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  A DRAGON'S CLUTCH © 2017 Alica Mckenna-Johnson

  Published by AMJ Publishing 2017 at Smashwords

  Copyright 2017 by ALICA MCKENNA-JOHNSON

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author except in the case of brief quotation embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  Cover and formatting: Sweet 'N Spicy Designs

  A DRAGON'S CLUTCH

  Book Four of the Children of Fire Series

  Alica Mckenna-Johnson

  Tokyo is more than Hello Kitty, manga, ninja-themed restaurants, and cherry blossoms. Supported by her family, sixteen year old Sapphire deals with hostile magical beings, suspicious spirits, and poisonous nightmares.

  A tormented creature haunts the Suicide Forest calling the hopeless to their death. With innocent lives on the line Sapphire must trust herself to lead her family and friends through the dangerous beings of Japan. Burdened by the memories of her failures and hurt by her friends’ distrust Sapphire isn’t sure how she can make it another day.

  Giving in to Cartazonon’s offer tempts her, but two world’s depend on her finding her strength to choose the right path, no matter how much it hurts.

  http://eepurl.com/bc5bzn

  Thank you to everyone who has stood by my side and encouraged me. Readers who messaged me, my critique partners and editors Kilian, Kim, Mary, Jill, and Jenn who helped turn my rough draft into a book I am proud of. To my children Logan and Tala who put up with me writing all the time. And to my friends Amber, Leslie, and Theresa who listened to me plot, vent, and cry over these characters.

  I would like to dedicate this book to Josh Banno for beta reading and making sure my version of Japan is culturally appropriate and appreciative.

  And to Ken, Selena, Amber, and Leslie Seowtewa for their information on Zuni witches.

  Chapter One

  I felt everyone’s impatience whirl and bite against my empathic shields as we waited to leave the ship. For the past three weeks the Cirque du Feu Magique had been a headlining act on a large cruise ship. Some of us had enjoyed the experience more than others, but now we all wanted to leave. However, passengers got to go first. I checked my phone again, nothing. How long must we wait? Closing my eyes, I imagined the feel of Tokyo, the busy thrum of life and the solid ground. Of course in the small berth I shared with three other performers there were no windows to look out of.

  Our door opened with a screech. Michael, the troupe's leader, poked his head in. “Come on, time to go.”

  Grabbing my bags, I squeezed through the door and into the slow shuffle of performers and other crew leaving the ship.

  “Ready to get off this boat, little sister?” Kayin asked. Having grown up in a village in Zimbabwe he wasn’t any more found of being on the water than I was.

  “So ready. Never again do I want to do this.”

  “I agree, and if we hadn’t had to try and open the portal ...” Kayin shrugged.

  “Yeah, I know.” We had been given coordinates for a gateway stone that lay in the Pacific Ocean. Between the depth of the stone and the speed of the cruise ship we weren’t able to connect our Phoenix powers to the gateway stone and open the portal. Several ideas had been suggested on how to fix the problem. “I am not getting in a submarine.”

  Kayin chuckled. “Yes, you made that perfectly clear. Come on, Michael has a bus waiting to take us to the hotel we’re going to be staying at.”

  “I hope it will be okay,” I said.

  “Miu promised it would. Don’t you trust her?” Kayin asked.

  “Of course.” As our healer, Miu had helped me several times when my empathic abilities emotionally overwhelmed me. “You’re right. Come on. Let’s get off this ship and explore Tokyo.”

  * * *

  The ancestral guardian of the ryokan did not like me and didn’t want me to enter. Truthfully, he hadn’t liked any of us with Phoenix ancestry, but the others weren’t strong enough for him to speak to. Stepping through the torii gate and into the front garden, I let the other performers of Cirque du Feu Magique pass me and go into the traditional Japanese hotel. Leaning against the garden wall, I checked the color of the crystal bead on my bracelet; it glowed the color of a sword's blade, protective and strong.

  Taliesin gave me this bracelet three months ago for my sixteenth birthday. He used hair from the mane of his unicorn form. It showed people’s energy, the way he saw them, kind of like a mood ring for those around me. I’d never seen silver before.

  “Who are you? Why do you come to this home?” said a voice in my head.

  I didn’t see anyone or anything. Wait, one of the stone guardians near the door, it looked kind of like a lion, stared at me. I focused on the statue. “My name is Sapphire Rayner. My friend’s family owns this inn and has allowed me to stay here.”

  “I allow people to stay here,” the voice roared. “And few magical beings are ever allowed past these gates. Your family have already entered, but I could not communicate with any of them.”

  “There is a unicorn, he should be able to talk with you too.”

  “I let the unicorn enter; he has my blessing. You do not. I ask again who are you?”

  Power surged around me, hot and thick. “I am a Child of Fire, a descendant of the Phoenix King Shamash and his Queen Aya.”

  “And why are you here?”

  “My family and I are here to open a portal to Akasha so magical beings can return home, if they wish to.”

  The power eased. “I will see. But know if I deem you and your family unworthy I shall cast you out.”

