Page 83 of Dragon 7

Reo spoke at my side, “Can you talk to Goryū?”

“I’m talking to him now.”

“Fascinating, and what was the ritual?”

“I barely know. I had to drink something.”

“What?”

“It tasted like blood. I think it came from Nyomi. We didn’t have time for the details.”

“Our Tiger bled for this war?”

I clenched my teeth, got close to Goryū, and then I saw Hiro. They had propped my brother up against the base of a wide trunk with his back straight, his head tipped forward, and his legs stretched out in front of him.

His mask rested in the dirt beside his right hand.

His left hand held a gold lollipop unwrapped as if the Silent Ones were trying to apologize for an unintentional inconvenience.

His chest rose and fell with the slow, full rhythm of a man in deep sleep.

I stared at him for one long second.

A boom rolled across the island.

The ground shook.

Hiro did not move.

Reo studied him. “How is he sleeping?”

“I don’t know.”

“And someone placed him here?”

“The Silent Ones. You didn’t see them?”

“No. I think I would have noticed people carrying Hiro to us.” Reo shook his head. “Even more. . .who’s going to be the poor bastard to wake Hiro up and not die because of it?”

I’m surprised the Silent Ones didn’t die transporting him.

My brother was surely more dangerous asleep than he was awake.

Footsteps arrived behind us.

Then the Claws materialized from the dark—Kaede first, then Toma, Daisuke, and the twins arriving side by side the way they always did.

The Claws took in Hiro sleeping against the tree. Then they looked at me.

Kaede tilted his Tengu mask. "Where is the Tiger?"

"She is safe."

"But respectfully, Kenji. . .where is she?”

One of the twins spoke, “Is she safe and off the island?”

I considered lying to the Claws, but I’d already lied about the bombing of Tokyo being Akiro’s fault. I let out a long exhale. “She’s in the Bamboo Garden’s basement with the rest of the medical staff and Yoichi."