Every day was the same. Nothing changed. No one respected him. He kept waiting for things to get better, and they never did. It was just utter agony, and he was so tired.

He was stupid to have thought it would be different here. That he could stand up for himself for once. And what had that gotten him?

Kato was lying near death, and Ryuichi was a member of this awful group he didn’t want to be part of.

Broken boys.

Castoffs.

Like me.

All those awful, nagging doubts . . . all his soul-sucking fears . . . and all the bitter, mixed-up feelings he’d pushed down deep inside his entire life were beginning to resurface.

And they were bringing with them friends that had multiplied with the bitterness he’d been denying. He didn’t want to be this person, but the cruelty of others was making it impossible.

One by one, the Toshis in his life had killed all goodness.

There was only so much a human being could take.

Enough was enough.

No one should be held on the ground and treated like this, denied even a semblance of humanity or dignity. I am not garbage!

I am not worthless!

He’d tried so hard to follow the rules and do what he was told, only to be punished again and again . . . and again and again.

Ryuichi was done.

He was tired of hurting. Of being defeated. Having the taste of despair as his only sustenance. The demon touched his chin and lifted it until his gaze met her dark yellow stare. “Don’t think that, young master. You’re worth more than you could possibly imagine.”

Could she read his thoughts?

She smiled in kindness, warming him.

Only Keiko had ever spoken to him so affectionately. Ever treated him like this. Like he mattered.

But it wasn’t his place.

He hadn’t earned any standing, and he knew it.

“Let me die. I’m worthless.”

The shadow demon tsked. “Don’t say that, Ryuichi-chan. Humanity is worthless, not you. Look at them.” His friends went still and silent. She held up her hand, and in her palm, she showed him various times in his life when he’d been mocked and ridiculed. When they’d treated him like an animal. Showed him no mercy.

“Humans take. Their greed runs deeper than any ocean. It overflows their petty minds and floods their vacuous hearts, driving out any tenderness or reason. All they care about is themselves. No one else matters. They are the real monsters—yet we are the ones persecuted for their crimes. They cannot stand themselves, so they blame their behaviors on us.” The demon, Nekumo, leaned in close to Ryuichi’s ear. He had no idea how he knew her name, but it had appeared in his mind with utter clarity. “Not like you, my prince.”

Prince?

Why did that title feel so natural?

So right?