The daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has long known her place. She may be an accomplished alchemist, whose cunning rivals that of her twin brother Kenshin, but because she is not a boy, her future has always been out of her hands.

Jack Fletcher is battling the high seas. Ambushed by the Shogun's samurai, Jack and his friends have only one hope of escape - the Seto Sea. But with ferocious storms, man-eating sharks and ninja pirates at every turn, their chosen route is fraught with danger.

Jack Fletcher has been left for dead. Bruised and battered, Jack wakes up in a roadside inn wrapped only in a dirty kimono. He has lost everything, including his memory of what happened. Determined to discover the truth, Jack goes on a quest to retrieve his belongings.

Jack Fletcher is running for his life. The port of Nagasaki is within reach, but the Shogun's samurai are closing in fast for the kill. So is too Jack's old school rival, Kazuki. Every road is blocked and every mountain pass guarded as Jack makes his final dash for safety. But with all of Japan hunting him, he's going to need a miracle to survive. And even if he reaches the end of the road, will there be a ship bound for home? Or will he be burned...