A Dragon's Clutch

by Alica Mckenna Johnson

  “Ready to get cleaned up and find out what pizza in Japan is like?” Kayin asked me.

  “Sure.”

  “Sapphire,” Emiko said. “You should be careful. Hiroshi likes you, and Taliesin told me what happened with Ramsey. I’d hate for something to happen to Miu’s little brother because he was with you.” She smiled then walked to where Taliesin waited for her.

  My breath caught. My stomach felt filled with ice. Were the others worried I’d get Hiroshi hurt? They said I wasn’t responsible for what had happened in Avalon, and all our other encounters with the Sons of Belial. But if they looked to me to be the leader then I am responsible. Responsible for their safety, for the magical beings getting home to Akasha, and for protecting us all from the Sons of Belial. I rubbed my chest trying to get my body to work again.

  * * *

  Ramsey smiles at me, his naughty smile that promises trouble and pleasure and makes my knees weak. He cups my cheek in one hand, the other on my waist pulling me closer. Parting my lips, I close my eyes waiting for his kiss. He stiffens, screams, and begins to fall. Reaching out I catch him and lower us to the ground. A knife sticks out of his back, the handle glowing as Cartazonon sucks away his magic and his life. Around us the Sons of Belial slaughter magical beings, the priests and priestesses of Avalon, and my family.

  Shaking in my arms Ramsey screams again.

  “Help,” I cry out tears streaming down my face. “Someone help!”

  Kayin runs towards me, his eyes wide. A shot rings out, and he jerks, falling to the ground, blood soaking his shirt. “Sapphire,” he says falling to the ground.

  “Sapphire,” Gavin yells. He holds Anali’s lifeless body. His hand is on her stomach, where their baby lies trapped inside her.

  Ramsey’s body goes limp. “Sapphire,” he moans then doesn’t move again.

  Looking around the battle I find Shin, his body curving over Miu’s, a sword through both of them pinning them to the ground. They gasp my name with their dying breaths.

  Taliesin where is Taliesin?

  “I want the unicorn alive,” Cartazonon orders.

  Lee comes forward, a chain in his thick fingers which leads to a metal collar around Taliesin’s neck. His white hair is matted with blood and his hands and feet are shackled. Lee stands next to his master. “I live to serve.”

  Taliesin’s sky blue eyes are filled with pain and fear. “Sapphire, help me.”

  I try to build my power but I can’t feel Akasha. I am useless.

  Cartazonon laughs as they lead Taliesin away.

  The cave changes to a field with fake grass and a sky an unnatural shade of blue. No wind blows and the air feels stale and heavy. Ramsey shifts. Is he still alive? Looking down all I see are snakes. They cover my legs, holding me to the ground. I try to kick my legs. I want to get away, but I can’t move. I push at them, and one bites me. I scream, sending a pulse of Phoenix power out.

  Waking, I pushed and kicked the covers off of me. No snakes. It was a dream. No snakes. Shaking. I reached for my water and drank, trying to calm down. My hair stuck to my sweaty face. The clock face glowed red, showing a little after five. No point in trying to go back to sleep. Maybe a shower would make me feel better. I grabbed my things and put on the wooden sandals as quietly as possible as I walked down the stairs.

  Miu’s aunt was leaving the bathing room when I entered. She bowed to me. “Good morning, you sleep good?”

  “Yes, thank you,” I said, bowing back.

  “Good, I go make breakfast.” She bowed again then walked away.

  My footsteps echoed off the tiles in the empty room. I shivered and looked at the huge picture window unable to see into the pitch black garden. No one is out there, just relax. The courtyard is walled off for privacy. I got into the shower and used the shampoo and body scrub Miu had scented for me. The sweet spicy aroma of black pepper essential oil relaxed my muscles. Even if my brain was still tense my body knew the extra emotions would wash away. I flinched, hitting a sore spot on my thigh. Turning I saw a red spot, was that where the snake had bitten me? No, it couldn’t be. I poured some more soap and washed the spot, the red slowing fading. I’d have to remember to tell Gavin. I searched for my phone to write myself a reminder, but I’d left it upstairs.

