Yoichi watched me intently as if he could hear the Dragon’s voice on the line too, and I caught my reflection in Yoichi's eyes. They had gone flat like still water right before a storm hits the surface. Yoichi watched the news land on my face and he was already adjusting his body—squaring his shoulders, shifting his weight, planting himself between me and my guards.
My horror had already become his orders.
Kenji continued, "Reo is preparing a statement to be delivered to everyone on the island. Yoichi is with you? Right?”
“Yes.”
“He’ll get the message and explain everything as you both are going off. I want him next to you until you’re safe.”
“Okay.”
“I fucking love you, Tora.”
My eyes watered. “Kenji. . .I love you too.”
“Your only focus is to get off this island. Do you understand, Tora?”
“Yes, but what are you going to do?”
“Fight.”
I shivered. “Do you need my blood for your weapons? Or can we do the Burial Ritual very quickly?”
In front of me, Yoichi opened his mouth in shock and stepped back.
I quirked my brows.
Yoichi looked away.
“There’s no time for the ritual. I don’t want to rush threading our souls. That seems wrong and dangerous. And besides, my brother and father might arrive right in the middle—” His voice cracked and then he stopped speaking.
I heard him breathing through whatever he was trying to hold together.
For a few seconds, he didn't speak.
I pressed the phone harder against my ear, hard enough that it hurt, hard enough that I could feel my own pulse drumming against the speaker. I needed him closer. I needed the distance to be gone between us.
Plastic, signal, and voice were not enough.
Then, he cleared his throat. ". . .I don't want you here when they come."
“But you all need an advantage.”
I could hear shouting in the background on his side. Men yelling. A door slamming. Then his voice again, lower.
His breath shook on the other end.
I could hear him swallow.
"I needyouoff this island so I can concentrate and not worry about my Tiger. Do you understand me?"
My heart squeezed in my chest until I could feel it pressing against my ribs. "Then I'll be off the island and safe."
"You’re my everything. My Heart. My Soul. The only reason I have to survive this battle. The very reason we are fighting this war. If you are safe, then all I need to do is concentrate on our victory."
“You will win because you are the Dragon and you have your mother’s blood running through your veins. You come from a bloodline of supernatural hunters. Your brother and father are mere mortals next to you. And. . .you have a spirit beast hovering over your enemies. A dragon-shadow. You don’t see him, but he’s there and. . .ritual or not he’s weakening your enemies.”
“Tora. . .I'm going to carry those words with me. I’m going to think of them as I kill every man and rip his heart out."
