered? Does she know I’m watching?
A heart-stopping moment passed. He was sure she would raise the alarm, pointing to where he crouched, waiting. But no, the girl was observing Kai intently, as if to make sure he was fully asleep. Then she made a move, silently crawling across the grass to the medicine chest.
What is she doing? Naoki watched her open one tiny drawer after another, feeling carefully inside, shaking her head as she did so. Is she looking for the Tide Jewels too? Naoki could not help smiling at the irony of the situation. Looks as if your treacherous little servant is going to do my work for me, Kaito. And then all I have to do is take the jewels off her…
