BooksBarbecue
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

‘But why would you want to become a pirate?’ asked Yori, appalled by the idea.

Cheng’s brow furrowed. ‘In my village, nothing ever happened – except for never having enough rice to eat. And the pirates always seemed to have food. Every time I visited Penglai port, I heard their tales of adventure, riches and foreign lands – it sounded so exciting!’

Cheng looked round at their dismal prison with its scurrying rats and foul stench. ‘This is not how I imagined the life of a pirate.’

24

Image Missing
Hulled

Jack guessed that night had fallen. There were no windows or portholes in the bilge. The only indication of their progress across the Seto Sea was the creaking of the ship, the splash of the oars and the grunts of the rowers. The tortured screams from the top deck had stopped some time back: either Captain Arashi had obtained his answer … or the Wind Demons were all dead.

Jack realized he and his friends were on course to meet the same fate. When the atake-bune docked at Imabari in the morning, they would be delivered into the hands of daimyo Mori. The ruthless sea lord would have the means to transport them direct to Edo where the Shogun resided. Once there, their lives would no doubt be brought to a swift end.

Yet only the day before, the four of them were sailing south to Nagasaki and freedom. Aside from a dishonest captain, little had stood in their way. Now all their hopes had been dashed by a combination of vicious ninja pirates and cruel Sea Samurai.

‘Look! Saburo’s wiggling his toes!’ cried Yori in delight.

Jack saw them move too. Pleased as he was at the news, his smile was tinged with sadness. His friend was coming back from the brink only to face a death sentence from the Shogun.

‘Well done, Miyuki,’ said Jack, laying a hand upon her shoulder. ‘Only your ninja skills could have saved him.’

Completing her chant, Miyuki lay back against the hull, rubbing her temples. She was too exhausted to reply, the intense healing having taken its toll.

‘Water,’ Saburo wheezed through dry cracked lips.

Yori ran to the wooden grille and called to the guards. ‘We need food and water.’

‘Drink what’s at your feet,’ snarled one of the guards, barely bothering to look up.

Yori glanced in revulsion at the scum floating over the brackish water. He thought for a moment then worded his reply carefully. ‘Your captain needs us alive for the Shogun. If you let one of us die, I’m sure he’ll be most displeased with you. And we all know what punishments await those who displease the captain.’

The two guards exchanged an uncertain look. Huffing in irritation, the first guard got to his feet and disappeared up the steps. He returned with a jug and a bowl of cold rice. Opening a small hatch in the grille, he passed the vital supplies to Yori.