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…’
    ‘Enough — take those two.’ Hanto waved and his men flooded forwards. ‘I’ll deal with this one.’
    Sumiko drew herself up and Sendatsu felt her reach into the magic. For a moment he thought she was going to turn this room into a battleground, but then she subsided.
    ‘We shall accompany you, but I shall have words with Jaken when we get there,’ she hissed.
    All had felt her prepare to use the magic, so the nearest guards let her walk past them. But the threat of the magic seemed to have infuriated Hanto.
    ‘Grab hold of the other one!’ Hanto snarled. ‘Quick!’
    The nearest pair shrugged then grabbed and twisted Asami’s arms behind her back.
    ‘Let her go!’ Sendatsu stormed forwards as Asami cried in pain. ‘This is outrageous …’
    ‘Keep out of this!’ Hanto intercepted Sendatsu and swung his free hand in a backhand blow aimed to snap Sendatsu’s head back and stop his progress.
    Only it never landed.
    Reacting instinctively, Sendatsu dropped the scroll and instead blocked Hanto’s blow. His years of training, beaten into him by Jaken, took hold and without thinking he twisted the arm, locking the joint, and then struck with his free hand just above the elbow, breaking Hanto’s arm with a crack that echoed around the room.
    Everyone looked in surprise and horror as Hanto fell to the floor screaming in pain. For a long, long moment nobody did anything, then Hanto rolled to his knees, cradling his misshapen arm, agony etched into his face.
    ‘What are you waiting for? Get them!’ he screamed.
    The nearest guard raced at Sendatsu, sword raised. Again, instinct took over and Sendatsu swooped on Hanto’s fallen sword. The guard swung in the classic thunder-strike, designed to split him in half, but Sendatsu blocked easily and cut back with a reverse side stroke that bit deep into the guard’s neck. The guard’s sword fell from a nerveless hand as blood spurted across the nearest couch and the guard collapsed, choking out his last.
    All watched him fall, then all eyes went to Sendatsu as he stood, perfectly balanced, blood-spattered and bloody sword in hand. Most remembered then he had scored second only to his father in the Test of swords.
    ‘You know what is at stake — we are all dead if we do not return with that scroll!’ Hanto shouted and they rushed forwards, hoping to swamp Sendatsu from all directions.
    Then a table lifted up and flew into the three nearest guards, sending them flying.
    ‘That’s it, Sendatsu, use magic on them as well!’ Sumiko cried.
    Sendatsu paused for a moment, wondering what she was going on about — then realised she was going to help him without seeming to.
    While all eyes focused on Sendatsu he pointed at Asami. She closed her eyes for a heartbeat and a couch lifted up and swept away the pair holding her arms. The guards fell back at the magical assault, thinking it came from Sendatsu when he had nothing to do with it, then Sendatsu waded forwards, sword already moving.
    He was not thinking about his children, he was not thinking about his father; his mind was clear, thinking only of the next threat. He had learned to lose himself in the blade after many hard lessons at his father’s hand.
    His speed was dazzling and, although the Council Guards were chosen for their ability and strength, they could notmatch him. He used the double-strike style on the first one, tearing great wounds in his chest and belly, then switched to the floating cloud to despatch a second. The floor was sticky with blood, littered with all sorts of wooden toys and rubbish, but he stepped forwards, always in balance, blocked a pair of attackers, got them tangled up in each other’s way and then went under a wild blow, rolling forwards and using the dragon-tail cut to take off a leg below the knee, yet still had the time to parry, regain his feet and take an arm with a massive tiger-claw stroke.
    Around him, the air filled with furniture and flying guards as Sumiko and