Part II

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We spent the ride to the castle in unexpected silence. What I agreed to and how Tojiro approached me still shocked me, but I was also unsure what to talk about. This time he didn't walk in front of his horse. He sat on the saddle right behind me. I had been in this situation millions of times before, but not a single one had my heart skip beats the way it did now. There was a strange thrill I had felt last night in the hot spring. I had accepted a bargain that probably no one in my situation would. I could also escape, but I didn't. Curiosity was dangerous; it opened doors to new words, not all good, but here I was, taking a blind risk and putting my faith in a human.

Calling his castle impressive would be an understatement. I had seen the construction in the past but never walked the steep road that led to the main entrance. My kin didn't have houses or similar structures for us to live in, nature was our home, and we had learned to exist together. But I always admired the persistence of humans to build their elaborate shelters and fill them with items no one truly needed or probably remembered.

"Your lords wouldn't be happy to see me." I finally spoke as we walked through the main gate.

A page ran to help his lord, Tojiro dismounted, and to my surprise, he helped me get off the animal. The man had been stone-cold throughout our journey, yet this simple gesture sent me so much warmth. The servant looked at me but then focused his attention on the horse and leading to the stables. Was that normal? His lord leaving for a ride and coming with a random woman?

"My lord, this is...." A familiar man approached us, his hand was on his sword as soon as he saw me, and it was apparent his words were directed at me.

"The woman that tricked you, yes," Tojiro responded with great amusement in his voice.

For a second, I wondered if he even brought me here so my punishment would be more public, my death seen by all, not just by him. The young lord defeated the yokai that was pestering his lands. What fool I would be for falling into that trap.

I didn't feel guilty. Whatever I had done was my nature, and I had no regret. I turned my eyes to Tojiro, who made a step forward, placing himself between the retainer and myself. No one had ever done that for me. All my life, I had taken care of myself, and like the simple gesture of helping off the horse, that too sent a warm wave through my skin I had never expected or needed.

"My lord, she is a demon." The retainer pulled the sword a bit, revealing the top of the blade.

What do I do? Run away or leave my life in Tojiro's hands, the man who yesterday admitted he was looking for me to kill me. My breath stopped, not out of fear, but because it was in a foreign and unfamiliar situation, and I was letting humans resolve it for me.

"Kagetsuna, she is my guest." Tojiro moved in a way that I was completely behind him. His voice had power and command in it. I had heard gods talk in such a tone, and the mortals trembled in their presence. He wasn't a god, but right now, he had the presence of one. "Are you going to pull a sword in your lord's presence? We might have been friends since childhood, but do not mistake me; I am your master."

"As my lord commands." The other man said reluctantly and bowed.

I could see the emotions on his face. I knew he wanted revenge or to chase me away from his lord's presence, but he obeyed. Humans were exciting creatures bending to each other's will. Tojiro had power over this man. I couldn't explain. In our world, power was real and came from our abilities. Humans did not possess the abilities we did, yet this man was bending others to his will with words.

I was shown to a room by one of the servants. The woman led me through long, decorated hallways, but her eyes were pinned on the ground, and she didn't say a single word to me. I had to wonder if she had any idea what I was or if I was just some random woman her lord brought from his travels. I asked myself, how often did that happen? As a yokai, I always regarded myself as unique and better, but maybe I was put in a situation when non of that mattered.

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