Eventually, they reached Prince Gin’s study. The soul pearl didn’t react much to the location, but a pair of ryuu stood guard in front of it, firmly planted at the door. Maybe Sora was wrong about using the pearl as a compass. Maybe the Dragon Prince was inside.

“Gods dammit,” Hana said. “How are we going to get in?”

“Remember the plan,” Sora said. “They’re predisposed to trust you, because you’ve been the most loyal ryuu out of everyone for ten years. Make yourself visible. Tell them you and Tidepool were overpowered at Dera Falls and you’ve just returned to the castle. Act normal.”

“Right.” Hana took several deep breaths.

“Stinkbug?”

“Yeah?”

“You can do this.”

Hana breathed in deeply again, then nodded. “Okay.”

She backed down the adjacent hall, materialized, then turned the corner as if she were just walking to the study. Sora, still invisible, stayed a safe distance away but close enough in case Hana needed help.

“I have a report for His Majesty,” Hana said in the caustic tone she had used as Virtuoso.

“Where have you been?” one of the ryuu asked. “We got word the prisoners broke free from Dera Falls days ago.”

“You’re not important enough to know,” Hana snapped.

The ryuu bristled. But he couldn’t argue against it. After all, Hana was the Dragon Prince’s second-in-command. He cleared his throat, then said, “His Majesty isn’t here.”

“Where is he?”

Smart, Sora thought.

“Don’t you know we’re under attack?” the other ryuu said.

He received a glare from Hana, and it chastened him like the blunt end of a sword to the head.

The first ryuu said, more respectfully, “His Majesty went up to the highest spire. He needed a better vantage point for what was happening out there.”

Hana nodded curtly. “If I somehow miss him and His Majesty comes back here, tell him I’m looking for him.” She spun on her heel as if she couldn’t bother to wait for a response.

Sora hurried after her as Hana marched down the hallway.

When they were out of earshot, Hana stopped. “Did you hear all that?”

“Yes, you did great. Now let’s get to the highest spire.”

Since the ryuu knew Hana was back now, she continued without making herself invisible. Sora jogged next to her but kept herself unseen. They didn’t encounter any ryuu as they wound up the narrow spiral staircase of the tower—the warriors were mostly stationed at defense posts on the outside of the castle—but the eeriness of the quiet only heightened Sora’s nerves.

The door into the tower was a slender piece of oak on iron hinges. Hana knocked. “Your Majesty, it’s Virtuoso.”

He didn’t answer, but the door flung open as if of its own accord. The soul pearl practically leaped against the fabric of Sora’s collar, yearning to be reunited with its owner.