Dragon Sword and Wind Child Read Online Free PDF Page A

continued, “But it’s the truth, you see. We came looking for a girl who disappeared from a village burned to the ground at Princess Teruhi’s command nine years ago. The girl was six years old and had a red birthmark on her right palm. That mark was proof that she was born clasping an amulet, a magatama that made her the rightful successor, the rebirth of Princess Sayura.”
    â€œStop,” Saya whispered.
    â€œPrincess Sayura is one of the highborn among those who serve the Goddess of Darkness; it is she who guards the Dragon Sword—”
    â€œI said stop!” Saya shouted, cutting him off in mid-sentence. She shook her head violently, sending a flower flying from her hair. “I don’t want to hear any more! Go away! I said go!”
    Torihiko winced at this outburst, and said reproachfully, “You could, at least, refrain from yelling at me as though I were some unwanted cur. I may not look it, but I’m quite a bit older than you.”
    Saya turned on her heel and tried to run back to the Kagai, back to the familiar faces of the people she knew, people who understood laughter and tears. But no matter how far she ran, she seemed to move deeper and deeper into the dark forest. The glade with its bright fire should be just a few steps away, just past that tree, but still it did not come into view. Changing direction made no difference. No matter which way she ran, only the silence of the mountain forest rose up to greet her. Finally she came to a halt and clung to the trunk of a tree. She steadied her breathing, trying to control her panic.
    Calm down, she thought. It’s useless to fight it.
    â€œThere is nothing to fear.” It was the tiny old woman. “You have the power to believe. You can accept what Torihiko has told you.”
    There. You see, Saya told herself.
    She pressed her back against the tree, bracing herself for whatever might come. There before her in the darkness stood the five musicians, wrapped in a pale phosphorescent glow. She knew then that she was finally facing what had filled her with terror for so many years. Having no other choice, she drew a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She was no longer afraid. Perhaps her calm arose from sheer desperation, or perhaps she was just numb. No, she was far from numb. Rather, she was consumed with a smoldering rage. Staring evenly at the five figures, she said coldly, “So you are demons, after all.”
    The old woman, who stood in front, regarded Saya steadily with no change in expression. “No, we’re not demons,” she answered calmly. “We are at least as close to you as the people gathered for the Kagai.”
    â€œAnd our feelings can be hurt, too,” added Torihiko, who stood directly behind the old woman.
    The one-eyed man began to speak. “This is Lady Iwa,” he said. “And I am Lord Akitsu.” Gesturing toward the largest of them, he continued, “This is Lord Ibuki, and those two are Lord Shinado and Torihiko. We are all servants of the Goddess of Darkness.”
    They’re Ground Spiders! Saya thought.
    The possibility that she, too, might be a Ground Spider made her wish that the earth would open up and swallow her. No! her heart rebelled. No, no! It can’t be. I love the light. I love the flowers, the sky, the clouds, everything that lives beneath the sun!
    â€œSaya, listen,” said Lady Iwa. “Do you know the legend of how earth and heaven were formed? The story of the God and Goddess who gave birth to the world? Together, they created the land of Toyoashihara, and hundreds of thousands of gods to populate it. These gods lived in the mountains, the rivers, the rocks, the springs, the wind, and the ocean, and shook the earth with their laughter. But the last child born to the Goddess was the fire god, and she was so horribly burned that she fled and concealed herself in the underworld. In his grief and anger, the God of Light killed the