Page 37 of Dragon 7

Or I really did see the ghosts.

Both answers weighed the same in my soul, and both terrified me.

Kenji brought my focus back to him. “We’re going to win.”

“We are.”

“Who the fuck could ever beat us?”

“No one.”

“We stand together. We fight together. We trust each other. And no one, not the Fox or Akiro, can go against us.”

“Correct.” I looked down at our united hands. The knot in my chest loosened, just a little.

“And of course I would take care of your mother and the Claws.” Kenji let go of my hand. The fierce Dragon expression settled back over his face.

The cart kept rolling.

We drove deeper into the island, and everywhere the light touched, I saw even more that we were ready.

Tons of men crouched in the tree line, still as the trunks they hid behind, rifles laid across their knees. These Scales wore oni masks, but plain ones.

Solid red.

Solid black.

Solid grey.

They were hundreds of demons watching the road from the dark. The sight of them crawled up the back of my neck.

Good. Let Akiro's men meet a forest full of nightmares.

A truck idled at a crossroad with its lights dead. A line of islanders moved the other way down a side path, carrying bundles with their heads low as they hurried for the boats.

The last needing to evacuate. Hurry up. I don’t need you all to be ghosts too.

And then. . .suddenly. . .under the cart’s engine. . .I caught a feminine scream.

What?

Yoichi loudly cleared his throat as if he heard it too. And then oddly slowed the cart.

I quirked my brows. “Did you hear that?”

Kenji looked at me. "Hear what?"

Yoichi loudly coughed.

A woman screamed.

I went still and strained against the noise of the night.

Kenji turned to Yoichi. “Why did you slow down? Speed back up. We don’t have time.”

“Sorry. I just have something in my throat.” Yoichi began to loudly cough and clear his throat like a maniac, yet still I caught more screaming and her painfully crying out, "God, no," or "Please."

It’s definitely a woman.