To save one friend, Alice must lose another.

Their stone-searching team is torn apart when the sun deity Amaterasu opposes Alice’s decision to save a dying Claire. Amaterasu terminates their alliance, forcing former friends to go their separate ways. The next time they meet, they’ll be bitter enemies.

Reeling from the fallout, Alice encounters a mysterious goddess who grants her a strange sword and offers to return Claire to life…for a price.

Alice must venture across freezing landscapes, fulfill the goddess’s cryptic demands, and learn how to handle her new weapon while fighting desperately for both her life and Claire’s.

Can she complete her quest in time to recover Claire’s soul before it’s lost forever? And when they must face each other again, can she survive Amaterasu’s (literal) burning rage of a thousand suns?

Meanwhile, the sorceress Daji still lurks in the shadows, eager to claim the power of the few remaining enchanted stones for herself…

 

From the Book:

“C’mon, guys,” Susie said, panting. “Let’s just stop fighting. We’ve fought enough for today, haven’t we? And I say this as a guy who loves a good fight.”

Terri’s blazing eyes pierced me with disapproval and disgust. “Fine by me. Susanō and I will continue our search for the Death Stones while you go off and waste your time.”

Susie shook his head. “No, Big Sis. I’m going with Alice. I don’t want her to deal with this alone.”

“I’m disappointed in you, brother. We desperately need your help with battling Daji.”

“I’m sorry, Big Sis. We’ll catch up with you guys as soon as we’re through helpin’ Claire, okay?”

“Suit yourself.” She turned to Ace. “And you?”

“My bad, ladies,” Ace said with a slight bow, “but I can’t join either one of you right now.”

“What? Why not?”

“The thing is,” he said, pointing to his scythe that pulsated with a teal-blue light. “After what happened here, I’ve got lots of recently-deceased souls that need to be delivered to the right afterlife worlds.”

“Please,” I pleaded. “Not now. I really need your help.”

He sighed and shook his head sadly. “Look, if I don’t get a move on, I’m gonna be in big trouble. Especially since I’ve spent so much time down here already.” He put on a smile and gave me a thumbs-up. “But hey, it’s all groovy, Alice. Hopefully, the delivery won’t take long and I’ll be right back by your side.”

“Thanks, Ace,” I said with a nod. “Just hurry, okay?”

Terri scowled. “So you’ve chosen your personal feelings over your obligations to the Council? I imagine my fellow Council members will be most displeased to hear that.”

“Personal feelings?” Ace repeated. “What do you—”

“I’m not stupid, Ace. I’ve seen the way you look at her.”

Ace and I glanced at each other and blushed.

“I, uh, I just…well, would you look at the time! I gotta go now! Let’s rock!”

He flipped his scythe onto its side, hopped onto the metal bladed part, and blasted off into the deep-blue sky.

“Typical,” Terri said, trying to keep her composure. “Seems like I’m the only one who’s not acting selfishly today.” She marched towards me and held out a hand. “Give me the map.”

“Fine.” I opened my bag and handed her a scroll depicting a map of Japan. Nine ink blots were circled on it, revealing the general locations of each stone. She examined it, then rolled it up and turned her back to me.

“I hereby declare our Covenant null and void. The same goes for our friendship.”

“Whatever,” I said. “You were never my friend, anyway.”

“I see.”

We parted ways and took different paths down the mountain—Susie with me and Terri by herself—without waving or looking back.

 

 

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