  “There will be no need. If you do not want us here, simply tell me and we will leave peacefully.”

  “For now, since the Muto family has offered their hospitality, I shall grant you permission to enter.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I am watching, Child of Fire.”

  The energy faded and the crystal became a soft periwinkle color, which meant peace and contentment, with tiny silver flecks to let me know the guardian hadn’t left. What a lovely welcome to Tokyo.

  I looked at the inn and sighed. Yeah. Me in a building over five hundred years old that’s magically protected. Not a good plan. The front porch was covered in shoes, a testament to the uniqueness of our troupe. Doc Martens, Birkenstocks, Converse, sequined ballet slippers, penny loafers, neon bright Nikes, and more were heaped together. One of the staff straightened them into pairs and lined them into neat rows.

  Stepping onto the gray stone path, I strengthened my protective shield. In my mind I visualized a big soap bubble. Hoping I could block out all the emotions the building had stored, I stepped forward. Being empathic had its up and downs, and I feared the centuries old hotel would be a major down.

  “Sapphire,” Miu said, standing on the porch, her hands on her hips. Her peridot green eyes narrowed. “Come on, I promise it’ll be okay.”

  “I’m admiring the g
arden,” I said, not wanting to offend Miu. Even with several of the large trees bare the garden was lovely. Dark green pine trees with long needles curved in windswept shapes. Boulders covered in fuzzy moss and stone lanterns had been placed with care. While I didn’t understand the how or the why, I felt the deliberate intentions left behind by the gardeners.

  Toeing off my Keds, I placed them neatly along the wall so the staff wouldn’t have to. I wiggled my toes to loosen my socks so I could slip on the fancy wooden flip flop style sandals provided by the inn. Taking a breath, I stepped onto the polished wood floor.

  “I am Muto, welcome to my inn.” An older Japanese woman bowed, her black hair twisted into a bun. She wore a light blue kimono decorated with white and silver cranes.

  I bowed as Miu had taught me and prayed my pronunciation was correct. “Arigato gozaimasu Muto-san, your ryokan is lovely. I know I will enjoy my stay here.”

  “My niece speaks so fondly of all of you. I am honored to meet you and provide a place for you to stay during your visit. Come, I will show you to your room.”

  I followed Muto down the hall, our wooden sandals echoing with each step. The outside walls were solid wood with sections of shoji screens. They opened, letting in light and fresh air and allowing people to take in the beauty of the grounds. We climbed the narrow worn stairs to the fourth floor.

  “Auntie has put you in the smallest room since you’re the only one staying alone. Normally they don’t allow single guests but since the circus has rented the entire ryokan, she’s making an exception for you,” Miu said.

  “Where are you staying?” We always roomed together. True, Miu is a messy roommate, but she kept her clutter to her side.

  Miu tilted her head forward. Her two high ponytails fell over her shoulders in a shiny black cascade she’d recently streaked with pink. “I’m staying at my house with my family.”

  “Oh, of course. I’ll miss you.”

  Slipping her arm through mine, she squeezed. “Please. You’ll love the time alone. Anyway we’ll hang out every day. I can’t wait to introduce you to my friends and show you Tokyo.”

  Muto pulled open a shoji screen and stepped back.

  I stepped forward but Miu held my arm and pointed to the sandals on my feet. Yes, no sandals on the tatami mats. I slipped off the sandals and walked into the room, the mats smooth and a little soft under my feet. In the center of the room sat a small table low to the ground. Against one wall lay a twin futon on the floor, covered with a thick white comforter and in the middle a circle of an embroidered crane flying into the sunset.

  The wall opposite the futon held a small television and shoji which opened to a closet. To the left of the bed, a shelf was set into the wall that held an ikebana arrangement. A pale green vase held a twisting branch with small tight buds. I opened the shoji on the outside wall. Miu said I had to carefully go over the room before thanking my hostess for it. I stepped out onto a small balcony screened on both sides for privacy and looked onto the garden. Right below grew a bare tree with small buds starting to form on its pale gray branches. Gold, white, and red koi fish swam in the garden’s pond. Dark green moss covered rocks and lanterns and grew between the flat black stones which paved a path that wandered between the sculpted trees.

  I turned and bowed. “It is beautiful. Arigato gozaimasu, Muto-san. I will be so happy here I won’t want to leave.”

  “I hope so, Rayner-san. My daughter shall be up with tea shortly.”

  “The room is cute,” Miu said. “And I told you it would be all right. You don’t feel anything do you?”

  I closed my eyes and dropped my shield a bit. Peace, tranquility, strict repression, and protection all hummed about me as faint as a bee. No strong emotions. No love, anger, death, sex, nothing that I would normally feel, and sometimes see. The emotional imprints that had been left behind. “Is it because of the wood and paper?” Stone held emotions and impressions for centuries, but wood being lighter and more porous didn’t hold emotions the same way.

  “Partly I’m sure, but my family is Shinto. When they clean the rooms they also cleanse the room of energy and emotions.” Miu smiled and moved to stand next to me.

