The skeletons moved with confidence, their strides long and sure, their grips firm on the swords, spears, and other weapons they clutched. Most of the warriors were completely bone, but a couple still had flesh on them, including the one marching into Sora’s view.

A sword protruded from his belly. But this soldier marched as if it didn’t notice the blade. When it turned, the moon revealed that the sword actually went through the corpse’s belly and out its back.

And then Sora saw its face.

Beetle.

A cry escaped her as she recognized the young ryuu who’d befriended her on Prince Gin’s ship. His hair was matted, and his skin was veined and gray from necrosis, but it was still him. The full cheeks that held on stubbornly to his baby fat. The pockets of his uniform stretched from all the snacks he used to stash in them. His lighthearted gait, as if the world were full of wonders just waiting for him to discover them.

Except Beetle would never get to do that. His eyes were blank, seeing nothing.

The ryuu must have raised the dead from the last battle. And as for the skeletons—could it be that they raided the Society of Taigas’ cemetery? It would explain why the skeletons moved with the grace and strength of warriors.

Sora looked at Beetle again. Her heart ached, but she couldn’t make the mistake of thinking this was the same boy she’d known. He was only an empty shell, reanimated.

Still, she couldn’t tear herself away from him. Sora watched as he marched by, and she kept tabs on him as he disappeared along his path into the night, then circled back again. She lost track of time.

Fairy and Broomstick returned from the beach. “There are skeletons on a ship,” they reported.

Sora shook herself out of her trance. “More skeletons?”

“You can’t see them from up here because they’re tucked into a shadowy alcove at the base of the island. But yes, there’s a ship crewed by skeleton sailors.”

“If this is what they have just to guard a single prisoner,” Broomstick said, “I hate to imagine what kind of forces Prince Gin will send to attack Thoma.”

“Oh gods.” Fairy’s face fell.

Sora could see her mentally tabulating all the different ryuu who could be unleashed. Ironside, whose hands were magnets that could steal away swords and other weapons. Ash, who filled the air with smoke so thick you couldn’t see six inches in front of you. Carmine, who could make blood boil inside a person’s body. Just to name a few.

“Don’t think about Thoma,” Sora said, because it would paralyze them and make it impossible to focus on the task at hand. “Let’s face one horror at a time.”