Flood Dragon's Sacrifice

Sarah Ash

Description

Two rival clans. Two sacred pearls, the Tide Jewels, that can summon the Tide Dragons to protect the empire.Two young men, Kaito and Naoki, one a Black Crane healer, the other a Red Kite shinobi, are sucked into anancient, unresolved conflict between the gods of land and sea, when the exiled Red Kites steal the Tide Jewelsand re-ignite a bitter clan war. Kaito must find a way to restore the emperor's jewels - but how can it be donewithout betraying his own clan or angering the gods?

Sujets

• Fantasy (canción de Mariah Carey)
• Fantasy

Informations

• Publié par: Tourmalise Press
• Date de parution: 23 avril 2014
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781783014217
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

THE FLOOD DRAGON'S SACRIFICE
Book 1 of TIDE DRAGONS
Sarah Ash An historical fantasy series set in Cipangu (an alternative mediaeval Japan.)
2014 Sarah Ash
Sarah Ash has asserted her rights in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
www.sarah-ash.com
Published by eBookPartnership.com
First published in eBook format in 2014
ISBN: 978-1-78301-421-7
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the Publisher.
All names, characters, places, organisations, businesses and events are either the product of the author s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
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Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Epilogue
Cast List
Tide Dragons Glossary
Acknowledgments
Also by Sarah Ash
TIDE DRAGONS Book 1

