Treasure

by Megan Derr

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Book Details

  Map

  Prologue: A Promise Made

  Chapter One: A Bargain Struck

  Chapter Two: Bad Blood

  Chapter Three: Duty

  Chapter Four: Blasphemy

  Chapter Five: No Going Back

  Chapter Six: A Battle Lost

  Chapter Seven: Alone

  Chapter Eight: Dinner

  Chapter Nine: Adrift

  Chapter Ten: Dragon

  Chapter Eleven: Dead in the Water

  Chapter Twelve: Family

  Chapter Thirteen: Lessons

  Chapter Fourteen: A Promise Kept

  Chapter Fifteen: Secrets & Fantasies

  Chapter Sixteen: Practical

  Chapter Seventeen: Sacrifice

  Chapter Eighteen: Alive

  Chapter Nineteen: Chaos

  Chapter Twenty: Treasure

  Book 2: Burning Bright

  About the Author

  Treasure

  The Lost Gods

  Megan Derr

  Nine gods ruled the world, until the ultimate betrayal resulted in their destruction. Now, the world is dying and only by restoring the Lost Gods can it be saved.

  Nine hundred years ago, the Dragons of the Three Storms, gods of chaos, tried to destroy their land of Kundou. Only by rising up and slaying the Dragons and stealing their power was Kundou saved. Now, that power resides in the royal family and grants them the right to rule.

  But that power comes at a terrible price, and Prince Nankyokukai is determined that he will be the last to pay it—even if it means surrendering his chance with the man he has waited for his entire life.

  Book Details

  Treasure, the Lost Gods 1

  By Megan Derr

  Published by Less Than Three Press

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission of the publisher, except for the purpose of reviews.

  Edited by Samantha M. Derr

  Cover designed by London Burden

  This book is a work of fiction and as such all characters and situations are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual people, places, or events is coincidental.

  Second Edition January 2012

  Copyright © 2012 by Megan Derr

  Printed in the United States of America

  ISBN 9781620041390

  Prologue: A Promise Made

  "This is my hiding spot!" Kinni hissed in outrage, furious that some street rat had found his little corner in the old warehouse. He'd searched ages for a place no one would think to look. "This is my spot," he repeated. "Go find your own."

  "So-sorry," the figure said, slowly standing up. He pressed his hands to his face to wipe away tears, but managed to do little more than smudge them into the dust that already covered his face. There was always dust in the old warehouses in the harbor. The sunlight that filtered through the cracks in the old wood walls was just enough to see by.

  He'd thought the intruder was a girl at first, what with the crying and the shoulder-length violet hair. But he could sort of tell it was a boy. Crying. Kinni shook his head and motioned impatiently. "Sit down. If you run now, the guards will see you, and I don't want to get caught. Took all day to get away from the storming smith."

  "S-smith?" the boy asked, still sniffling, but he obediently sat back down, curling his legs up as he set his back against a towering packing crate.

  "Silversmith," Kinni said shortly, not interested in discussing the bastard he'd finally run away from. He belonged on the sea like his dad, not slaving away in some stupid shop full of dumb trinkets. "I ran away." He slid down to sit down next to the strange crying boy. "Why are you crying?" he demanded. "Boys don't cry. My dad said so."

  In reply, the boy only hunched his shoulders and sniffled, obviously trying to stop crying. "They tried to hurt me again for 'acting up' in lessons."

  Lessons. Violet hair. Some noble brat. Kinni grimaced, but slid his pack off his shoulders. Mama had always said to be nice, and the boy was crying, so he could try. "I have some food, if you want to share. Just don't eat all of it."

  "Me too," the boy said quietly, and he suddenly scrambled over to a shadowy corner, pulling out a satchel that seemed way too big for his tiny body—he was smaller than Kinni, but then the shop women always said Kinni was big for his age—and opened it up, pulling out half a dozen clumsily wrapped bundles. "Took it from the kitchen when the cooks weren't looking," he said with another soft sniffle.

