Song of Thieves Duology Box Set Read online

  Contents

  Title

  Copyright

  Title

  Copyright

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Author's Notes

  Acknowledgement

  Title

  Copyright

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Author's Notes

  Acknowledgements

  Chronicles of the Seventh Realm

  Song of Thieves

  Duology

  Chronicles of the Seventh Realm

  By NAK Baldron

  Song of Thieves by NAK Baldron

  Published by Aconite Cafe

  P.O. Box 63

  Marble Falls, TX 78654

  www.AconiteCafe.com

  www.NAKBaldron.com

  © 2020 NAK Baldron

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permissions contact:

  [email protected]

  Cover by Aconite Cafe.

  SALT & STEEL

  Chronicles of the Seventh Realm Book 3

  Song of Thieves 1

  By NAK Baldron

  Salt & Steel by NAK Baldron

  Published by Aconite Cafe

  P.O. Box 63

  Marble Falls, TX 78654

  www.AconiteCafe.com

  www.NAKBaldron.com

  © 2019 NAK Baldron

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permissions contact:

  [email protected]

  Cover by Aconite Cafe.

  PROLOGUE

  RAIN PELTED THE BLOODY SQUARE, washing away the dirt and blood from weeks of duels—a much needed cleaning, but not in the eyes of nine-year-old Akio. His mother warned him about the time of daggers and did her best to keep him out of sight while executions happened—claiming nine was still too young for a boy to see the ways of the world. His father argued Akio was plenty old enough, but didn't press the matter beyond dinner discussions. Death was a way of life for the Bloody Square.

  "Please?" Akio begged.

  With the square sunk beneath three inches of rain, there was no chance of playing outside with the other boys. Instead Akio was cramped inside his apartment all afternoon—which felt like an eternity to a nine-year-old boy.

  "Please?"

  "Alright," his father relented, "but don't tell your mother. She'd be furious if she knew you enjoyed these stories so much."

  "I promise."

  They both sat against the south wall, where they could take in the view of the darkened sky through the slats of the front shutters. Lightning flashed across the sky. Thunder rattled the walls and echoed off the cobblestone square below, drowning out his father's voice as he told Akio the history of how the Bloody Square came to be.

  "Over three hundred years ago there lived a mighty Thief Lord."

  "Sora-Tanken Akio!"

  "Correct," his father raised his hand for Akio to sit quietly and listen to the story. "He showed our people the proper ways of honor and loyalty, and changed the course of history forever.

  "Back then, before Akio was a Thief Lord, the clansmen fought constantly in an attempt to prove who was the strongest. Many men died. The square would gather each night to carry the bodies to the sea, unless a Thief Lord died. On those days, a funeral pyre would be erected in the center of the square. The citizens and clans would come together and pay their respects to the fallen Thief Lord. After a fiery send off, a celebration was held, which lasted until dawn.

  "During one funeral pyre, while Sora-Tanken Akio watched his father's body burn, he became the first Thief Lord to inherit the title. Before this night, titles were claimed by the killer, but Akio's father passed in his sleep. Some suspected poison, but with no evidence, and no one claiming the kill, there was no way to be sure."

  "What did the other Thief Lords do?" Akio asked.

  "They stood by and watched. By then the Thief Lords had dwindled to the seven we have today. While there were hundreds of clans, only the seven held the title of Tanken. All others swore fealty, or remained neutral in the conflict; waiting on the sidelines for their chance to strike. That night marked the beginning of the system we have today, where the titles are inherited."

  "What about the time of daggers?" Akio asked.

  His father wagged his finger, "I'm getting there. Now do you want to hear this story or not?"

  "Yes father."

  "Then sit quietly."

  "This isn't a story for a young boy," Akio's mother stormed in from his parents' room. "He's far too young to hear the history of the Bloody Square."

  "Nonsense," his father said. "The boy is old enough, and soon he'll be a man. It's time he learned where his name came from, and why he should be honored to say he comes from the Bloody Square."

  "You'll fill his head with tales of honor and glory. He'll forget his place in the world and chase after mist."

  "Good!" His father was on his feet yelling. He took a deep breath. "Maybe the boy will grow up to be something more than a fisherman."

  "There's nothing wrong with—" his mother began.

  "I don't want to hear it. The boy deserves to be better than me and my father. There's no honor in serving an older clan as one of their fishermen, and occasional raider."

  His mother slammed the front door, leaving an uncomfortable silence in her wake. Akio hadn't witnessed his parents fight before. On occasion he would hear them argue at night from his bed, but hearing and seeing were two different things. Not wanting to bring his father's wrath down upon himself, Akio sat still as a stone and waited.

  After a few deep breaths his father sat back down and asked, "Where was I?"

  "I asked about the time of daggers."

  "Oh right," his father cracked his fingers. "Sora-Tanken Akio was the first to inherit his title, and every citizen of the Bloody Square attended the celebration, which lasted long into the night.

