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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

As his body thumped to the deck, there was a bloodcurdling roar. Jack looked up, thinking his escape attempt had been discovered. But the three seki-bune had closed round the Black Spider and the Wind Demons were sounding their battle cry. The air was filled with the crack of muskets, the acrid reek of gunpowder and the whoosh of flaming arrows. A deep boom rolled like thunder as a cannon was fired. A moment later, a huge geyser of water foamed over the bow of the Black Spider. Another deluge of arrows rained on to the deck. Three ninja pirates cried out as the steel tips found their target.

Several arrows clattered off the bamboo cage, one passing through and impaling a Korean prisoner in the arm. Inside, Miyuki and Yori huddled over Saburo’s body. Jack noticed neither of them were performing Sha and Miyuki had given up breathing for him.

He was too late!

Jack rammed the bear claw of the kumode into the gate’s bars. Throwing all his weight against it, he forced the lock apart and the gate sprang open. He darted over to his friends.

‘Is Saburo … dead?’ asked Jack, almost too afraid to utter the fatal word.

Miyuki turned to him, her face drawn and exhausted. ‘No, I think he’s over the worst of it … but we still need to keep an eye on him.’

Letting out a sigh of relief, Jack smiled at his incapacitated friend. Tugging his pilgrim jacket from the bars, he said, ‘We have to escape right now. Do you understand?’

Saburo blinked twice.

Miyuki grabbed Jack’s arm. ‘Saburo can’t swim. How do you expect to get him off the boat?’

‘We tie him to a barrel and tow him.’

‘It’s too dangerous,’ argued Miyuki. ‘He’s still paralysed. If he swallows just one mouthful of water, he could drown.’

‘We’ve got no choice. There’s an island nearby. We escape now … or die at the Wind Demons’ will –’ An explosion rocked the boat, wood splintering as a cannonball ripped through the deck. ‘Or by the hands of the Sea Samurai!’

Arrows peppered the brocade curtains, shredding them and setting others alight. In the background, the atake-bune loomed closer, turning its guns broadside.

‘The decision is not for us to make,’ said Yori.

The three of them looked to Saburo.

‘Do you want to swim for it?’ asked Jack.

Two blinks.

21

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Repel Boarders

Lifting Saburo on to their shoulders, Jack and Miyuki staggered out of the cage. The other prisoners had already fled, all except the lice-ridden Korean slave.

‘Get out of here while you can,’ urged Jack.

But the Korean merely sat in the corner, picking at the scraps in the cooking pot and observing the battle. He sniggered each time a ninja pirate was wounded or killed.

‘And miss this?’ he cackled. ‘Revenge never tasted so sweet.’