Page 155 of Dragon 7

The nurse walked to the grandfather slumped against the wall by his daughter's bed. She touched his elbow and then spoke into his ear.

His head came up slowly. He looked at his granddaughter. Tears left his eyes. He wiped his face with the flat of his hand and quickly stood.

“And the rabbit set his small paws on the earth, and he began to look for a spark to light his lantern again."

My pulse tapped against the side of my neck.

Two more beds emptied on my left.

Three on my right.

The murmurs thinned along with the soft weeping.

The wheels of the cots clicked against the tile and the click got louder as the room hollowed out around them.

The men in black moved to the children's beds now.

They started at the far end. Two men to a bed. Their gloved hands slid under the small backs the way you would lift a sleeping cat. They tucked blankets around the little ones. They placed stuffed animals into the crooks of small arms. They wheeled the children through the double doors one after the other, and the doors swung closed behind each one with a soft heavy sound like a book falling shut.

I stopped reading and looked up at my guard.

He finished listening on the phone and then put it up.

I gestured for him to come over. “What’s going on?”

"The war is over. The Dragon was victorious."

My heartbeat picked up as my breath rushed out of me. I had to touch my chest to calm it. “Oh my God. Seriously?”

“Yes. And now the Dragon wants this room empty so he can talk to you."

I blinked twice. "What? They’re moving all these babies just so he can talk to me?"

“Yes.”

“I can just come to him—”

“The Dragon gave the order—”

“Since the war is over, please make sure the injured are at least being transported to hospitals in Tokyo. Talk to the Roar’s assistant, Ali, about it and say I said so.”

“I will do that now, Tora.”

“Thank you.” Relief hit my shoulders.

The guard pulled out his phone and left.

The corner of the page bent under my thumb. I forced my thumb to relax, and it curled right back.

A nurse came to get the little girl next to me. “We must go.”

The little girl frowned. “But the story isn’t done.”

“Don’t worry.” I handed the book to her. “This is yours.”

She gasped, took it, and hugged the book to her chest. “Thank you, Mrs. Tiger.”

“You’re welcome.”