“Silence.” Tsukiya raised his hand toward the heavens, then flipped the stick to cover his face with the mask at the opposite end—the face of an angry oni that changed, by magic, into one of annoyance. “I presume you brought tribute.” He stepped closer so that Koichi could see that he meant the bag with Ryuichi in it. “After all⁠—”

“It’s only fair that you pay a toll to travel our lands,” his sister finished.

Before he could speak, Masaru let out a rude snort. “You mean the Ryukage’s lands.”

That rolled over the gods like an ice storm.

A low hiss came out, making the oni mask even more ominous; it turned a bright crimson to match the embroidered blood on the kimonos.

“How dare you!” Mizuki snarled. “These are our lands, as they⁠—”

Tsukiya nodded in agreement with his sister. “Have always been. We created this realm. It is ours by right.”

Mizuki stepped toward Masaru. “Ryukage may play at being a god, but we were conceived and born as such! He’s an insect. A nobody. Meaningless, little, worthless⁠—”

“I believe the point has been made, Sister.” Tsukiya pulled her back.

“Don’t touch me.” Mizuki stepped back from her brother and squared off.

Lowering his mask, he made ready to battle her.

Until they remembered there was bigger sport to be had.

Tsukiya cleared his throat and returned to the expressionless white mask as he turned to face them. “This is our world. The Ryukage merely plays in it because we allow him to.”

Keiko tsked. “But he’s no friend of yours. Perhaps we could persuade you to help us purge him from this land.”

Tsukiya’s masks switched back and forth between the red oni and white, vacant expression. “No. I don’t think so. Watching him and his tantrums is too much fun.”

“So fun.” Mizuki smiled.

He flipped back to his oni face. “Hilarious, even.” He came closer to them. “Watching mortal and yōkai alike panic in fear of his antics brings us endless pleasure.”

“Endless.” Mizuki clapped her hands.

Tsukiya paused at his sister’s comment. He lowered his mask to glare at her. “That’s what I said.”

“So much pleasure.” Mizuki repeated to spite him.

Tsukiya curled his lip. “Brainless idiot.” He rolled his eyes, then returned his mask to his face before he refocused his attention on the bag Koichi carried. “What’s. In. The. Bag?”

Cringing at the lyrical question, Koichi was grateful Ryuichi wasn’t moving or speaking while they interacted with the gods. “Nothing.”

“Then give it over. We demand it.”

His panic tripled. How could he get out of this without the gods discovering who and what they carried? For once, he had nothing. Not one single thought.

But should they discover Ryukage’s heir . . . it was over for all of them.