  Kinni stared: Little oranges that were actually called something else but he couldn't remember what; flat bread that smelled like cinnamon; two little meat pies; and hunks of cheese. It made his feeble takings seem that much more pathetic. Grimacing, he pulled out what he had: A few small apples, some hard bread, and a few pickled eggs he'd managed to snatch right before he'd fled while the storming smith was starting in early with the cheap wine. Storms, it was only lunch time.

  "Apples!" the boy said eagerly. "Those are my favorite."

  "Trade you for an orange," Kinni said, holding out one of his green apples. Immediately the boy nodded, taking the apple and giving Kinni an orange. "My name is Kinni. What's yours?"

  The boy stared at him, silent for a long time. "Koori," he said at last.

  Kinni grunted and began peeling the little orange, ripping the skin away and tearing the slices apart, popping one in his mouth, and grinning around it. "This is good."

  "Mmmhmm," Koori agreed, taking another bit of his apple, holding it with both hands as if worried it would get away from him.

  "So why are you here?" Kinni asked when his orange was gone, more interested in getting another one than in knowing why Koori had run away.

  Koori paused in the middle of taking a bite, and Kinni almost groaned when he realized he'd made Koori start crying again. The apple fell into the dirt as Koori curled up, sobbing quietly into his arm.

  "Hey! Storms take it! What's wrong? Stop crying—boys don't cry, come on. What's wrong?" Kinni struggled to get Koori to stop, utterly confused. This was worse than even the way the other kids picked on him for his white hair and skin and refused to play with him. He knew how to deal with mean people. Crying people just left him confused.

  He reached out to touch Koori's shoulder, yelping when he abruptly turned and embraced Kinni tightly, clinging tighter than a starfish to a ship. Desperately Kinni tried to think of some way to get the crying boy off of him. Shoving wasn't working. He settled for what he'd seen some of the men around the shops do when their women started crying and patted Koori's back and shoulders. "Dragons, it's all right. What has you acting like this?"

  "I-I-I-don't-don't," Koori sniffled loudly then started coughing before he regained control of his voice. "I don't want to g-go h-home."

  Kinni rolled his eyes. "Then don't. S'why I ran away. I'm going to be a sailor like my dad."

  Koori's sobbing eased a bit, and slowly he sat up. "A-a sailor?" he repeated, voice full of the same longing Kinni felt every day.

  "Yeah," Kinni said proudly. "My dad taught me all about sailing, so I know any ship will be glad to take me." He hoped. He didn't want to go back to that storming trinket shop, and now that he'd run away, if a ship didn't take him he was in for a lot worse than making trinkets all day.

  "I can't do anything," Koori said with a sniffle. He wiped the tears from his cheeks, smudging the grimy dust further, then fumbled in his satchel again. "I don't know where to go, and all I have is this," he said in a low tone, pulling something out of his bag and handing it to Kinni. "Mama said it was special."

  Kinni knew silver when he saw it, even in the dingy light filtering into the tiny corner. It was a dagger, decorative rather than actuall
y useful, and he could see there were stones set into it—possibly saphir or esmeralda, though it was hard to tell. The sheath was silver as well, set with more stones. He handed it back. "You could sell that for a lot of money."

  "Maybe," Koori said with a frown. He set the dagger in his lap and retrieved his apple, meticulously wiping it off before he resumed eating. "So why are you going to be a sailor?"

  "My dad was a sailor. A captain. I'm going to be captain of the best ship in the world and bring home the ultimate treasure just like he did."

  Koori looked at him with wide eyes. "What's the ultimate treasure?"

  "Ah—I don't know yet. Dad never said; he just always smiled at mom like they were keeping a secret." Kinni frowned at the memory, refusing to be sad that his parents were dead. He was tired of being sad. He was strong, just like dad. "I'll find it anyway though, just wait and see."

  "I wish I could," Koori said, smiling sadly. "I should probably go home, though, even if I don't want to. I don't know how to be a sailor, and if I stay away they'll hurt my sister instead of me."

  Kinni glowered. "Hurt your sister? Who will?"

  "The t-tutors," Koori said, beginning to sniffle again. "They always h-hurt me when I do or say something wrong. M-ma-mama says it's 'growing up' when I tell her." He wiped his cheek again.

