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Back The Ring of Wind Save as PDF
Chapters (71)
  1. CHRIS BRADFORD
  2. Contents
  3. Map: The Japans – 17th Century
  4. The Letter
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. Notes on the Sources
  69. Ninja Pirate Ship Competition
  70. Japanese Glossary
  71. Acknowledgements

He led them down a corridor towards Tatsumaki’s quarters. They hurried past open shoji on every side. Discarded loot and treasure were scattered across the floors, only the best having been taken by Tatsumaki’s oarsmen.

‘Our packs!’ exclaimed Saburo as they passed by one of the ransacked rooms.

Darting inside, they grabbed their belongings. They were relieved to discover their weapons stacked in a corner. Miyuki secured her ninjatō to her back and her utility belt round her waist. Saburo thrust his katana and wakizashi into his obi, while Yori was thrilled to be reunited with his trusty shakujō.

They heard the Pirate Queen shouting from a nearby room. ‘Hurry up!’ she ordered. ‘The Sea Samurai fleet are almost upon us.’

Creeping down the corridor, Jack and his friends peeked round a door into the citadel’s main hall. Tatsumaki stood with her back to them, directing the loading of her last remaining treasure chests. Saru sat upon an open chest, nibbling a piece of her favourite fruit.

‘There’s the key,’ whispered Jack, spying the glint of metal hanging from her collar.

‘How can we get it?’ said Saburo. ‘You can’t just walk up to Tatsumaki and politely ask.’

‘I have an idea,’ said Miyuki.

Reaching into her pack, she pulled out a blowpipe.

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The Key

‘Are you going to kill the Pirate Queen?’ asked Yori as Miyuki inserted a tiny dart into the pipe.

Miyuki took careful aim and blew. The dart whisked through the air towards its target.

‘Ow!’ cried the Wind Demon, swatting at his neck and dropping the treasure chest he was carrying. ‘Pesky mosquitoes!’

‘No, just distract her,’ Miyuki replied with an impish grin, as the chest crashed to the floor and hundreds of silver coins spilled out.

‘You clumsy idiot!’ exclaimed the Pirate Queen, rushing to save her precious treasure.

While Tatsumaki and the oarsman were busy gathering up the silver, Jack seized the opportunity to sneak over to Saru. The monkey caught sight of him and bobbed up and down, chattering excitedly as he approached. Jack put a finger to his lips in a desperate attempt to calm the monkey. Saru seemed to understand and settled as soon as he stroked her head. With great care, Jack removed the key from her collar.

The Wind Demon continued shovelling handfuls of silver back into the treasure chest, while the Pirate Queen looked on, chastising him for his stupidity with the sharp edge of her tessen. Having pocketed the key, Jack’s eyes fell upon the distinctive black oilskin covering of the rutter. The logbook had been stowed in Saru’s open chest. Reaching in, Jack’s hands clasped round the oilskin, its cool touch reassuringly familiar. Hastily, he slipped the rutter into his pack. All the time Saru was watching him, quietly nibbling on her fruit.