Sugai

By Hay van den Munckhof

Suddenly, my eye catches a small dust cloud in the middle of the plain. A rider? Of course, it could also be animals, for example wild horses or donkeys. To be sure, I follow the little cloud for a while with a hand above my eyes. It doesn't change direction and follows a path that leads straight to our yurt. Now I'm sure. Wild animals are not so purposeful. These are one or more riders...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hay van den Munckhof
• Release date: Apr 3, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224165964

Book preview

Table of Contents

The Ordeal by Fire

A Message from the Khan

A Dust Cloud on the Plain

Where is Kara?

Alone

To the West

The Riverbank

The Escape

Kublai

Home

The Ordeal by Fire

S ugai, are you ready ? Timur shouts.

My voice is too weak to answer my brother's question. Instead, I give the agreed signal by raising my left arm. Then I gaze at the rock plateau where Timur stands with Od on his arm.

I spread my feet and stretch my right arm, which I have wrapped with a strip of sturdy leather. My heart is pounding in my throat. Will Od trust me enough to land on my arm after his dive? And have I practiced long enough to carry an eagle for an extended period? I glance sideways at Altan, my stallion. He neighs and shakes his mane, as if trying to encourage me.

Towards the end of spring, I started getting up extra early, even before Mother went to milk the goats and mares. At the first light of dawn, I sneaked outside to do push-ups, continuing until my arm muscles gave out and I lay panting on my stomach. Mother watched, shaking her head more than once. Sugai, she said once, you really are a girl. Why do you try so hard to be like a boy? But her eyes sparkled at those words, and she laughed out loud.

I quickly push those memories out of my mind. I can only think about what's to come now, because Timur only needs a few seconds to remove the hood covering Od's eyes.

Od is free... With a few powerful wingbeats, he gains altitude. Immediately after, he glides down and begins a steep dive towards the plain. Like an arrow from a bow, he shoots towards me, only spreading his wings just before reaching me.

I brace myself to absorb the impact. Od clutches my forearm and flaps his wings a few