Jack was relieved Akiko had her back to him, for she missed seeing him blush. But Yamato saw it and meaningfully raised his eyebrows at him.

Not long after sunset, all the lanterns on the procession floats were lit, transforming Kyoto into a magical nighttime paradise. The lanterns floated through the streets like vast cloud formations lit from within by tiny suns. Everyone donned their masks and the streets came alive with music and merriment.

Many of the floats ground to a halt as the men began to drink from large bottles of saké, and it was not long before the sounds of revelry could be heard coming from every street corner.

As Jack, Akiko, Yamato and the others made their way back to the main thoroughfare for the evening fireworks, a group of drunken samurai staggered past, forcing Jack to jump out of their way.

He collided with a man in black who was wearing an ebony devil mask with two sharp red horns and a small white skull carved in the centre of its forehead.

‘Out of my way!’ hissed the black devil.

Jack stared through his own demon mask at the man and froze.

The man irritably shoved Jack out of his way and hurried down the street before disappearing into a narrow side alley.

‘Are you all right?’ asked Akiko, rushing over to Jack.

‘I think… I just saw Dragon Eye!’

42: DOKUGAN RYU

42

DOKUGAN RYU

‘You must be mistaken. Dokugan Ryu would never dare show himself at a festival,’ said Akiko as they all ran down the alleyway after the black devil.

‘I definitely saw him,’ said Jack. ‘He only had one eye and it was green! How many Japanese do you know who have one green eye?’

‘One,’ admitted Yamato.

‘Exactly. I just pray he didn’t recognize me.’ Jack pulled off his mask as he ran. ‘So where does this alley lead?’

But before Yamato could answer, they rounded a corner and found themselves opposite Nijo Castle. They had emerged at one of its side entrances, a small gateway accessed via a narrow bridge across the moat.

‘Do you think this ninja of yours went inside the castle?’ said Saburo uneasily.

‘Must have,’ said Jack, looking up and down the deserted thoroughfare. ‘Where is everyone?’

‘They’ll all be watching the fireworks by the Imperial Palace,’ said Kiku.

Jack searched the darkness for any sign of Dragon Eye. Nothing moved. That was the problem.

‘Where are the guards?’ asked Jack. ‘I thought this is where Emi’s father lives. Isn’t Takatomi the daimyo of Kyoto? Surely he would have guards on all his entrances?’

‘Yes, but it’s Gion Matsuri,’ said Yori. ‘He’ll be at the festival and so will most of his guards.’

‘Of course! What better time for a ninja to enter a castle?’ said Jack.

‘But why would he want to?’ questioned Kiku.