  Kinni patted his shoulder again, really hoping Koori wouldn't cling all over him again. "It's cause you cry," he said knowingly. "The storming smith I worked for picked on me a lot after my parents died, and I was sad. Then I just started laughing at him, and he got so mad eventually he stopped punishing me all the time. When they try to hurt you, just laugh instead of cry. Then they'll stop and maybe leave your sister alone too."

  "R-really?" Koori asked, blinking those wide, wide eyes up at him.

  Something about him made Kinni want to hug him, which was just girly and weird. "Really," he said.

  Koori nodded obediently. "I still wish I could be a sailor."

  "Why can't you?"

  "B-because of my s-sister," Koori said, beginning to cry again. "And no-no-no one likes me…" He looked miserably at Kinni, then down at his own hands which were fisted in the fabric of his grungy robes.

  "Aw, that's not true. I'm sure there are people that like you." He reached out to pat Koori's shoulder again, letting out what sounded like a squeak when Koori abruptly leeched onto him, crying quietly against him.

  Storms take it. Kinni patted his back, really wishing he could figure out how to make Koori stop crying and going all starfish. "What about your parents?" Instead of calming, Koori only cried harder. Wrong thing to say. Kinni struggled to think of what to do. "Well—I like you. Even if you cry a lot."

  "Y-you just met me," Koori said plaintively. "You can't like me already."

  Kinni frowned. "Yes, I can. The only people I don't like are mean people, and you cry too much to be mean."

  "M'kay," Koori mumbled against his shirt then slowly he sat up. "I like you, too." He smiled.

  Kinni stared, but his thoughts were broken up as outside the harbor bells began to ring. "The ports are closing soon," he said. "If I'm going to try and get on a ship before they find me for running away from my apprenticeship, I have to go now."

  "Oh…" Koori said glumly, smile vanishing. He obediently moved away and packed up all his things, slinging the overlarge satchel over one shoulder.

  "Come on," Kinni said. "The guards should be busy collecting all the riff-raff and stuff, and I can find a ship to sneak onto or something. I've been planning this for months." If 'run away and find a ship that would be willing to take him' counted as a plan.

  Taking Koori's hand, not sure why he did, though from the way he clung tight it was obvious Koori didn't mind, Kinni weaved his way through the boxes and crates that filled the warehouse until they made it to the doors. Outside the sunlight was slowly fading, though it would still be a couple of hours before it was really dark. He dropped his hand and turned to look at Koori—then stopped.

  Koori was… really pretty. He'd never known a boy could be so pretty. Filthy, but pretty. "You're a mess. How long have you been in the warehouse?"

  "S-since yesterday," Koori said, cheeks flushing at the comment to his appearance. He knelt on the ground and opened his satchel, fumbling briefly to yank out a piece of cloth, Kinni assumed to try and clean his face or something. Koori frowned when it caught on something in the bag and gave a hard yank.

  Kinni gawked when the dagger spilled free, fading sunlight catching on Highland silver and brilliant saphir. Flawless, he bet, though he didn't know jewels as well as he did silver. He knelt down and picked it up. "Koori, you could buy a ship with this."

  "Really?" Koori asked doubtfully.

  "A whole ship," Kinni repeated. "You'd never have to go home. You could take your sister too, if you're worried about her."

  Koori frowned, then shook his head. "Sister wouldn't leave. 'Sides, mama said I have 'sponsibilities. I only meant to run away for a little while." He took the dagger as Kinni handed it to him then suddenly thrust it back. "You take it. Buy a ship."

  "What?" Kinni said, mouth gaping.

  "Buy a ship," Koori repeated. "Be a sailor." He smiled sadly. "You can find the ultimate treasure."

  Kinni swallowed and looked at the dagger. What would his dad do? He always said never accept gifts.

  "Maybe you can come and show it to me someday. Your ship too," Koori said wistfully, turning to look out over the harbor and the ocean beyond.

