Page 140 of Dragon 7

Deja nodded. “Okay.”

“Thank you, Tora.” The Death Guardian nodded. "Also. . .when the Dragon returns. . .please let him know that Yoichi must rest for thirty days before returning."

I trembled. "But. . .Yoichi is okay?"

"Yes, Tora."

"And Rin will be fine?"

"Yes. Goodnight, Tora."

That goodnight shut the door on my further participation.

“Follow me, Deja.” The Death Guardian turned and walked back toward the ring without waiting to see if I'd obey her.

Deja followed her.

Another Silent One came out of the shadows of the courtyard. “This way, Tora.”

Damn it. What’s Deja’s sacrifice?

I turned and headed off.

My guards moved with me.

Bamboo rustled within the distant sounds of the war.

I looked over my shoulder one more time.

The Red Silent Ones parted just enough.

Deja stepped into the ring. The moonlight made her face glow on one side.

She looked back at me once across the stones. Her eyes were wet. She wasn't crying, but she was holding those tears.

I held her look.

It’s going to be okay, Deja.

She turned to Rin on the ground.

The Silent Ones closed around her.

I turned my gaze back to the front.

My guard opened the door.

I stepped back into the building, and it was right then that I remembered why that Vicky name sounded familiar.

Wait a minute. Vicky Jamison. That’s the little girl.

I had done an interview years ago with this officer in a precinct that smelled like burnt coffee. He'd been telling me about an empty commercial building in Brooklyn where they'd found a pimp dead on the floor.

His name had been Dorian. Two shots had killed him. One in the crotch. One in the forehead.

The officer had said it like he was a little impressed.

I hadn’t really cared about the whole murder even though the police were on top of it.