Chapter 36 - Word Battles

                                    

                                          
The words swam about my brain in a flood of realization as all the dots connected themselves. Kotaro had taken longer than everyone to get to the horses that night, and through my exhaustion, I'd thought I'd smelled the scent of blood on him. His bruised knuckles the following day—everything made complete sense, but it was no less of a surprise.
                          
"I fail to see what that has to do with the present time." I said loftily, collecting my mental faculties quicker than usual.
                          
The man raised a brow. "When one of the members—and a leader no less—of the tribes is almost beaten to death with his own staff by a member of the Fifth, did you really think it would have no effect on our meeting?" He thought me naïve.
                          
I turned to look up at Kotaro, and a daring I had never experienced before flooded my being. "Yuda is lucky I didn't tear him apart myself." I smiled at the man. "Just as you and your people are lucky to be alive after toying with me."
                          
He leaned back slightly in his chair, swallowing heavily. "I think you are mistaken—"
                          
"Then please, by all means, point out the problem, and I will be happy to set things right." My legs were shaking a great deal, and my fingers dug into Kotaro's bicep to keep myself upright.
                          
I was playing a riskier game than I ever had before, because if they happened to call my bluff now, I didn't think I could maintain my pretenses. For the sake of my companions, however, I had to stand tall and answer the questions these people had with my own lips. We had to avoid the trouble we'd run into at the Second.
                          
"What my cousin is trying to say," the woman spoke up, and her voice possessed an authoritative quality. "Is that we do not intend to fight with you. We would simply like to know what your reason is for coming here, isn't that right, Sakchai?" She turned to look at her the man for a moment before turning back to us.
                          
I could see that she was the one we would have to contend with. The man she had referred to as her cousin, Sakchai, was loud and quick to offer his opinions, but she was the steadying force. Staring into her eyes, I could find no clue as to what was happening in her mind.
                          
"Perhaps that would have been easier to answer had we not received such a...warm welcome from your people." I countered.
                          
"I beg pardon if you took offence at our methods. We had to confirm if the message from the Second was the truth." She said coolly. "I knew of only one method to prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt, so we acted accordingly." There was no remorse in her tone.
                          
"Your 'method' could have gotten all of you killed." The ice that lined my voice this time wasn't forced.
                          
The darkness that had almost overrun me until I had almost completely lost myself and forgotten who Kotaro was—she had known that might happen, and she had planned it all. My first impression had been correct. She was the one we needed to watch out for—although, that wouldn't be the case if she kept up her antics while I was in my current mood.
                          
"Please, take a seat." She smiled in a condescendingly gracious manner, seeming to understand the velocity of the situation. "You may consider this as your proper welcome to our court."
                          
I didn't move, and as if following my lead, neither did the others. The darkness was beckoning for me in the pit of my stomach, promising I could find release from her if I surrendered myself to its grip. As tempting as the offer was, however, I couldn't let myself fall into that trap again.
                          
Without looking away from her eyes, I exhaled a steadying breath. As if my breath was some sort of signal to him, Kotaro moved forward and pulled my chair out for me. I sat down with all the regality I possessed, longing for the ability to match her prowess.