Page 47 of Son of Shadows

“Your what?” Ryuichi didn’t quite like his sudden demotion by Hayasaka.

Hayasaka hissed at him. “Quiet. This doesn’t concern you, servant.”

Even though it offended him, Ryuichi kept quiet.

With a cocked brow, the oni guard looked at the tengu’s taloned feet. Feet that, most importantly, couldn’t wear sandals.

Hayasaka waved his hand. “The boy isn’t very good with his duties. Don’t you hate when servants can’t complete the tasks they were hired for?”

The guard caught his real meaning.

And before he could say anything more, a dog popped its head out of the window. With big brown eyes and cute little brown ears, the pup was adorable.

Out of habit, Ryuichi took a step forward to pet it.

Until it spoke. “Is that a guest?”

He knew to expect the unexpected. But still, Ryuichi was floored. The dog could talk?

“Nothing for you to concern yourself with, Inumagami-san. Just some riffraff.”

That only seemed to elate the dog. “I love riffraff, and I know that one well. Let them in! Let them in! I want to see them.”

A twitch started in the oni’s jaw as he narrowed his dark gaze on Hayasaka. “Mind your manners, Lord Hayasaka.” The guard emphasized his disdain for the title. “Our loyalty is to Inumagami-san.”

With his castle and his forces destroyed, Hayasaka had lost his right to nobility. Now he was a nobody, like everyone else. Just another yōkai in a world full of them.

Ryuichi hoped the old tengu knew what he was doing. They could only outrun death for so long.

CHAPTER TWELVE

When they entered the building, Ryuichi looked around in absolute wonder. The foyer was grandiose in design, with ceilings that practically rose into the clouds. He and the others were escorted to a large room that filled with a variety of gold statues, and at the center was a low, gilded table.

He also noticed how the armor of Lord Inumagami’s samurai guards was completely spotless and perfect. His soldiers were a far cry from the thrown-together forces of Hayasaka back at his castle.

Lord Inumagami’s samurai carried themselves with distinction. Which was very interesting, given that their lord was a simple Shiba Inu.

Lord Inumagami trotted to a tatami mat in the middle of the floor. He sprawled across the mat. “Make yourself comfortable. I don’t bite . . . much.” He gave them a sly smile. “I hope you brought me some treats.”

Hayasaka bowed. “No, my lord. Sorry. Not this time. Instead, I brought something else exciting. This is the son of the great Ryukage.”

Ryuichi went cold at the blunt announcement. Was the jerk selling him out again?

Furious at the thought, Ryuichi gripped the hilt of his sword, then stopped himself. Like it or not, he was in the presence of another lord. To draw his sword inside his domain was punishable by death.

Not to mention it was just very bad manners.

Masaru, however, was never good at following the rules. He grabbed Hayasaka by his neck and began choking him.

“Lord Inumagami is loyal to the Ryukage,” Hayasaka managed to say while being strangled.

That was impressive.

Even more impressive? The cute dog lord who was trying to separate them.

Ryuichi stared wide-eyed at the hound.

“That’s right. Very right.” The dog scratched himself with his hind leg. “I’m the most loyal of all canines. That’s why the Ryukage gave me Kagemura to rule. Wherever I go, bad guys go too.”