by Sarah Ash
Inari, the rice goddess
Honou, Sakami’s fox-familiar
Kurika, a fire god
Prince Shiohiru, the White Tide Dragon of Ebb
Prince Shiomitsu, the Blue Tide Dragon of Flood
TIDE DRAGONS
GLOSSARY
adzuki
red, sweet beans
biwa
short-necked four-stringed lute, often used to accompany narrative songs
dojo
a place where training in martial arts takes place
hakama
traditional garment worn by men (and miko)
itadori
knotweed, used to make a healing infusion
jutsu
technique, skill, or spell
kami
deity or spirit
katana
sword with a slender, curved blade
kekkai
invisible shield or barrier
kunai
sharp, leaf-bladed tool often used as a knife by shinobi
maku
curtained enclosure to mark a military field headquarters
menko
card game
miko
female shrine attendant
naginata
weapon similar to a glaive: a wooden pole with a curved blade on the end, traditionally wielded by warrior monks
obi
sash worn over a kimono worn by a man or woman
onmyōdō
yin and yang magic
onmyōji
a specialist in magic and divination (a wielder of onmyōdō)
sake
fermented alcohol made from rice
sekihan
red rice; rice boiled with adzuki beans and served at celebrations
seppuku
ritual suicide
shakuhachi
bamboo end-blown flute, traditionally tuned to the pentatonic minor scale
shikigami
spirit conjured and controlled by an onmyōji (sometimes with paper charms)
shinobi
another term for a ninja, or covert agent engaged in espionage
shō
wind instrument made of bamboo pipes
shuriken
metal throwing star, a weapon used by shinobi
tanuki
raccoon
torii
gateway to a shrine (the boundary between the mortal world and the world of spirits)
tsubaki mochi
camellia rice cake
wagashi
traditional sweet served with tea
yamabushi
mountain holy man
yōkai
supernatural creature, ghost, or monster (not necessarily evil or ugly)
yukata
light, informal summer kimono, worn by both men and women
HONORIFICS
-chan
affectionate term used toward children, girls, close friends, and family
-kun
address used when speaking to a younger boy or man
-sama
term of respect
-sensei
title and honorific, used for anyone expert in a certain field (i.e. medicine, teaching, etc.)
Acknowledgments
My thanks to:
Nancy Webber, my wonderful and inspiring editor
Marcelle Natisin, my talented cover and frontispiece artist
Ladonrick Powell, for the cover lettering
John Richard Parker, my agent for many years
Diana Horner, Heather Debling, and all at eBookPartnership
My husband Michael
Also by Sarah Ash
www.sarah-ash.com
Moths to a Flame
Songspinners
The Lost Child
The Tears of Artamon Trilogy
1/ Lord of Snow and Shadows
2/Prisoner of the Iron Tower
3/Children of the Serpent Gate
Alchymist’s Legacy
1/ Tracing the Shadow
2/Flight into Darkness