He’d have never thought himself capable of being kind to someone else for no reason. Least of all a child. And a half-orphan, at that.

Yet the boy’s earnest struggle had stirred something deep within his soul—something he’d thought was long dead and buried. Like his soul and emotions, he didn’t understand it.

The way Ryuichi kept pushing himself forward, in spite of his confusion and incompetence. Even when he was outnumbered. Outmatched. When he had no chance whatsoever.

Still, the boy kept going against all odds.

It reminded Masaru of what he’d been like when he was a guardian. Before they’d stripped his heart from him. He’d never thought to have these feelings again.

Could it be that there might be a smidgen of hope for him after all? He wouldn’t have thought it possible, and yet . . .

“Is there a reason for your disturbance? Other than to annoy me?”

Koichi jerked his chin at the boy. “Ryuichi’s in danger.”

Masaru snorted at the ridiculous declaration. “If he’s breathing, he’s in danger.”

“I know, but I’m thinking this might not be the best place for him at the moment. If we have a spy . . .”

This would be a good place to trap them. The drunken sot had a point, and Masaru should know—he’d come to this school to wait for Ryukage’s brat.

All this time, he’d known that if he was patient, the gods would deliver the Kage-taro into his hands.

And so they had . . .

But Masaru wasn’t the traitor. At least not yet.

If you have a brain, you know what you need to do. Emotions were for the weak. They were dangerous. Compassion was for fools.

Or the dead.

You made a promise to the Ryukage . . .

Torn between his oaths, he suddenly had an idea. One that could solve all their problems.

Yeah . . .

Hopeful for once, he carefully laid Ryuichi’s head on the pallet and vanished.

Koichi gaped as Masaru abandoned them. Seriously? “It’s like that, huh?” But what did he expect?

Loyalty had waved bye-bye to Masaru a long time ago. Then again, it wasn’t exactly Koichi’s friend either. If he had any sense, he’d run too.

Luckily for Ryuichi, he had no sense.

So Koichi prodded the boy out of his slumber. “Hey, pain in my rear . . . time to wake up. Face the next thing that wants to eat you.”

Yawning, Ryuichi stretched and looked around like the young boy he was. He rubbed at his eyes with his fists. “How long was I out?”

“Just a few minutes, I think. Anyway, we need to leave.”

“Why?”

“I don’t think you’re safe here. There’s a spy in our ranks, and until we know who it is . . .”

The boy seemed even more confused than normal. “Where will we go?”