Raven's Sword by Adam Baker

Author:Adam Baker
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781911591665
Publisher: Canelo Digital Publishing Ltd
Published: 2018-08-27T16:00:00+00:00

* * *

Tengu walked across the moonlit courtyard and brought Era a bowl of rice. She had draped a blanket over the cage to stop him freezing to death during the night. She set down a candle and pulled the blanket aside. Era was curled on the floor of the cage. He stretched and yawned.

‘Sit back,’ she said, careful not to get too close to the bars. She set the bowl on the flagstones and stepped away. He reached through the bars, took the bowl and started to eat. He ate half the rice then set the rest aside.

‘I’ll finish it later.’

‘Finish it now so I can take your bowl.’

‘What do you see when you look at me? A criminal, or a fellow wanderer fallen on hard times? One day you may find yourself in the same position, then what would you want a stranger to do for you, brother? If you help me now the fates will be sure to repay you in the days to come.’

‘Finish your rice.’

‘I’ve been tracking the iron sword for years, tracking it so long I barely remember life before the chase. I’ve travelled the length and breadth of Honshu following every sighting and rumour. Sometimes I missed it by days, sometimes by hours. This is the closest I’ve come. The iron sword is nearby, I can feel it. It’s singing to me.’

‘It’s probably hidden within the tavern. Maybe I’ll search the house and take it, or maybe I won’t. Either way, I don’t need your help. You are in a poor bargaining position, my friend. You’ve got nothing I need.’

‘You don’t know where to look within the tavern,’ said Era.

‘Neither do you.’

‘I have experience in these matters. I know the kind of places to look.’

‘There’s a loose floorboard in the tavern keeper’s bedroom. I heard it creak as his wife walked around. Is that the kind of hiding place you have in mind?’

Era leaned forward, keenly interested.

‘The tavern keeper and his family make regular trips to the village to collect supplies for the tournament,’ he said. ‘All you have to do is wait until they leave, then you can search their rooms. But stealing the sword will be easy. Making it out of the valley alive is the true challenge. Once these tavern folk realize their treasure is gone they will immediately rouse the villagers and promise them a handsome reward if they can recover the blade. It will be hard to outrun the locals. They know the land better than you. You’ll need a bandit’s cunning to make it out of the province alive, and contacts in the city to help sell the sword. It will be difficult but we can do it if we act as a team.’

Tengu took his rice bowl.

‘I don’t want the accursed weapon.’

‘Do you understand the value of that sword? It’s worth many times its weight in gold.’

‘Why would anyone want a blade that’s proved fatal to every owner?’

‘Some men have strange desires,’ said Era. ‘The closer they get to death, the more they feel alive.

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