Page 65 of Son of Shadows

“Be careful. I won’t go easy on you today. Even if you’re tired. Fight like your life depends on it,” Katsu said.

Ryuichi gripped his sword and focused on what he had been told by both Masaru and Katsu. He emptied his mind of all distractions.

In this moment, it was just him and Katsu. Nothing else mattered.

“Begin!”

Katsu lunged forward, and Ryuichi reflexively lifted his blade to fend off his attack. Katsu charged again, and Ryuichi blocked the blow from his right. The sound of clashing steel echoed through the air. Another strike, this time from the lower left. Then there was movement behind him. Ryuichi spun around and slashed at the bird, who’d somehow managed to change position in the blink of an eye. A loose feather floated through the air, confirming to Ryuichi that he’d made contact.

Then the most unexpected thing happened.

He struck the bird with an invisible wave of energy, slamming the bird to the ground.

Everyone gasped, especially Ryuichi.

Masaru let out a low whistle. “There’s the son of Ryukage!”

“Well done!” Yumi said, applauding with much enthusiasm.

Katsu staggered to his feet and looked at his feathers on his arm, where Ryuichi’s sword had cut cleanly through. “Very good.” It was a miracle he had avoided hitting any flesh. “You’re improving.”

It slowly dawned on Ryuichi what he had managed to do. He’d actually struck the battle-tested tengu with both his sword and his powers. He danced. “I did it. I got you, Katsu!”

Sighing, Katsu brushed himself off with his talons. “I was fond of those feathers too. At least they’ll grow back.” He plucked a half-cut feather off him. “The cost of sparring, I suppose. All these frayed feathers look horrible.”

Masaru clapped for Ryuichi. And for once it wasn’t with sarcasm. “Impressive. Especially since I didn’t help you.”

Ryuichi cheered for himself. “Who’s the best?”

Masaru scoffed at his newfound confidence. “Don’t get cocky. You bested a bird.”

“A tengu,” Katsu corrected.

“As I said, a bird.”

Katsu waved Masaru off. “You’re allowed to speak whatever words preserve your ego, young master. I do not mind.”

With a smile, Masaru changed the subject. “How do you think Kagemura will fare without you, Inumagami? Do you think they’ll be able to avoid burning down the town in your absence?”

“I left my lieutenants in charge. If any of them are foolish enough to try something . . .” He looked toward the shinigami. “They know the price of disobedience.”

They’d be killed.

That quickly reminded Ryuichi that he wasn’t helping the good guys here. These were his father’s men, and his father didn’t pick his allies based on their sense of fair play.

Satoru sauntered over to their side of the boat and cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention. The crew stopped playing cards and surrounded him.

“Listen up. We’re being followed.”

Masaru stood up to look toward the setting sun.

Ryuichi did the same and saw a smaller vessel off in the distance. It was definitely trailing them. “You think they know we’re after my father and plan to stop us?”

Inumagami went to the edge of the boat and stood on his hind legs so he could see. “Only an idiot would follow a vessel commanded by a shinigami on its way to see the Ryukage. Talk about suicidal. Best to ignore it. Fate will take care of them anyway—no reason to delay our trip.”

But Ryuichi’s senses were all activated again, warning him that something bad was about to happen.

He really hoped he was wrong.