The Flood Dragon's Sacrifice Read online

  Kai drew in a deeper breath and channeled all his skill into his playing:

  The first flaps its wings – a wind starts to blow

  The second flaps its wings – clouds gather overhead.

  The third flaps its wings – rain begins to fall…

  “Flood, can you hear my flute?” Kai cried.

  Flood swiveled around, turning his horned head toward the land. The few worshippers still on the beach cried out in terror as the Tide Dragon’s ferocious sea-blue stare swept over the cliffs. Several had stripped off their heavy robes and begun to wade out into the surge of waters to try to reach the stranded prince and the dancer. They halted, caught between the sea and the land, gazing fearfully out at the Tide Dragons.

  “It’s me – Kaito of the Black Cranes!” Kai yelled over the roar of the incoming tide. “I’m here, your Seal Sacrifice, to honor the sacred bond my clan made with the sea. Please – I beg you, Prince Shiomitsu – honor the promise you made to me.”

  ***

  The monks had left the entrance to the ancient shrine unguarded. But as Naoki started the long, ill-lit descent down the worn, rock-hewn stairs, he heard the sound of the waves washing into the caves below.

  “Masao!” he yelled, and the cave echoed the name back, as if mocking him. “Yūgiri!” His right arm still burned from shoulder to fingertips, as if the Fire Feathers jutsu had seared through veins, muscles and flesh to the bones within.

  And then he heard a faint reply. “Down here! Hurry!”

  Slipping on the wet-slicked stones in his haste, he skidded down the last steps, ending with a splash as cold seawater swirled up around his legs. The tide was still coming in. He began to wade through the gloom, keeping one hand on the rocky wall to steady himself. Turning the corner into the shrine, he could just make out the two men by the dim light seeping in from the cave mouth beyond, wrists chained above their heads, water already up to their waists.

  “For Ryūjin’s sake,” Masao said, his teeth chattering, “get us out, Naoki.”

  Naoki made his way to him through the incoming tide, the bitter cold of the sea a bizarre contrast to the inferno raging above ground. “I don’t have the keys; I’m going to have to force the locks.”

  “Free Yūgiri first.”

  “No!”

  The shaman began to protest, but Masao turned his head to him, saying with a wry, affectionate smile, “You’re shorter than I am, Yū, and the tide’s still coming in fast. I don’t want to stand by and watch you drown.”

  Again that familiar form of address between them, the easy banter of close friends… no, lovers. When did that happen? Naoki took out his knife to try to pry open the lock on Yūgiri’s shackles. All the while he could hear the slap of the incoming water against the rocky walls of the cavern and feel its chill slowly numbing him from the feet upward. His fingers were becoming clumsy with the cold and the knife tip slipped from the lock several times, gashing his hand.

  “Why hasn’t the prince summoned Ebb?” Masao asked. “Or has something gone wrong with his highness’s plans?” Naoki heard the sarcasm in his question but chose to ignore it. And at last, with one final twist, the lock sprang open, the chains fell into the water, and Yūgiri’s wrists were free. The shaman swayed, trying to keep his balance against the moving water,

  “Go, Yū,” Masao said urgently. “Make for the steps.”

  Yūgiri was rubbing his chafed wrists. “Not without you,” he said.

  “This is no time to be stubborn! Just go; I’ll be with you as soon as I can.”

  Naoki, blood running down his gashed hand, gritted his teeth as he worked on Masao’s shackles. Close to, he saw how brightly the Ebb tattoo glowed on Masao’s wrist in the murky light, the colors fresh and raw. “Hotaru must have summoned Ebb,” he said, thinking aloud. “So why isn’t the tide on the turn?”

  “If the Tide Dragons fail to obey Hotaru and his rebellion fails,” Masao said quietly, “what’s going to become of you, Nao-kun?” Naoki flinched. Why are you using my childhood nickname? Are you deliberately trying to make me feel guilty? “And the clan? We’ll pay the price for your treason.”

  The lock mechanism turned and Naoki tugged the shackles from Masao’s wrists. “Let me worry about that,” he said, and grabbed hold of Masao’s arm to keep him upright as another wave swept in. Masao braced himself against the swirling water and then set out toward the steps where Yūgiri was waiting. The shaman reached out to catch Masao’s hand and tug him up out of the flooded cavern. Naoki, following, could not fail to see Masao’s arms go round Yūgiri, pulling him close.