  Oh, well. I’d have to remember on my own. After I dried off I rubbed on the lotion, which Miu had added essential oils to, and got dressed. The quiet dark tub was too creepy to get into. I mean that’s a horror movie waiting to happen.

  When I got to my room, a pot of hot tea waited for me. After putting my things away, I knelt at the table and poured some tea. Jasmine scented steam tickled my nose. Taking a sip, I relaxed a little more. The heat and flavors grounded me in the here and now. Lifting the cover off a steamer basket, I found three steamed buns with a green dot on top marking them as vegetarian. The bread was warm and soft, and the filling made of savory aduki beans.

  The horizon began to lighten from black to midnight blue. Sipping tea and eating steamed buns I watched the sunrise shaping itself into ribbons of color across the sky. I went out to the balcony. Dewdrops reflected the colors of the sunrise and faeries seemed to dance as they performed their morning work. They tended to the plants, encouraged blossoms to grow, straightened new leaves, and helped the bumblebees gather dew and pollen.

  The sun blinded me as it crested the horizon. Blinking, I stepped back into the shade. The faeries made high frantic noises before disappearing into their homes. Footsteps sounded on the wooden walkway below me and black clad figures slipped from the shadows. Ninjas. Was the ryokan having some kind of themed party? And so early?

  With a low hiss of metal on leather one of the ninja’s pulled something from his belt. Metal glinted in the sunlight, and began to prune a rhododendron. Another began to rake, one trimmed the patches of grass, and the last climbed a tree, his tabi helping him keep his grip. I smiled watching the grass ninjas for a while before going inside.

  Chapter Six

  Platters of food sat steaming along the center of the table, instead of the individual meals we had been served the day before. At each place were bowls of brown rice, a smaller bowl of miso soup, and a cup for tea. I knelt, my body feeling limber and loose after Anali’s Ashtanga yoga class.

  “Tea?” asked one of the staff.

  “Thank you. Breakfast looks wonderful.”

  The woman clucked. “We feed you like sumo.”

  Sumo? “I guess we do eat a lot. Thank you,” I said trying to be polite.

  “Can I have some tea please?” Sasha asked, sitting across from me, his honey blond hair streaked with the same shade of red as mine and Kayin’s hair, stuck to his sweaty forehead.

  “Hai, now eat. Eat lots, like sumo,” she said before bowing and leaving.

  Sasha ran a hand over his stomach, the material of his tee shirt bunched showing golden skin and flat hard abs. “Like sumo?”

  I laughed. At least I wasn’t the only one confused. Then I dished up some vegetables and a rolled omelet on top of my bowl of rice. “Apparently we eat like sumo wrestlers, that’s why breakfast is different today.”

  “Oh, okay.” Sasha took a piece of glazed salmon, some veggies and an omelet. “Do you want some tofu? I can reach it.”

  “Yes, please.” I held out my bowl and he put tofu with green onion and some kind of brown sauce on the empty spot of rice. “Did you go running this morning?”

  He held up his bandaged wrist. “Yes, I couldn’t do much else. Miu gave me some stinky ointment for it, and it feels a lot better.”

  “That’s good.” We ate silently for a while, grabbing pickled vegetables and getting more of our favorites. The omelet tasted sweet and with a hint of soy sauce but no fillings. I got a second one.

  “Sasha, have you been having any dreams lately?” I asked, keeping my voice low as other performers with the cirque had shown up.

  Shrugging he frowned. “No, not really. I remember a dark creepy forest, but that’s about it.”
<
br />   “You usually dream more than that.”

  “Well, I’ve been staying up later, and you know.” Sasha wiggled his eyebrows at me as he grinned.

  I did know, and frankly I was worried. Ever since London Sasha had been partying a lot. Good looking cirque performers didn’t have difficulty finding someone to buy them drinks and have sex with, especially when that performer seemed open to both men and women. “I’m aware.”

  “Why do you ask? Do you think I’m not doing my job as a Treasure of Akasha?” His bitterness and anger made his Russian accent thick, and hit my empathic shields like sharp needles.

  I held my hands up. “No, I’m not saying that at all. I’ve just . . . I’ve been dreaming about snakes a lot lately and I’m hoping you had too, so you could explain what’s going on.”

