Unable to keep up at his level of ferocity and pure skill with a blade, Haku broke off, turned and jumped for another roof. She glided to the rooftop tiles, her feet touching down softly.

The tiles cracked to her left from the weight of the other swordsman as he pursued her.

“Don’t run away, White Feather!”

He’s right behind me!

She jumped for safety, away from him.

THE FAILED MAGE

A sharp pain shot through Lawrence’s back as Kat’s whip snapped from behind, though he didn’t cry out.

Spinning around, he raised his sword in defense, but she was already gone. He jumped, rolled in anticipation for the next crack of her whip, which came.

“Good!” she called, laughing. “But can you keep that up?”

She didn’t use that blink magic again, and now he was facing her. At this rate, he would never beat her—and she, the apprentice of the other witch, who hadn’t even joined her in the attack.

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The failed mage wiped his wet face with the back of his soaked arm. The rain was coming down hard, and the water droplets streaming down his face didn’t help with his concentration.

“Look out!” the young witch called as she raised her arm, her whip cracking as it coiled behind her for the inevitable strike.

He braced, ready to evade, but then she cried out and jumped to the side. For her, the evasion probably seemed clumsy, but to Lawrence she was graceful, landing on one hand, spinning and then coming back to her feet as shuriken clattered about her.

She cried out in pure frustration looking up at the machiya roofs above Lawrence. “Come out, cowards!”

He didn’t turn, but he too looked about. Was he being assisted? Haku hadn’t brought any ninja with them, so who could this be?

“Gods,” she said to Lawrence. “I hate ninja. Annoying little pests.”

“I might agree with you,” he said, “but not on this occasion.”

“We told you to come alone with the woman.” Her glare was accusing.

“And you said you would let Sakura go!”

“I’ll just have to kill you quickly, then.”

She blinked, her body dematerializing.

Lawrence jumped, glanced about, ready for another crack of her whip, or this time, something worse.

But instead, she cried out. The failed mage turned toward her, watching as she flipped in the air, her feet coming down on the stones in the street.

“I hate surprises!” she snarled, taking a few steps back so she could see who had attacked her atop the roof.

Ignoring one another, the failed mage and the witch’s apprentice both craned their necks to see who was there.

Lawrence flinched with surprise at the huge samurai looking down upon them through his snarling oni mask.

“The Masked Demon,” he said.