  “Ugh, you’re wet through,” Yūgiri said, but he did not move.

  “So are you.” Masao crushed him tighter against him. Naoki watched, feeling as if he were invisible. There was a time when Masao would have hugged him warmly…but never with such passion. Well, it was no more than he deserved; he had betrayed Masao’s trust.

  I’ve made my choice; I’ve pledged myself to Prince Hotaru and there’s no going back now. He pushed past them on the steps, dripping as he made his way upward toward the daylight.

  “Naoki,” Masao called.

  He halted, not turning round. “What?”

  “Thank you.”

  ***

  Kai reached the shore – or what little remained that was not covered by the incoming sea. He pushed his way through the prince’s few remaining retainers, who were huddling together amongst the boulders; everyone else had fled up the zigzag path to the sea gate. Braver souls were bobbing about in the water, struggling against the strong current to swim out to Hotaru and the dancer.

  “Why aren’t you listening, Flood?” Kai cried out. “I played for you. Remember your promise!”

  Flood lifted his horned head and let out a great cry of anguish that echoed across the wide bay, reverberating around the cliffs. The force of it hit Kai like a physical blow; he staggered under the onslaught of the Tide Dragon’s emotions.

  “Why did you betray me, Himiko? We vowed to love each other for all eternity.” Flood was staring directly at the young dancer. “Why are you mocking me? Standing there in the arms of yet another lover? I won’t let him have you. You’re mine.” And Flood began to swim toward her.

  “No, Flood!” Kai shouted. “She isn’t Himiko!”

  “Ayaka!” cried a girl’s voice from amongst the swimmers trying to reach the stranded pair as the waters began to surge and heave.

  Ayaka? Was the dancer the girl promised to Takeru in marriage? Kai thrust his flute into the hands of one of the monks. “Guard this with your life, Garyo,” he said, tugging off his tunic and kicking off his sandals.

  “Don’t go out there, Kaishin,” called Garyo. “You’ll drown!”

  He ignored the warning and plunged into the sea, letting out a shout as the cold of the billowing tide caught him. He surfaced, spluttering, and then struck out through the surging grey waters.

  ***

  “Flood is coming straight toward us.” Ayaka cowered against Hotaru. She was shivering with cold and fear. “Why is he staring at me like that? Does he still think that I’m the First Empress?”

  She felt Hotaru sigh again in what sounded like exasperation. How can he be so calm? He reached inside his robes and drew out a slender strip of white paper. She heard him murmuring words over it before he flung it into the air, like a dart, aiming it at Flood. To her utter amazement the paper became a white seagull that flew with powerful wing strokes directly toward the Tide Dragon. Others followed, building to a great flock of gulls that clustered around the dragon’s head, enveloping him in a cloud of flapping wings.

  But Flood merely snapped his great jaws and the cloud of gulls vanished in an explosion of white feathers, the soft fragments falling, like snowflakes, to dissolve in the sea.

  “Do you think you can stop me so easily with your tricks, Onmyōji?” Flood cried. “Give me Himiko.”

  “Go back, Flood,” Hotaru commanded. “This isn’t Himiko. Himiko died many years ago.
”

  “You’re lying.” Flood suddenly reared up. Ayaka felt clawed hands gently but firmly encircle her waist. Next moment, she was being lifted high into the air. She screamed. She couldn’t help it. And I despise girls who scream…

  “Hotaru – help me!”

  Flood held her high above the waves, gazing intently into her face. She held her breath, so terrified that all power of speech had deserted her. She felt his piercing gaze rake through her mind, searching, questioning. A confused look dulled the brilliant blue of his fierce, crazed eyes. “Why did you trick me?” he asked, and she heard the pain and bewilderment in his words. “Where has Himiko gone? She was here just now.”

  And then the tight grip around her waist loosened. His eyes had gone blank. She felt herself falling. And I can’t swim.

  She hit the water. The heavy costume, waterlogged, pulled her below the surface. She tried to hold her breath but, in shock, she involuntarily opened her mouth to call for help.