  “This is amazing. I never thought I’d be able to stay in a building this old.” I sighed, not wanting to spoil the mood, but she needed to know. “The guardian might not let us stay. Well, me and the other Children of Fire.”

  “What are you talking about?” Miu asked.

  “Your family has a spirit or being of some kind that guards the ryokan and all who stay here. It’s very powerful. For now, we have been given permission to stay, but the guardian is watching us. If it doesn’t want us here we will be kicked out.”

  “It’s that powerful?” Miu asked.

  “Oh, yes.”

  “I was told stories about the guardians. My brother and I would leave offerings, not only at the family shrine but also for the stone lions. I didn’t think they were real or that powerful.”

  I raised an eyebrow. After all we had seen why would she doubt anything at this point? Personally, I kept waiting to run into Count Dracula any day now.

  “All right yes, I should be more open minded at this point.” Miu leaned against the balcony “In a few weeks the cherry trees will bloom and you’ll have such an amazing view, and the scent is very soft but beautiful.”

  “I can’t wait to see the cherry blossoms.” I watched several of the performers bowing to a male staff as they passed. They didn’t seem to know when to stop and the poor man’s arms were full but he kept bowing. “I hope I did okay. There are so many rules and rituals in Japan. Thanks for trying to teach me.”

  “You did fine, and being a foreigner, no one actually expects you to do the right thing,” Miu said. “It’s funny—we study English and American culture looking for the same structure and rules. Most of you know very little of the grammar we are forced to learn, and most of the time there are so many exceptions to the rules it makes us afraid of English. There is no order. Did you know I took classes on how to eat like an American? The proper degree with which to hold your soup bowl when getting the last of the soup out, and the precise angle with which to place your knife and fork on the plate.”

  “Really? That’s crazy. Were you disappointed to realize that none of us do it exactly the same way?”

  “No, relieved. Once I realized Americans, and especially our circus troupe, didn’t care about the angle of my ponytail, or if I cut my noodles or not, it was freeing. I tried a bit of everything until I found what I liked and made me happy.” Miu sighed and wrinkled her nose. “Of course, now that I’m back home, I’ll have to act all proper and polite all the time.”

  “Sit next to me. I’m likely to forget all the rules, so you’ll look perfect next to me.” I pointed at a cluster of buds on the cherry tree. “It’s a faerie. Even they are proper in Japan.”

  A tiny delicate faerie with porcelain skin, wide brown almond eyes, pointed ears, and green hair swept up in the chignon with a small silver comb, sang to the buds. She held an odd looking harp and wore a pretty kimono made from iris petals. Her clear iridescent wings fluttered behind her as she sang. Around the garden I saw several more faeries in traditional dress working with the plants, their movements precise and purposeful. Their different shades of green hair and clothes made of leaves and petals were the only things that seemed to hint at a wild earthy magic.

  “I hope all the magical creatures here are this kind and calm. Opening the portal to Akasha will be easy.”

  “You wish,” Miu said. “Do you not remember all the Japanese horror movies we watched? We’ll need Taliesin and his unicorn powers to get those that want to go home to Akasha through the portal without any trouble.”

  I shivered. “True, I’ve never seen so many scary movies where the evil wins.”

  “I bring tea,” said a young woman in a simple brown kimono with white flowers.

  “Arigato gozaimasu,” I said.

  She set it on the tabl
e, backed out of the room then knelt and kowtowed before exiting the room.

  “Will they do that all the time?” That just felt wrong. I am so not that special or important or conceited to need someone to kowtow to me.

  “Yep, it’s a sign of respect. Go with it. If they think you’re upset or uncomfortable, it’ll get worse. I’ll come by and get you guys tonight for dinner. My mom and I are making a big feast.”

  “Oh, wait, I’m almost out of the spray you made me. It really helps protect me from other people’s emotions.”

  Miu smiled. “I’m so glad it’s helping. I’m also glad to be using my Phoenix gift of healing to prevent problems instead of just patching you guys up. I’m going to tweak the recipe a bit. The books you gave me on aromatherapy for Christmas are so interesting.”

  “Anali said you helped ease her morning sickness, and Kayin loves the body oil you made for him.”

  Blushing, Miu slipped on her sandals. “I’m glad. See you tonight.”

  “’Bye, Miu.” I smiled as her sandals echoed down the hall and stairs. I poured myself some tea and looked out the window. Beyond the garden were shingled roof tops then tall shining skyscrapers.

  A faerie fluttered in front of me, her white hair streaked with pale green and her nails long and sharp. “You feel like a Child of Fire, a powerful one. The guardian asked me to speak with you.”

  You mean come check me out. “Yes, I am.”

  “There are others here, who also feel of Phoenix energy, but we see no fire,” she said. Her voice sounded like the wind whistling through the trees.

  I took out the protective contacts, showing her the Phoenix fire that danced in my eyes.

  “Why do you hide?”

  “Because the Sons of Belial can’t track us if they can’t see the fire in our eyes.” No point in making things easy for the bad guys.