  "At that time, there was no truce between the emperor's family and the clans. As such, the gates were sealed and well-guarded every night. However, the sounds of celebration and chants of 'Sora-Tanken Akio' were loud enough to be heard down at the docks. Soon the whole of Shinzo knew that Sora-Tanken Akio had taken his father's title. The emperor listened to bad council and thought us weak and drunk. Easy pickings. He thought it his best chance to kill the clans, since they refuse to swear allegiance to his family and acknowledge their authority."

  "Do we swear allegiance to the emperor?"

  "No," his father raised a finger. "But it's best not to speak of it."

  "Now," his father lowered his voice and leaned closer. "It was the wee hours of the morning, and the Bloody Square was quiet. Not even the fishermen were up yet. The emperor's council had been correct, most of the men were drunk and asleep in their beds, or that of their lovers.

  "One thousand soldiers!" His father threw up his hands, and Akio lurched back in shock. "Broke through the north and west gates with the help of sorcerer's magic. The guards were slaughtered, but not without a fight. It's said that our twenty guards killed one hundred soldiers as they flowed into the square.

/>   "Sora-Tanken Akio laid awake in his bed. The excitement of the day kept his mind racing long after everyone had fallen asleep. Thankfully for us, he'd never developed a taste for wine or ale, and as such his mind was perfectly clear. With one quick glance out his front window he knew we were under attack. Wasting no time, he gathered his twenty closest men, throwing water on those who were too drunk to hear."

  "Why do men drink so much?" Akio asked.

  "That's like asking how many grains of sand are on the beach; no sane man could give you an answer." His father gave him a stern look for interrupting and Akio slouched back against the wall. "Now the emperor's men were well trained. They knew how to fight together in units, but few of them knew how to fight one on one like clansmen. Sora-Tanken Akio sent his men to summon every able fighter inside the Bloody Square. Despite the late hour, and drunken celebration, we mustered a force of three hundred skilled fighters.

  "Soldiers held a guarded position in the north west corner of the square while small teams slaughtered our people on the bottom two floors. Sora-Tanken Akio took charge of the skilled fighters by proclaiming he'd die to protect any clansman from the emperor's soldiers. He stood before the soldiers—ten of his own men flanked him for protection—and gave a speech on how he'd personally kill the emperor and defile his corpse. It had the intended effect, because the teams of soldiers quit slaughtering women and children and filed into three rows to face off against the three hundred. Sora-Tanken Akio called them cowards for standing in formation, and not fighting him one on one like real men.

  "It was a distraction; while he insulted the soldiers for cowardice, ten of Akio's men gathered the other Thief Lords. And they sprung their trap. Two clans—no one remembers exactly whom—managed to close the gates and seal them with borrowed magic, while clan Goruden used the sewer grates in the ground to release a cover of fog by using a batch of Sueun's rocks. The moment they threw the rocks into the water the square began to fill with a thick white fog, usually reserved for the priests.

  "When the fog cleared, many soldiers lay upon the ground. Some laughed, some cried, others screamed in terror. Sora-Tanken Akio declared they were all cowards and not subject to honorable deaths. No one knows for sure how many of our men died, but it's clear that three hundred of our most skilled fighters made quick work of slaughtering them all. Not a single soldier was left alive.

  "They gathered the bodies, hung and drained them the way you would a pig, and collected their blood in buckets. With the source-light high in the sky, and the whole of Shinzo curious what had happened. Sora-Tanken Akio ordered the blood poured from the roofs of our square into the streets below. It's said the emperor executed his advisors by hanging them from their feet, and slicing their throats. That's how Akio became known as our savior, and why our walled off section is called the Bloody Square.

  "After the bloody display from Sora-Tanken Akio, the Thief Lords met and agreed to declare a truce. Akio proved we were stronger together and could stand against the emperor, rather than wasting time fighting each other day in and day out. Thus, the truce was formed where only once every twelve years could the Thief Lords, and their men, attack each other. We now call the year between the truces the time of daggers."

  "What happened next?" Akio begged for more.

  "I agreed to tell you about how Sora-Tanken Akio got his name and became so famous amongst us."

  "But that's not the end of the story. I know he died in battle."

  "We'll save that story for another time," his father said. "For now, I must find your mother and fight my own battles."

  He ruffled Akio's hair as he stood up and left without another word, leaving Akio to think of his name sake and the idea of glory.

  I'll be more famous. The most famous Akio to ever live!

  CHAPTER ONE

  WHAT HAD HE DONE? The same question kept pounding in Akio's head as he returned home from Kaito-Tanken Shaya's inaugurations. It prevented him from sleeping during the night, and now it was the cause of his turmoil with his mother.

  "No right!" she yelled at him for what had to be the eighth time in less than an hour.

  "It's my choice." Akio sat on the floor next to their stone table, barely touching his food.

  "Oh no it's not." She wagged her finger at Akio, "You wait until your father comes home. He'll beat some sense into you."