  And then she was sinking, dragged down into the cold, grey depths.

  Hotaru…save me…I’m drowning…

  Chapter 45

  Kai broke the surface just in time to see Flood pluck the young dancer from the beach. She let out a piercing scream as she was lifted high above the waves, her headdress, with its little silver bells, tumbling from her long black hair into the water.

  Is he trying to save her?

  But then Flood spoke. “Why did you trick me?” he heard Flood ask her. “Where has Himiko gone? She was here just now.”

  And then he opened his claws. Ayaka’s slender figure fell into the sea and disappeared beneath the surface.

  “Flood!” Kai yelled. But his voice was still choked by seawater and Flood didn’t hear him. All around him, Kai felt a churning turbulence in the water, a pull and a tug of strong currents that threatened to suck him and the dancer down into the deeps.

  Kai plunged below the surface again, pushing with all his strength against the conflicting currents as he searched in the dim light for the dancer.

  Then he saw her. She was floating slowly downward, her black hair fanning out around her like silken ribbons, her hands outstretched as if in desperate plea to the surface. Her costume is too heavy; it’s dragging her down. He propelled himself forward to catch her and saw her eyes wide open in terror, her mouth gaping as if to cry out.

  Don’t fight me, Ayaka. He knew she could not hear him, but as she drew water into her lungs her whole body went into spasm. He managed to get one arm around her waist. I’m going to rescue you. He kicked upward toward the daylight, pulling her with all his might. There was no time to divest her of the heavy costume; he just had to rely on the strength in his upper body to carry her against the tug of the undertow.

  As he emerged, he felt her suddenly go limp. The weight of her body and her soaking clothes was almost more than he could sustain, but he managed to get her head above water.

  “Ayaka!” The girl’s voice cried out again. Another swimmer was coming toward him, stubbornly battling through the breakers. Treading water, he struggled to keep Ayaka’s face above the waves until the girl reached them.

  “I’ll – help,” she panted, slipping one arm around Ayaka’s hips to help keep her afloat.

  Kai nodded and between them they dragged the unconscious dancer toward the last remaining patch of beach where the prince stood, watching.

  As Hotaru bent down to help them drag her out of the water, his and Kai’s eyes met.

  “This is all your doing.” Kai gazed steadily at him as the girl slapped Ayaka’s face, trying to breathe life back into her. “Has it truly been worth it, your highness?”

  “Yes. Oh, yes.” Hotaru gazed back at him and for the first time Kai caught a glint of the ruthless ambition he had been so artfully concealing beneath his mild, scholarly demeanor. “You’ll have plenty of time to consider my actions from your palace under the sea, Lord Kaito. And to ask yourself if there was anything else you could have done to stop me taking what is rightfully mine.”

  “There’ll be nothing left of Cipangu but flooded lands if you can’t control Ebb and Flood,” Kai flung back at him. “The rice fields will be devastated and the harvest lost. Is that the empire you want to rule? One crippled by famine and disease? Call off the Tide Dragons.”

  Ayaka heaved in a ragged, choking breath and began to cough up water.

  Thank the gods, she’s still alive.

  “Call them off?” Hotaru echoed.

  “Haven’t you proved your point, your highness? Everyone saw you summon the Tide Dragons. The people will acknowledge you as rightful emperor in your brother’s place.”

  “You know what will happen to you, don’t you, when I dismiss them?”

  “Yes, I know.” Kai lied. “I’m Flood’s Sacrifice, after all.” The truth was that he had no idea. He didn’t want to know. All he wanted was to keep his promise to Inari, if only for Sakami’s sake. And as he stood there, confronting the man who had been manipulating them all so shrewdly, setting clan against clan to achieve his ambitions, he saw the Tide Jewels glinting dully in the stormy light.

  Return the Tide Jewels to the sea. But Hotaru was holding the jewels tightly, Flood in his right hand, Ebb in the left. If only he were strong enough to take them from him by force… but he was exhausted. I can’t do it alone. If only Masao had made it in time.

  “Prince Shiomitsu!” Kai turned back to the open sea, calling out one more time in desperation to Flood. “Lord Kurozuro – remember your promise. The promise you made to me.”

