By the time we made it back to the mansion, the first rays of dawn were breaking over the horizon. The light spilled over the rooftops of Little Tokyo, painting the city in hues of gold and pink. It would’ve been beautiful if my head wasn’t pounding.
Hiroshi was already waiting for us in the meeting room, seated at the head of the table with a cup of tea in hand. He didn’t look up as we entered, but his presence filled the space, nonetheless. Masaru and Akiko were there too, their expressions unreadable. Yumi and Kai flanked me as we stepped inside, their exhaustion mirroring my own.
“Well?” Hiroshi asked, finally raising his gaze. “What did you find?”
“A cursed mirror,” I said, my voice hoarse. “It was stronger than anything we’ve dealt with before. The shadows it created…” I trailed off, remembering the way they’d moved, how they’d seemed almost alive. “They were different. Smarter. More dangerous.”
Masaru snorted. “And yet here you are, still standing. Perhaps they weren’t as dangerous as you think.”
I shot him a glare, but Hiroshi raised a hand before I could respond. “Enough, Masaru,” he said, his tone firm. “This is serious. If what Damon says is true, then the cursed artifact trade is evolving…and not in our favor.”
Akiko leaned forward. Her sharp gaze fixed on me. “Did you destroy the artifact?”
“No,” I admitted, the weight of the mirror’s presence still lingering in my mind. “It’s too powerful. Destroying it outright could cause more harm than good. We brought it back and sealed it in the vault.”
Hiroshi nodded slowly. His expression was thoughtful. “Good. For now, we’ll study it. But Damon, if this trade grows bolder, we’ll need to take stronger measures. Be ready for that.”
I nodded, my chest tightening with the weight of responsibility. Stronger measures. Right. Because that’s worked so well in the past.
