Page 5 of Dragon 7

The Yoshiwara blast had taken everything from Riku’s cheekbone up on the left side. His right eye—the only one—remained focused on me. He’d been a fisherman before Reo grabbed and trained him to be a top Scale. He’d come to Kaoru and me days before Yoshiwara and asked for advice on proposing to his girlfriend.

I’d shrugged and given no answer.

Kaoru had smirked and provided way too much advice.

I still never knew if he asked her to marry him or not. I just knew that Reo had personally gone to her in their small villa on the island and delivered the sad news of his death.

Ignoring the ghost, I swallowed. "Toma, your people will be hidden around the bamboo garden. . ."

Riku disappeared.

“That's where the medical staff is now. The basement also holds the sick and elders that couldn’t race for the evacuation." I held up one finger. “Just be mindful that Rin's poisons are already in the ground around the sides. Keep your people wide on the perimeter. Pick your best four. Make sure they are patient ones that can sit still for hours and shoot without missing."

Toma nodded. "Done."

In the corner of my vision, at the edge of the ammunition crate Toma had just opened, lay another ghost—a pregnant woman on her side. One arm flung forward across the floor of the war room. The other arm twisted wrong beneath her shoulder. A knife in her round belly. The fabric of her scrub top torn around the handle.

Nao.

Sora's pregnant wife. She was part of the new crop of ghosts suddenly coming to haunt me. Slowly, she turned to me and smiled.

My vision swam.

I gripped the edge of the table.

"Hiro?"

I blinked and turned toward the voice. “Yeah.”

It was Aki. "Take a break."

“I’m not done.”

Aki gave me a sad smile. "We have the brief. We know what to do."

Yuki picked it up. "Take five minutes while you can."

Then, the other Claws jumped in.

Kaede shrugged. "Get some air."

Toma nodded. "We'll keep prepping."

Daisuke frowned. “And don’t take out another lollipop.”

Nao disappeared.

I nodded once and could not trust my voice.

Maybe. . .I should get some air. . .

Sighing, I walked away and did not look at the corridor where Hiroko had stood.

I have to clear my mind. This can’t happen to me during the battle.

I walked past my brother's table.

Kenji looked up.