Shrugging, she gestured at his squirming bundle. “I would say you were rubbing off on him, but you’ve never respected rules this much.”

He gave her an irritated grimace as he finally saw Master Yamato rushing toward them.

As soon as the old monk saw him, he groaned. “I should have known you’d be behind such a disruption.”

“Thanks,” Koichi said dryly.

“Thank me by not causing strife.”

Ryuichi stopped struggling. “Sensei, you cause disorder?”

“No.” Not really.

“Yes,” Master Yamato countered. “Everywhere he goes.”

“Then you cannot be my teacher.” Ryuichi sank his teeth into Koichi’s hand.

Yelping, he let go out of instinct.

Ryota laughed.

Thankfully, Keiko caught the boy before he ran off. “Ryuichi, what is wrong with you?”

“Nothing. I refuse to be an instrument of discord or chaos. I will not be your tool.”

Koichi scowled. Something was wrong with the boy . . . He just didn’t know what.

* * *

Masaru rose to his feet as Ryukage appeared before him like a great, towering mountain, swathed in all black. His right hand was covered by a gauntlet that turned each finger into an exaggerated, articulated claw. It was something the Shadow Dragon did to intimidate those around him, but such tactics had never worked on Masaru.

Mostly because he wasn’t that fond of living. Death would be a welcome release.

“Well, well, little fox, you’ve taken long enough to answer my summons. Where have you been?”

The hairs on the back of Masaru’s neck rose, along with his hackles. Too well he remembered what Ryukage had been like before he had succumbed to the shadows—when his eyes had been dark and his heart untouched by evil.

Now . . .

Times changed. And sadly, so did people. This creature had not only succumbed to the darkness, but he reveled in it.

So do you.

Normally, that was true. He’d taken a lot of pride in causing harm to others. By projecting pain outward, it’d somehow lessened his own.

But lately he no longer felt that way, and he wasn’t sure why.

“I was doing your bidding, my lord.”

Ryukage laughed bitterly. “Then where is my son?”

Before he could answer, Haruki drew up short and hissed as she entered the room behind him. “I thought I smelled a rat. What is that thing doing here?”

“I summoned him, witch.”

She spat on the ground near Masaru’s feet. “I wouldn’t trust him. He’s betrayed every master he’s ever served, including your beloved.”

Masaru scoffed. “And you haven’t? Never mind that my mistress was your twin sister . . . who you betrayed.”

Hissing again, she started for him, but Masaru twisted and moved from her path.

“Enough!” Ryukage blasted her against the far wall, where she landed with a loud thump and fell unceremoniously into a heap of black kimono. He turned back toward Masaru. “Speak, fox, and quickly. My patience for you grows thin.”