  He shook his head. “No. Do you think you’re being sent my dreams?” He took another piece of salmon and some pickled cucumbers. He pretended not to care, and I didn’t remind him. I sensed his disappointment.

  “I don’t think so. The dreams are weird. Like the sky is the wrong color. Not the turquoise sky in Akasha but like the old badly colorized black and white movie. Does that make sense?”

  “Yes, but that is not how I dream. Do you feel safe?” Sasha asked, his angst fading into concern.

  “What?” Gavin asked. He held Anali’s hand as she sat, and then sat next to her. His red hair was dark and dripped onto his sweater.

  Anali had blow-dried her hair and the dark brown locks were a little poofier than normal as they grazed the tops of her shoulders. “Are you okay?”

  “I had another snake dream last night.” I rubbed the spot on my leg that had been red. “I was asking Sasha’s advice.”

  “Did something new happen in the dream?” Anali asked as she put omelets and pickled vegetables on top of her rice.

  “One of the snakes bit me and there was a red mark this morning,” I said.

  “Did you throw-up?” Gavin asked.

  “Well, no but …”

  “Oh,” Anali gasped putting her hand on her belly.

  “Are you okay? Is the baby moving? Is the baby okay?”

  “Gavin, calm down. I felt a little flutter and I can feel the baby’s emotions.” Anali frowned. “I think he feels upset, maybe there are too many people in here? Or maybe he’s hungry? It’s hard to tell. I’m having difficulty blocking everyone else.”

  “It’s a boy?” Gavin asked, his eyes shining with tears.

  Of course that would be what Gavin picked up on. I rolled my eyes and focused back on my meal.

  “Is your leg okay?” Sasha asked softly.

  “Yeah, Miu’s soap cleared away the energy.”

  He nodded. “That is good. I’ll try and dream tonight.”

  “Maybe an early night alone would help?” Anali said in a teasing mom voice.

  Sasha blushed. “But it’s so hard to say no when they beg.”

  “Oh, Sasha, really.” Anali grinned. “Anyway, after you guys finish with practicing, we are going to Edo Castle. Miu’s mom is going to be our personal tour guide.”

  “Is everyone coming?” Gavin said. His left arm wrapped around Anali’s waist.

  “Da,” said Sasha around a mouthful of fish.

  “I’m planning on being there,” I said. Like not going with my aunt and uncle was an option.

  “Where?” asked Kayin, sitting on my other side. Shin sat next to Sasha. Both of them began filling their bowls. “Everything looks delicious.”

  “I’m in, wherever we are going,” Shin said.

  “Miu’s mom, Hanako, is showing us Edo Castle today.” Anali leaned into Gavin as more people came into the room.

  “I’ve made plans with Emiko,” Taliesin said sitting on the other side of Anali. “I didn’t realize we were going anywhere.”

  “That’s okay,” Anali said. “We should have let you guys know sooner.”

  “Didn’t Emiko know?” Kayin whispered to me.

  “Maybe, I don’t know, but maybe they want to be alone.” I looked at Kayin who glanced at Shin then focused on his breakfast. It was kind of cute, Emiko and Taliesin all in crush with each other. Of, course it would be nice to spend time with him like we normally do, but as his friend I was supposed to be happy for him, so I tried to fake it.

  I snagged some more tofu while Kayin held the bowl and planned my morning in my head while the others chatted around me.

  * * *

  Impressive was too tame a word to describe the perfect beauty of Edo Castle. Unlike European castles with their rough stone walls covered in lichens, moss, and vines, Edo is maintained to fresh-out-of-the-box perfection. The painted walls, polished wooden floors, artwork, and gardens were kept in pristine condition. Which is at odds with the amount of old emotions trapped on the grounds. The stone foundations, garden bridges, and pathways held more ancient emotions than I had felt anywhere else in Japan so far.

  Blood had been spilt here. Lovers and rulers betrayed, opponents assassinated, revenge fulfilled, and honor upheld. Taking a breath, I focused on strengthening my empathic bubble. Normally, I would ground myself holding Kayin or Taliesin’s hand, but Kayin was being all cute with Shin and Taliesin was off with Emiko. Gavin, Anali, Miu, Hanako, and Sasha were all too emotional to be of any real help.

