Page 98 of Dragon 7

My heart boomed in my ears. "Thank God I am not a king."

"You will be one day, Hiro."

I went very still. "No. I will not."

"You will."

"The throne is. . .yours.”

“What throne?”

He just looked at me.

I felt a panic I had no name for. “Brother, what the fuck are you talking about?”

“We’ll talk more later.” He turned forward.

Why would he say that?

The ghost baby kept her peaceful eyes on me.

Who are you? And why are you on my brother?

I had seen a lot of ghosts. The half-faced fisherman. Hiroko. Nura. Sora and his pink lollipop. A pregnant Nao with the knife in her belly. The dead crowded my whole life like an audience at a slow theater. I knew every register of grief, rage, and confusion they brought with them.

I had never seen a ghost this small nor calm and never this close to other people.

Blood dripped down her adorable face.

My bottom lip quivered. “Did a baby die tonight? On this island?”

Kenji’s expression was hidden under the mask, but I knew it held shock because I understood him well. “I don’t know, Hiro. I hope not.”

“I see one.”

“You may see more things tonight, Hiro. It’s war.” Kenji placed his hand on my shoulder and this soothing sensation filled me and. . .the baby vanished into the shadow across his shoulders. “But know this, I am here. You are my brother. And together we are the most dangerous men on this island. And no matter what you see, I will be here loving you until the end of my breath.”

My eyes watered some more.

“Do you understand?”

“Yes.” I rolled the lollipop hard against my back teeth—honeyed yuzu and white peach. “And if I see the baby again while we’re fighting?”

“Then, use that baby to remind yourself what we’re fighting for. With our father and Akiro gone, there will be no more dead babies on this island.”

I swallowed.

He removed his hand from my shoulder. “Do you believe me?”

“Yes.”

A masked Scale jogged up to us, carrying something long, wrapped in dark cloth. He bowed to my brother once and presented it with both hands held flat.

Kenji took the bundle and unwrapped it slowly.

Totoro.

His flame torch.