  And at last the crazed light faded from Flood’s eyes as the Tide Dragon recognized him. “Kaito?” he said, his deep voice rolling out over the sea.

  Instantly, Ebb began to move through the water, gliding with a slow, sinuous grace toward them.

  Hotaru cast a triumphant look at Kai. “Prince Shiohiru, Lord of Ebb,” he cried, “draw back the tide.” He raised the Ebb Jewel high above his head. “By the sacred bond between my house and yours, I command you to put an end to this flood.”

  ***

  Outside the entrance to the underground shrine, the air was fouled with billowing smoke. Bedraggled worshippers, soaked in spray, were still streaming back up the cliff path, and Masao had to fight his way against them to reach the sea gate, Yūgiri trailing behind.

  He tore through the sea gate unchallenged, and then stopped right on the cliff edge, staring in disbelief at the rising tide that Prince Hotaru had unleashed below. Grey sea swirled and surged around the cliffs; the beach was almost completely flooded and the water was still rising. A few figures could just be made out, marooned on a little strip of beach; he recognized one from his official robes as Hotaru.

  And dominating the bay were the two Tide Dragons.

  The Ebb seal on Masao’s wrist throbbed more violently as Shiohiru raised his foam-white head high above the waves, staring at Flood. “Hotaru’s summoned Ebb,” Masao said, turning to Yūgiri, “so why…” The thought was left unfinished as he saw that Yūgiri had fallen to his knees. “Yū?” He knelt beside him, supporting him. “What’s wrong?”

  “Hotaru… wanted to make sure I didn’t…interfere with his plans…”

  “What did he do to you? Yū! Tell me!” Masao heard his voice shaking with anger. If Hotaru had hurt Yūgiri, he would pay, even if he was a scion of the imperial house.

  “He still needs me…for Naoki. I’ll live. But… he used a darker onmyōdō to seal my powers. He went in deep…too deep…” Yūgiri’s lids fluttered, then closed, as his voice died away.

  “Yū!” Masao hugged him tighter. In too deep… Those last words conjured up images so perverse, so disturbing that they made him feel sick. What obscene rite did he force you to endure? If only I could have protected you…

  Naoki caught up with them. “What’s happened to Yūgiri?”

  Masao looked up at him over Yūgiri’s drooping head. “Your damned master has worked some foul onmyōdō mischief on him to stop him interfering with hi
s plans.”

  The Sacrifice seal on his wrist throbbed again, as if it were seared by a pulsing flame.

  “The seal.” Naoki was staring at it, transfixed. “It’s glowing.”

  Masao could ignore it no longer; he didn’t want to leave Yūgiri like this but he had a score to settle with Hotaru.

  “Take care of Yūgiri for me, Naoki” he said. “And don’t let Hotaru near him again. You owe him.” To his surprise, Naoki didn’t deny it; he knelt beside him to support the unconscious shaman. Masao let his fingers drift over Yūgiri’s cheek in a final caress of farewell. Leaving him like this was harder than he’d imagined it could be. If he stayed a moment longer, his courage would fail. Swiftly, he cloaked himself in the Kite Shadow and swooped over the cliff top, aiming directly for the last strip of beach where Hotaru was stranded.

  ***

  “Is your name…Kaito?” Ayaka, supported by her servant, lifted one hand toward him. Her voice was faint and she was shivering too. “Are you Takeru’s brother?”

  Kai nodded. He saw that, beneath the last streaks of the heavy makeup she had worn to play Empress Himiko, she was young and pretty, with deep-set almond eyes – even if the brows above had been plucked to a single line.

  “You saved me, Kaito. Thank you.” She tried to smile at him but her lips trembled.

  “I’m glad I reached you in time, my lady.”

  And as Ebb’s influence began to calm the choppy waters, the tide began to turn at last.

  “You’re too late, Kaito,” said Hotaru. “The seal has already been broken. It was broken the instant I summoned Flood to bring in the tide. The old legends are quite clear on that fact; I’ve spent many years researching them in the Bureau of Divination.”

  “Then why am I still here?” Kai, wet through and starting to shiver in the cool breeze, did not understand.

  “Because I hold the Tide Jewels – and your life – in my hands.”

  ***

  Masao came swooping down over the flooded bay, straight toward Prince Hotaru.