Stone Soul (Path of the Thunderbird Book 2) by eden Hudson

Author:eden Hudson [Hudson, eden]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: coming of age sword sorcery dungeon core demon, men&#8217, action dark epic metaphysical vengeful myth asian, Chinese manga wuxia xianxia martial arts kung fu, s adventure video game adaptations young adult, MMO litRPG role playing steampunk quest gamelit, supernatural fantasy magic occult legends thriller
Publisher: Shadow Alley Press
Published: 2019-09-03T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirty-one

FOUR YEARS AGO

They followed Lao’s trail for over a month. It swooped through villages and cities, sometimes doubling back on itself, sometimes taking off at sharp angles. The false master seemed to have no specific destination in mind, as if he were just moving to stay on the move. Raijin wondered whether Lao suspected he was being followed. Was it possible that news of their search for him had somehow made it to the man? Perhaps in one of the cities he had doubled back on after they’d passed?

They weren’t exactly keeping their heads down. When he had time to spare, Raijin found the local beggar’s row and tried to do what he could for the homeless there. Sharing a meal or sitting with the dying, trying to find them new rags that weren’t as filthy as what they had. He knew it made little difference in their fates, but he couldn’t ignore them. He saw bright jade eyes in the sunken faces of the qajong addicts, heard his mother’s voice in the raving of the insane.

The people of the towns were rarely happy about Raijin’s interference, perhaps because it forced them to admit they were not as prosperous as they believed when a whole class was dying hidden away with the rubbish.

Hush balked at these side trips as well, though she did so because her pursuit of Lao was relentless. Even Nael grew tired of keeping pace with her and spent his time playing with Raijin and annoying Lysander. If Lysander hadn’t insisted that they stop occasionally to rest, Raijin thought it likely that Hush would run them all to death.

“She’s killing herself to get to him,” Lysander said one night as he and Raijin ate. Hush had refused the offer of food, disappearing to scout the trail ahead. “She’s not going to listen to me much longer about resting at night.”

Raijin swallowed his bite of dried meat. “She wants to find the grandmaster.”

They had talked this over several times, coming to the conclusion that if Lao’s master had the power to promise Lysander the things he had, then she must be an incredibly powerful practitioner, perhaps even Youn Wha herself.

“No, Raij, you want to find the grandmaster,” Lysander said. “Hush wants to restart her Water Lily chain. What she says about wanting to study Lao’s regenerative capabilities is probably true, but it’s not the whole truth.” He turned his piece of bread over in his hand. “I’ve been all over this continent, studied folk medicine, listened to little old ladies explain swamp healing and little old men swear by the teas they make, watched surgeons sew faces back on and amputate limbs, but I’ve never seen anyone do what Hush does. Healing is part of her. Like warrior arts are to you.”

Like killing is to you, Raijin thought but did not say. Where Lysander disappeared to some nights was something they never spoke about.

“While she was chasing down Water Lilies, they started to call her the Black Hush of Death,” Lysander said.

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