  Then Kinni knew what to do. Fumbling for a moment, he pulled a heavy silver chain from beneath his tunic, unhooked the clasp, and shoved it into Koori's hands. "Here. That belonged to my dad. He gave it to me before—" He stopped as memories of that night tried to surface, but he stamped them down, refusing to be sad anymore. "Before he died. It's our family crest."

  Koori turned the necklace over in his hands, examining the pendant attached to the chain: a lighthouse from which emanated beams of light. "Pretty," he said softly.

  "Dad always said never accept gifts. A man earns what he receives. This dagger is worth a lot, and I can't repay it. So… how about I make you a promise?"

  Those wide eyes turned up to him, and Kinni wondered why they made him want to hug Koori again even though hugging was girly and stupid. "A promise?" he repeated.

  "Yeah," Kinni said, wishing his heart would stop beating so fast, confused as to why it did. "You said you can't run away now, but if you ever can run away forever, then I'll help you. I'm not a Captain yet, but I will be one day. I'm going to call my ship the Kumiko. Ask for Captain Kinni and show me that pendant, and I'll take you wherever you want to go. Maybe… maybe you can even help me find the ultimate treasure. If you come soon enough."

  A smile lit up Koori's face. Even the grime and drying tears couldn't dim the power of that smile. Then Kinni found his arms full again, Koori wrapped so tightly around him that he was practically choking. "It's a promise, then."

  "Y-yeah," Kinni said, but didn't manage anything more as Koori suddenly kissed his cheek quickly, shyly, then turned and bolted away. He turned around briefly to wave, then vanished into the crowds of people leaving the harbor.

  Kinni watched him go, shaking his head in confusion, then hid the dagger in his own bag before bolting away from the warehouse to find a ship that would take him.

  Chapter One: A Bargain Struck

  Taka strode through the dark halls of the palace, fervently hoping he would run into no one else. He did not want to have to devise an excuse as to why he was headed toward Nankyokukai's private quarters well after the curfew.

  Candles flickered in the wall sconces, only half as many as he remembered being lit as a child. The carpet lining the halls was the same, but it was faded and worn. In another time, it would have long been replaced.

  He shivered as cool air wafted in through a window tucked into the place where three hallways intersected. Taka turned right and continued on his way, holding tightly to the roll of dark blue fabric bun
dled in one hand.

  The sound of bells reached his ears, and he swore softly, looking around anxiously and finally ducking behind a large statue of King Taiseiyou the Second. He made himself as small as possible and tried to remember to breathe as the sound of bells drew closer.

  Bells and far too many feet, he thought with a frown, but resisted the urge to look because really, the less he knew, the better for everyone. He flinched when he heard Taiheiyou's unmistakable deep voice, nothing at all like his brother's smooth tenor. Why, he though irritably, did he always wind up in the wrong place at the wrong time? Of course he would cross paths with the crown prince in the middle of a midnight rendezvous.

  Just please do not let it be with—

  As though cued, an all too familiar giggle shattered what was left of Taka's calm, and he buried his face in his hands to stifle a groan. If he thought he could get away with it, he'd strangle Taiheiyou himself in that very moment.

  Why the king favored his bed-hopping, empty-headed eldest son when he had Nankyokukai waiting in the wings, Taka would never know. Storms spare them the continued stupidity of the royal family. Taka scowled at the wall while he waited for Taiheiyou and Lady Etsuko to go on their way. He could not wait to see the maelstrom that erupted when her father caught her. That would be the end of the prosperous marriage to Lord Hamasaki that her father had been lusting after.

  Taka was almost sad he would not be around to see the lightning strike when they invariably got caught. He wondered if angering Lord Hamasaki would finally be the wave that tipped the boat, and Taiheiyou would find himself shoved unceremoniously into the royal shark pool.

  The thought almost made Taka snigger before he caught himself and held it back.

  Several minutes later, the couple continued on—in the direction, Taka noted, of the royal quarters. Normally, he found it irritating that Nankyokukai, in his continuing efforts to see which son could drive their father to homicide first, had chosen to take rooms in the southernmost part of the palace. It gave him a beautiful view of the royal city, but put him well away from literally every place of importance in the palace.