Chapter 82

It only took minutes for Azuki and Renko to toss the leaves and rough up the dirt scattered over the pavers and the stairs to hide evidence of their passage. Shota supervised and flew lookout.

"Leave the bird tracks," he called. "Let them think anything out of the ordinary was done by the egrets."

"Where did they go?" Renko asked.

"Just over the wall," Shota replied. "It looks like they roost on the edge of the moat. But they're all caught up in writing their poem and some of them are starting to dance."

"They've forgotten us," Azuki said. "Renko-san, would you really have told them you're a dragon?"

"I don't know," Renko said quietly, torn between her fear of disapproval and her need to demand, even force, acceptance. "I really don't know."

"I see a patrol approaching, and one leaving," Shota called. "If you run right now, you'll be exactly between them and they won't see you. There's a ditch over there where those trees are. Get through there, and you'll be in a public area."