Still nothing.
Until the items reached him. Then they blew apart into dust that fell slowly to the ground.
Stunned, he stared at his hands as if he’d never seen them before. What had he just done?
How was it possible?
“Mikito! What are you doing?”
Ryuichi lowered his hands as he realized Mikito was the boy beside him. And the man speaking was averyhigh-ranking and unhappy samurai.
“Chichiue.” Mikito bowed. “Forgive me. I was fetching the sword you sent me for when I was attacked.”
His father looked around at the mess with a dark scowl lining his brow. “Yokai were after the sword?”
“Yes, sir.”
As the man moved forward, Ryuichi caught sight of the samurai’s emblem.
Hattori Hanzo. Better known as Oni no Hanzo—the Demon Hanzo—because of his battle skills and bloodlust. It was said that no one could defeat him or even touch him in battle. He was one of the most feared warriors in all of Japan.
Terrified, Ryuichi lowered his gaze.This day just keeps getting better and better...
Mikito gestured toward him. “He helped me fight and stop them.”
Why am I no longer invisible?Of all the times for people to see him, why did it have to be now? Why did it have to bethem?
Hanzo arched a brow, before he swept a disbelieving stare over Ryuichi. “You!”
“Sir?”
“What’s your name, boy?”
“Ryuichi, sir.”
“Your family name.”
Here we go. Pain lacerated his heart. Everything came down to the one thing he had no control over. “I have none. My father was a warrior who died in battle, but no one remembers his name.” Unlike other warriors, his father hadn’t called out his name while fighting and dying.
So he’d been forgotten.
His expression grim, Hanzo gave a curt nod. “Your mother?”
“She died while I was an infant. I was brought here by a renowned retainer who vouched for my parents so that I could be raised by the good graces of my lord, Hiero. No one remembers her name either, sir.”
That caused his frown to deepen. “Yoshi is training you as a warrior?”
Sort of. Most days, Ryuichi felt more like a practice dummy for the others. It was only Lord Hiero’s honor that forced him to train Ryuichi. Had his lord not vowed to the retainer of Ryuichi’s parents that he would make sure Ryuichi was settled in his home and trained, there was no telling what he’d have done with Ryuichi instead. “Yes, sir.”
“Hmph,” he grunted dismissively.
Turning around, Hanzo headed toward the entrance.
Mikito hurried after him.
With that abrupt dismissal, Ryuichi bent over to begin picking up the mess they’d left behind before he got in trouble for it.
Yet no sooner had he done so than he sensed something coming at his back.
