This cannot be good. Ryuichi wanted to find a hole to vanish into.
He’d been cast in this role too many times to not know how the play ended.
With him as a villain.
Punished.
Please, let it be different here.
Terrified, he held his breath and waited.
Hanzo clenched his fists. Toshi bowed before his lord. “I-it was that boy, Ryuichi’s, fault. He challenged us to a fight as soon as we arrived. He was jealous of us. Kato and Takara joined him.”
Hanzo narrowed that menacing gaze before he pinned it on Ryuichi, causing his gut to tighten even more. “Is this true?”
A bead of sweat rolled down his temple. Ryuichi swallowed hard. He wanted to deny it, but if he did...
It would be worse.
“Yes, sir. But not like that. I mean, I?—”
Hanzo held his hand up to cut him off mid-sentence.
Even though Ryuichi was desperate to explain what had happened, he knew better than to speak.
As did Takara. To publicly contradict their lord would be seen as a horrific offense. They would have to ride this out and pray for a miracle.
Hanzo sighed irritably. “Toshi, take the other two Black Tortoise students and wash off. Your blood is contaminating our arena.”
Toshi bowed and helped the other two students leave.
With his lip curled, Hanzo turned to the Black Tortoise sensei. “Get Kato to the infirmary. I’ll deal with him if he survives his wounds.”
If.
That word stabbed at Ryuichi’s heart like a dagger. His pride might have killed the only person who’d ever treated him like an equal.
What have I done?
Kato had only wanted to protect him, and now he was bearing the consequences of the fight.
It’s all my fault. All of it.
Sick to his stomach, Ryuichi couldn’t bear to watch as they callously dragged Kato away.
Like he was nothing.
Hanzo turned to face him with a gut-shriveling glare. While he was used to that countenance, it didn’t mean that it stung any less. “Since you seem to be incapable of behaving yourself around the other students, I’m assigning you to the Night Patrol.”
Night Patrol?It was the first time he’d heard of such. That didn’t seem so bad, but since it was a punishment, it couldn’t be good.
“Takara, come.”
She obediently rushed to her father’s side, but she cast a quick apologetic smile at Ryuichi.
Without another word, Hanzo led her from them.
* * *
