Masakage reached into the black velvet pouch on his belt. Taking out a small coin, he studied it. “You’re on a dangerous journey. And your past is one of deep sadness and hurt. It’s not your nature to trust anyone. Given what I see, I understand. But you are going to have to make an awful decision soon that will either change your future for the better or relegate you to the darkness that birthed you.”
He handed her the coin. “Again, you’re welcome to join us for the night. Had either of us wanted to harm you, we’d already have done so.”
“And as I said, his culture doesn’t allow him to harm you unless you give him reason to. If he doesn’t abide by the rules of Inshu, his gods will punish him. Personally, I think the gods punish us anyway and for no reason whatsoever, but I don’t have his faith.”
While X spoke, Gisela looked at the strange silver coin. She’d never seen anything like it. There were six swords on one side and a strange emblem on the other that looked like the image of an oni. Swollen jowls with tusks on a face that seemed to be judging her. “Are you a fortune teller?” she asked Masakage.
“I am many things.” He tapped the staff against the ground, and the light went out.
Without another word, he returned to his pallet.
She started to leave, but her feet carried her farther into the room before she could prevent it.
Masakage manifested two more small clay cups and gracefully poured tea into them. He held a cup out toward X who accepted it. Then he poured another cup and held it out to her.
There was such elegance to his movements. She wished she possessed half his grace.
Sitting on the ground, she accepted it from him. “Thank you.”
He inclined his head to her before he took a drink himself.
“What’s your name?” Masakage asked.
“Gisela.” She handed the small cup back to Masakage. “It was delicious. Again, thank you.”
While X removed his armor in the corner, Masakage took the cup and glanced inside it. “Would you like more?”
She should say no, but it really had been delicious. She’d never tasted anything so soothing. It was like drinking a hug. “Yes, please.”
He refilled the cup and returned it to her, then stirred his clay pot. “Are either of you hungry?”
Wearing a black linen tunic and pants, X took a seat on his makeshift bed. “You know I seldom eat.”
“What about you?” Masakage asked her.
Much to her embarrassment, her stomach grumbled in response. It’d been two days since she had anything more than dried, stale bread and hard cheese to eat. And that only sparingly as she needed it to last.
With a kind smile, he manifested a bowl and spooned rice and some kind of gravy with chicken into it. It smelled incredible. “This is karee.”
When he held it out to her, she didn’t hesitate to take it even though she had no idea what he was serving. She really didn’t care.
As he took up his own bowl and a pair of sticks that he used instead of a spoon, he glanced over to X. “She still doesn’t trust us, brother.”
“You blame her? I don’t trust us, either…mostly because I know us.”
Masakage laughed. “Have no fear, Gisela. No one will enter this room without my permission.”
“Which means you’d best not sleepwalk.”
Gisela was confused by X’s words. “Why?”
Using powers she didn’t know he had, X opened the door behind her. He tossed a small ball toward the entrance. As soon as it went through the doorway, the ball burst into pieces. “No one sets a trap better than Masakage.”
That was impressive. But it made her wonder… “Then how was I able to enter?”
Masakage took a drink. “I sensed X’s return to his room, so I lowered my ward to let you inside.”
“And if I want to leave?”