Prologue
I can smell burning . The boy woke suddenly, sitting up and staring around the unfamiliar room. Where am I? The darkness was illuminated by a dull red glare. The whine of a wild sea wind rattled the shingles. And the sharp scent of fire tainted the fresh night air.
Father?
There was no reply. His mind still fogged by sleep, he saw by the faint glow the abandoned futons where his father and his retainers had been sleeping beside him.
Where has everyone gone?
And then he heard a man shouting at the top of his lungs.
Is Lord Morimitsu here? I must speak with him!
The boy crawled to the window and slid it open. The great courtyard outside was filled with shaven-headed monks carrying torches, milling around three men on horseback. By the torchlight, the boy could see that the riders were warriors, armed with swords and bows. The sight of the monks reminded him where he was; his father had brought him to the Tide Dragon temple to be treated by the Master Healer.
Who wants to speak with me? His father s deep voice, rough with lack of sleep, rang out across the courtyard. The boy could see him now, standing at the far side with his men.
The foremost of the three horsemen nudged his steed forward. I am Toshiro, lord of Akatobi Castle.
Even as the boy gasped, Lord Morimitsu s bodyguards drew their swords, the torch flames glinting on the naked steel as they placed themselves before their master. Lord Toshiro was the head of the Red Kites clan and the sworn enemy of his family.
Lord Morimitsu, I need your help, said the stranger, and there was raw desperation in his voice. A forest fire is ravaging my lands. This cursed wind is driving the flames directly toward the castle.
My help? Lord Morimitsu repeated slowly. What can I do against the forces of nature? I can t stop the wind from blowing. I could send my men to assist you in evacuating the castle. He folded his arms across his chest. But many of my retainers have lost fathers, brothers, and sons to your clansmen. You are asking a great deal of us, my lord.
Lord Toshiro dismounted, handing the reins of his horse to one of the monks. To the boy s astonishment, the enemy lord knelt down before his father and bowed until his forehead almost touched the gravel, the kind of obeisance only the poorest peasant would make. Then, raising his head, Lord Toshiro said, Please, I beg you. The emperor has given you the right to guard the Tide Jewels. Use the Flood Jewel and bring the tide in to quench the flames.
There had been a low murmur when Lord Toshiro knelt down before Lord Morimitsu but now it grew louder as the monks began to protest.
Before it s too late. The castle is cut off by a ring of fire. My wife and children are trapped inside.
The boy saw the agony in Lord Toshiro s face. What will my father do?
At that moment the crowd of monks parted to let a white-robed man through.
Abbot Genko, did you hear what Lord Toshiro just said? asked Lord Morimitsu.
Act now. Lord Toshiro s voice broke. All this time the merciless wind has been blowing in from the sea. Soon the castle will be engulfed.
Only the emperor can use the Tide Jewels, Lord Toshiro, said the abbot. If Lord Morimitsu were to abuse the sanctity of the bond, forged between the dragons of the sea and the imperial family. there would be very serious consequences.
Lord Toshiro let out a harsh laugh. Oh, come now, Abbot. We all know that the imperial bloodline has been diluted down the centuries. Both Morimitsu and I have imperial blood in our veins.
And even if I could summon the Flood Dragon, said Lord Morimitsu, how could I ensure that the tide he brought didn t drown your family as well as quenching the flames? The boy bit his lip; he had never heard his father sound so anguished before.
I ll take that risk. I ll even risk summoning the Ebb Dragon to make the waters recede. But, in the name of all the gods, let s do it now ! Even as Lord Toshiro spoke, another fierce gust of wind swept through the courtyard, setting the monks torch flames wildly guttering. The scarlet glow in the sky grew more intense.
I can t, Lord Morimitsu said at length, his voice toneless. I made a vow to the emperor to protect the jewels. I vowed to never let them be used except to defend Cipangu. I can t risk the devastation that a flood tide would bring to all the villages along the coast.
Then fight me. Lord Toshiro drew his katana ; in the torchlight it seemed to drip gouts of fire. Fight me for the jewels. A crazed glint lit his eyes as he advanced toward Lord Morimitsu.
The boy wanted to call out to his father, yet when he opened his mouth no sound came from his dry throat.
The abbot moved to place himself between the two men.
Have you forgotten where you are, my lord? he said quietly. Put down your blade. There will be no bloodshed on sacred ground.
Lord Toshiro stood silent a moment, staring at his rival. Then he sheathed his sword, and, seizing the reins of his horse, swung himself up into the saddle.
Why am I wasting my time here? he cried, turning his horse s head toward the gates. Okitane, Y dai; let s go. The other two Kite warriors urged their steeds to follow their master.
Wait - at least let us come with you to help, cried the abbot.
You? You d only slow us down, old man! Lord Toshiro cried back over his shoulder. Don t think I ll forget this, Morimitsu! If one - just one - of my family dies because of your cursed vow, the Black Cranes will pay. You ll pay in blood.
The boy saw the three horsemen starkly silhouetted against the fiery sky as the monks pulled open the outer gates to let them through. The clatter of the horses fast-galloping hooves faded as the roar of another fierce gust of wind swept through the courtyard, sending up little eddies of dust.
Abbot Genko went up to Lord Morimitsu who was standing motionless, still gazing after the horsemen.
What could I do? My sworn duty to his imperial majesty is to keep the jewels safe, the boy heard his father say, and there was a catch in his usually steady voice. If I summoned the Flood Dragon, there s no telling how many innocent lives would be lost. And there s no knowing if he would even come to my call.
Lord Toshiro is a rash, arrogant man, said the abbot. But I ll send the ox carts out to lend him what aid we can.
The boy could not bear to stay watching any longer. Father! he called. He wanted to run to him, but he couldn t run anywhere because of his crippled leg.
Kaito? Lord Morimitsu turned. You re awake? He strode over and lifted the boy out of the window. You heard what happened? The boy nodded. In the open courtyard, the acrid smell of burning was so strong that he half-feared to see flames licking at the roof of the outer buildings of the monastery.
Still carrying him, his father walked to the gates and gazed into the night. Behind them, the monks hurried to and fro, loading up the ox carts with supplies as the grumpily lowing oxen were coaxed into the harnesses.
Kaito saw the flames lighting the horizon where the forest was burning. The sky was filled with clouds of thick smoke, obliterating the stars. Akatobi Castle must lie beyond that wall of fire. He shuddered.
Will Lord Toshiro s children die? he asked, unable to take his eyes away from the conflagration. He felt his father s arms tighten around him.
I can only hope that his family was able to escape before the fire reached the castle.
Ha! Why waste your sympathy on the Kites? said a dry voice. Kakumyo, the clan lord s chief retainer, had come to stand behind them. Lord Toshiro drew his sword on you. That was unforgivable. As the ox carts trundled out of the gates, Kakumyo went on, And that s the reason why our clan has guardianship of the Tide Jewels, not the Red Kites. How could the emperor trust such a hot-headed, insolent family with the sacred treasures?
There was no way I could risk summoning the Tide Dragons, said Lord Morimitsu, setting Kaito down, yet I fear that m