  I walked past the ghostly image of a man committing seppuku. His bitterness felt thick like cold syrup. He hadn’t killed himself to preserve his honor, but the honor of the Shogun’s son.

  I turned away before he pierced his stomach with the sword. Did they not do the Shinto cleansing ritual here or was the blood soaked ground too much to cleanse? “Gavin.” I waited for him to turn around. “I’m going to stay out here in the gardens.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, there’s just a lot of emotions here and Miu’s mom said they display armor and swords. They tend to hold a lot of history in them.”

  “We can leave if you need to,” Anali said rubbing her stomach. Did she even realize she was doing it?

  “I’m not overwhelmed or falling into anything. I’ll be fine. Enjoy the rest of the castle. Take lots of pictures so I can see it.”

  Anali walked over to me and gave me a hug. “If you're sure. Call or text if you need anything.”

  “I will. Go on and have fun.” Gavin frowned at me. “Uncle Gavin, the gardens are beautiful. I’ll be fine.”

  “You’ll stay here?” he asked frowning.

  “Yes, of course.” Where else would I go?

  “I don’t like the idea of you being alone. I’ll stay with you.”

  God, I wasn’t a baby. “Fine, I’ll go.”

  Gavin’s forehead wrinkled. “You don’t have to.”

  Really? I don’t? Because the whole way over he kept talking about how excited he was to tour Edo castle. I walked up the stairs following the others. “It’s no big deal.”

  “Sapphire …” Gavin began.

  “Oh,” Anali gasped placing her hand on her stomach.

  “Are you okay?” Gavin asked, his focus now on his wife and baby.

  “Yes, he just kicked hard that time. There are so many people and emotions here.” Anali moved closer to Gavin and away from a German tour group.

  I walked ahead. Gavin wrapped his arm around Anali blocking her and the baby from other people’s emotions. Wrapping my arms around myself I focused on strengthening my shield as much as possible. Transparent images from the past, servants, geisha, warriors, scholars, ladies, and lords moved around me as I walked down the hallway. Hanako told us about the art and stories from different families who ruled here. I focused on her and ignored Gavin’s worried looks.

  The next room held several suits of samurai armor. I stayed far away. The legacy of the samurai who wore the armor was thick and preserved as the shiny lacquer decorating them. These had not been cleansed by Shinto rituals. The memories of enemies defeated, battles won, wounds suffered, and lives sacrificed for their lords soaked into the wood and metal. Each h
eld a layer of pride and honor for the samurai and his family. Sons wore their father’s armor and passed it down to their eldest son to wear with familial pride.

  Backing up, I stood near a tapestry woven by a faithful wife. She prayed for her husband’s and son’s safety as she embroidered a scene from their last victorious battle. I let her calmness flow over me. Hanako knew each of the families the armor belonged to and shared several stories for each one. I waited while the others enjoyed Hanako’s stories.

  “What are you doing here?” a woman asked. Her small dark eyes were cold and sharp. Her coarse white hair had two black stripes in it on either side of her head. It was pulled into a thick bun, and she wore a kimono made from a simple cotton of gray and black.

  “Excuse me?” What was she talking about?

  The whites of her eyes turned black as she snarled at me, showing pointed teeth. “I am one of the spirit guardians of the palace, and we want to know what you are doing here.”

  What kind of history did Phoenixes have to be so mistrusted in Japan? The crystal bead on Taliesin’s bracelet glowed silver, like when I met the guardian of the ryokan. “Nothing, my family is here touring the castle.”

  “Yes, we are used to their kind. Half breeds who have little power.” She tilted her head. “Although several in your group are quite powerful. But not as strong as you.”

  “We are visiting like everyone else,” I said, moving so I was between her and my friends.

  “So you are not here for the pearl?”

  I shook my head. “No, I don’t even know about any pearl.”

  “Treasure is here. Long buried, long forgotten. We have hidden it. We have guarded it until he returns.”

  “Until who returns?”

  “Uesugi Kenshin, the god of war.” She snarled, baring her teeth. “I won’t give you his treasure.”

  I forced myself to speak softly. “I’m not here for treasure.”

  “The evil one came and tried to take it, he failed. You will, too.” She tilted her head, her solid black eyes staring into mine. “Nothing stinks as bad as purity which has rotted.”