Jack rode in silence, his thoughts consumed by the demonic shadow of the previous night. He knew that it could only have been his imagination – the shadow had been a trick of the light or else a nightwatchman merely going about his business. That seemed the most likely explanation for the black-robed figure he’d seen. Still, he couldn’t get the horrifying image out of his head …

‘You’re quiet,’ remarked Akiko, trotting up alongside him. ‘What’s troubling you?’

Jack nodded vaguely, unsure whether to share his concerns or not. He knew Dokugan Ryu and his successor were dead. Moreover, this was home – this was England, a world away from Japan and its ninjas. So the idea that he’d seen Dragon Eye was simply ludicrous. Not wanting to worry Akiko unnecessarily, or have her think he was going mad, he said, ‘I was just thinking about Jess, wondering why she’d be in Stratford-upon-Avon, of all places.’

‘From what Bodley said, it sounds like she didn’t have much choice,’ said Akiko.

‘But was Jess running away, or being taken away?’ Jack questioned. ‘There’s a big difference.’

‘Well, we know Mrs Winters is scared of something … or someone,’ said Yori, bouncing atop his mare like a bobbin on a spindle. ‘Perhaps Jess is too.’

‘I guess the only way to find out is to find her,’ said Rose, and she geed up her horse.

As they crested the brow of a hill, Jack took one final glance back at the hazy city in the distance. He was glad to be leaving London behind with all its perils and problems. But he feared what lay ahead for them too. Would he find his sister? Or would he discover her dead and buried? What would he do then? He’d spent so many years with one goal in mind – being reunited with Jess – that he hadn’t really thought beyond that. And after their rude and violent welcome to England, would Akiko and Yori really want to stay with him in this country? His future – and their future – was as open as the road that lay ahead of them.

Fields spread out on either side of the highway, carpeting the countryside in a patchwork of golden barley and rich brown earth. Woodland came and went. So did babbling brooks and streams. Hamlets of a dozen or so houses sprang up every so often, congregated round an old stone church or a creaking watermill. As Jack and his friends passed through the settlements, the farmers and their families watched their progress with wary curiosity, many perturbed by the sight of the Japanese monk and Japanese girl on horseback. Jack was reminded of the strange and often hostile looks he’d got when he travelled through Japan. But if the farmers’ stares made Akiko and Yori uncomfortable, they were doing a good job of hiding it.