Page 36 of Son of Shadows

He laid there, trying to catch his breath as something growled in his ear. Unable to see what it was, he was paralyzed by fear.

What has me?

Just when he was sure the unseen, unknown creature would eat him, Masaru raised his arms and blasted it with a ball of fire that came shooting out of his hands.

“Get off him!” Masaru hit the beast with three more fire blasts.

Ryuichi rolled over to see a giant red oni. One with tusks, horns, leopard loincloth, and a massive club.

The oni started for Masaru. He threw more and more fire at the oni until it cursed Masaru and slunk toward the trees, where it vanished. The female kitsune returned and transformed into a beautiful girl around Ryuichi’s age. Her long black hair was held in a red tie at her neck.

“Come, Kage-taro! Hurry!”

They’d almost reached his horse when Lord Hayasaka flew from the sky, landed in front of them, and grabbed Ryuichi by the wrist.

A moment later, he felt that dizziness again. He stumbled back, and in a flash, he was no longer there.

CHAPTER TEN

Koichi had killed so many men and yōkai over the years that he thought he’d be used to it.

He wasn’t.

As Orochi’s soldiers diverted their attack away from the fortress, leaving a wake of murdered tengu behind them, Koichi fell to his knees, exhausted from battle. It seemed like hours ago that he, Keiko, Ryuichi-kage, and Haruki were separated from Ryuichi and Masaru as they made a mad dash for the stables. Maybe it was only minutes.

Time had stopped existing when Koichi took his sword and slayed their enemy’s tribe, one by one.

But that didn’t mean he enjoyed any of it.

“Where are they going?” asked Ryuichi’s shadow. He had been right next to Koichi, gleefully thrashing as many yōkai as he could. “We aren’t done with them yet!”

Keiko gasped when she realized their true intentions. “They’re heading toward the gate!”

Haruki smirked. “Finally! I was hoping this little skirmish would end soon.”

“I need to get help,” Keiko said, closing her eyes and bowing her head. A portal formed in front of her. To where, Koichi had no idea.

“Help from who?” he asked the worried kitsune.

“I’ll explain later.” Keiko patted Koichi on the arm. “Find Ryuichi. Keep him safe until my return. Promise me.”

“Wait, Keiko, don’t do this,” he protested. “We should stick together.”

It was too late. She took a running leap into the portal she created and it instantly vanished.

As he stood there, with his mouth hanging open, the first thought that ran through his mind:

I am too sober for this.

Ryuichi-kage nudged him with his elbow. “Keep Ryuichi safe? How are you supposed to do that if you don’t even know where he is?”

Koichi didn’t have any answers. He turned toward Haruki and Ryuichi-kage, completely stone-faced. They stared at him expectantly, as if they were looking for leadership.

This was why he liked his sake so much. It didn’t depend on him.

Koichi wasn’t a leader. He was a sword that others ordered to battle. Nobody ever seemed to truly listen to him anyway.

Maybe Keiko was convinced he couldn’t figure out what to do—that’s why she left to find reinforcements the first chance she got.