  Akio looked at his feet. Was his mother right? Did he over step himself? Kaito-Tanken Shaya had accepted his fealty with such poise. She'd called him Akio First Sworn before the entire Bloody Square. All the Thief Lords had seen, there was no taking it back. He was now a part of clan politics. Whatever that meant.

  ". . . you'll get yourself killed," his mother continued to rant.

  Akio looked up and watched his mother's lips move, but didn't take in what she said. As far as he was concerned it was noise, and soon it would stop. There was nothing to be done, his thoughts were occupied with the new life he was sworn into. No matter how much his mother yelled, he'd never resign his position as First Sworn to Kaito-Tanken Shaya.

  "Get out of my sight," she slapped the back of Akio's head, not hard enough to actually hurt him, but enough to pull Akio's focus back to the present.

  * * *

  NIGHTFALL BROUGHT A FESTIVAL in the center of the Bloody Square to celebrate the end of the time of daggers. The yearlong period when the Thief Lords used every means necessary to build their empires, or defend what they already had. It was the only time when their clan members were allowed to kill one another, after which there was another twelve years of peace. Old scores would be settled during the time of daggers which had nothing to do with power and wealth, and everything to do with personal honor. The average survival rate for a clan member under one of the seven thief lords, was less than fourteen years. Few survived a second time of daggers.

  Normally the celebration would have taken place ten nights previous, with everyone wanting to rejoice their own survival. But it had been postponed in respect to Isamu—formally Kaito-Tanken before Shaya's inauguration—and the funeral pyre which had been held for him. Clan Kaito was exceptionally unlucky during the last time of daggers, losing two Tanken in one year.

  Akio forced his legs forward. Tradition and honor demanded he attend Shaya's for dinner, but he feared her mother. He'd never been trained how to conduct himself at a formal dinner—he knew he'd make a mistake and look the fool in front of Shaya. Could there be anything worse?

  Clan Kaito's ancestral home was on the fourth floor of the West Wing, directly overhead from Akio's home. Perhaps this was one reason he jumped on the opportunity to swear himself to her? Growing up he watched Shaya and her brother—the way they carried themselves, as if they knew they owned the entire square—when their father died a year ago, Akio cried privately—lest his father see. Isamu's pyre had been too sad for him to ignore and he hoped that his devotion to Shaya would help her mourn her brother's death.

  "Welcome, First Sworn Akio," Shaya's mother greeted him at the door.

  "Thank you, honorable mother." Akio bowed his head slightly. Respect was due, but it would look poorly for him to show too high of reverence for the mother, when it was Shaya whom he swore too.

  "Please, come in."

  Akio was shocked to see their home was nearly as sparse as his own. There was no sign of wealth or luxury. Was clan Kaito destitute?

  "We've made fish stew and rice. Do you take yours spicy or plain?"

  "Spicy, thank you."

  "Please, sit."

  "Yes," Shaya emerged from the lone hallway. "You should consider my home, your home. As First Sworn of clan Kaito, you are as much my family as honorable mother."

  Akio bowed as low as he could, keeping his arms straight at his side.

  "Please," Shaya's hand gestured for him to rise. "In public I expect proper decorum and reverence befitting our stations. However, when we are alone there is no need. You are my closest subject, and I expect loyalty until death. In return I vow to uphold you above a
ll others, and share all that is mine with you as if you were blood of my blood."

  "You honor me, Kaito-Tanken Shaya. I don't know what to say."

  "You've already said it, ten days past. Your pledge to me in front of the Bloody Square is the greatest honor you could have bestowed on me."

  "You two sit," honorable mother said. "I'll bring the food."

  Akio waited for Shaya to sit first, and took the seat to her right, as befitting his new position as First Sworn. He sat a full head taller than her, but at seven-years-old she carried herself with the poise befitting her station—her back perfectly straight, and her head held high. Not even the emperor's daughter looked so majestic. He cursed himself for thinking of the emperor. Now that he was a member of clan Kaito, it was his sworn obligation to wish death upon the emperor and all of his household, and if ever possible to see it done.

  "Here you are," honorable mother served Shaya.

  She brought back another serving for Akio, with an extra spice bowl on the side. She took her own seat across from Akio on the cushioned bench recessed into the floor—a small sign of affluence—at home, Akio and his family ate on an old stone rock that lay directly on the floor. They couldn't afford cushions for seats, rather they used hemp mats laid upon the floor.

  "Sueun's blessing," honorable mother said.

  Akio and Shaya echoed the blessing, and the three of them began eating.

  The broth was so rich it made Akio's mouth water between slurps, and they'd used smoked seaweed in the rice to give it an extra layer of richness. There was no doubt, this meal was the best he'd ever had in his life. His family would prepare a large feast to celebrate the passing of the rainy season, but even that wasn't nearly as good as what he ate now.

  Akio slurped down the last of his bowl, and when he placed it down noticed they were looking at him with open curiosity, which he found reassuring because he found them fascinating.

  "It was very good. Thank you."