“You can do it, Ryuichi!” Takara’s voice soothed his embarrassment.

C’mon, you did it in the stable.

Think, and believe in yourself.

You can do this!

Pushing aside his fear and doubt, he drew a deep breath and reached down deep inside. He imagined exactly what he wanted. Saw the yōkai vanishing. The weeds withdrawing.

But they continued to advance.

No! My weakness will not rule me. I am better than that. Closing his eyes, he tried again.

Then . . .

Slowly, it began to work. He heard his friends yelping in excitement.

Ryuichi took a chance and opened his eyes . . . and couldn’t believe it. Finally, something had gone right for him. It was a miracle!

Now, he had one new problem . . .

“Um, Koichi-san? How do I get down?”

Laughing, Koichi looked at Takara. “Is there a ladder nearby?”

“I have a rope.” Ichiro stepped forward to hand it over to Koichi.

Great. Oh, the indignity of having to be roped in by his foot and dragged down to the ground like some runaway livestock.

But that was okay. He’d done it. Nothing could take away his relief and happiness at finally having done something right.

For the first time, no one laughed at him.

Takara arched a playful brow at Koichi as his sensei placed his feet back on the ground. “I thought you were planning to keep his powers a secret.”

“I was. Guess I forgot to tell that to your little friend here. Thanks, Ryuichi.”

Ryuichi ignored the sarcasm as he tested his ability to remain on the ground. “How did I do that?” More importantly, would he ever be able to do it again?

“Don’t know.” Koichi coiled the rope.

Ryuichi gave him a droll stare as he prayed he wouldn’t float away by accident again for no reason. “Then how can you teach me?”

Koichi shrugged. “Never said I was any good at teaching.”

That was certainly true enough.

And now everyone was staring at him even more intently. Ryuichi hated the attention.

The nail that stands out gets hammered down.

“What is he?” Leave it to Toshi to be the first to ask the question Ryuichi dreaded most.

Fear knotted his stomach as he tried to think of an answer.

“He’s one of us,” Takara said firmly. “His mother was Harukamon. And he’s our best hope of closing the Kimon and stopping what’s been plaguing us.”

That sounded so much better than telling them his father was a demon lord out to kill them all, and that he himself was some kind of shadow something with dubious intentions, who might or might not be trustworthy. No wonder he liked her so much.

Toshi eyed him suspiciously. “Is that why Masaru chose you as his host?”

Ryuichi swallowed hard. “I don’t know.”