Dragging her away from the blazing heat, he looked back to see the bridge engulfed in a ball of flame. Its structure had collapsed entirely, preventing any chance of crossing the river. The lead riders and their horses had plummeted into the icy waters and were being washed downstream by the current. While the men struggled to stay afloat, the stronger-swimming horses were able to reach the safety of the bank.

To Jack’s dismay, though, Sayomi had survived. Blown by the blast from her horse, she’d landed upon the mill-side bank. Her hair wild and her pale face blackened with smoke, she swayed unsteadily as her eyes hunted for her missing prey. Kurochi and Nakamura had also escaped the trap and gazed in disbelief at the destroyed bridge.

Through the haze of heat and hell-fire, Akuma roared in fury at being foiled a second time.

46 Ice

46

ICE

‘Be warned!’ Akuma bellowed, seizing a burning fragment of bridge. ‘Farmers who fight fire with fire end up with ashes!’

He threw the flaming chunk of wood into the mill and watched it catch light. Leaving the building to burn, Akuma rallied his bandits and rode south for the ford. Sayomi hung back a while to scan the opposite bank one last time. Infuriated, she spurred her steed on with a kick and galloped after her leader.

Jack stayed hidden in the ditch until certain she was gone, then helped the distraught Natsuko to her feet. Behind him, the farmers were wailing at the loss of both their mill and the head of their village.

‘Junichi was a good man … and brave,’ said Jack, trying to comfort the old woman.

‘I do not weep for my son. In death, there is no suffering,’ she said, staring at the blaze that was her home and now Junichi’s grave. ‘I weep for all those he left behind. With a tyrant like Akuma, it’s those who survive that suffer most.’

Jack helped Natsuko over the wooden board spanning the moat, before leaving her in Sora’s care. Miyuki raced up and immediately began checking Jack for injuries.

‘I’m fine,’ Jack insisted.

‘Hayato almost killed you!’ she exclaimed in outrage, as she brushed charred splinters from his hair.

‘I was following orders,’ said Hayato, striding up behind. ‘Besides, it’s your fault. I always said the plan was highly risky.’

‘But it worked,’ reminded Jack, hoping to prevent a full-blown argument. ‘Thanks to Miyuki’s cunning and your skill.’

Nodding reluctantly, Hayato conceded, ‘There’s no doubt it was effective. Four bandits were caught in the explosion. That leaves Akuma with a force of less than thirty men.’

‘The odds are improving,’ said Miyuki with a grin.