Hanzō sighed irritably. “Toshi, take the other two Black Tortoise students and wash off. Your blood is contaminating our arena.”

Toshi bowed and helped the other two students leave.

With his lip curled, Hanzō turned to the Black Tortoise sensei. “Get Kato to the infirmary. I’ll deal with him if he survives his wounds.”

If.

That word stabbed at Ryuichi’s heart like a dagger. His pride might have killed the only person who’d ever treated him like an equal.

What have I done?

Kato had only wanted to protect him, and now he was bearing the consequences of the fight.

It’s all my fault. All of it.

Sick to his stomach, Ryuichi couldn’t bear to watch as they callously dragged Kato away.

Like he was nothing.

Hanzō turned to face him with a gut-shriveling glare. While he was used to that countenance, it didn’t mean that it stung any less. “Since you seem to be incapable of behaving yourself around the other students, I’m assigning you to the Night Patrol.”

Night Patrol? It was the first time he’d heard of such. That didn’t seem so bad, but since it was a punishment, it couldn’t be good.

“Takara, come.”

She obediently rushed to her father’s side, but she cast a quick apologetic smile at Ryuichi.

Without another word, Hanzō led her from them.

* * *

Kasumi’s glower was every bit as hate-filled and menacing as Hanzō’s had been.

But not when she swept her gaze to the other students. “Now that this interruption has been taken care of, I would like everyone to resume their practice. Remember: You may rest, but the enemy doesn’t, so get back to it.”

When Ryuichi went to participate, she stopped him. “Not you. You get cleaned up and then practice there.” His sensei jerked her chin toward the straw dummies. “None of them can be harmed by your unfounded pride and arrogance.”

That verbal blow hurt worse than the wounds he endured from Toshi.

He’d harmed his friend. Shamed his lord. And for what?

Stupid pride?

You’re nothing. No one.

And that was all he’d ever be. Just a blight on the world. If I’m lucky, I’ll die and be as forgotten as my parents.

CHAPTER FIVE

Furious and shaking, Takara did her best to hold her temper as she entered her father’s study and forced herself to carefully slide the door closed. It was hard when what she really wanted to do was scream about the injustice she’d witnessed. To rail against her father for being so blind.

Normally, Hattori Hanzō had better sense.

Just not today.

Sitting in front of the low table on the floor, her father looked up at her approach and calmly pushed his tea away. “What is it, Daughter?”