I Am Seer - Book 3

Chapter 15: Challenges & Games

Hyun-Won moved away from me, a self-satisfied grin plastered on his face, but I kept my gaze locked on his features until he was too far away to hurt me again. He offered me a mocking bow and held up his hands as if to say he wouldn't dream of harming me. Clenching my teeth, I slowly turned around.

A hunched figure stood trembling in the shadows of the open door, and my rage dried up as my heart broke. What torment had the monster behind me inflicted on him—on my Kotaro—to transform him so completely? I struggled to hide the wave of emotions that washed over me. We were still surrounded, and my reaction was being observed by dozens of eyes. If I was weak now, it would only hurt our chances of escape.

One of the audience members reached over and shoved him cruelly forward. He collapsed in a heap a few feet away from me, and the crowd of men surrounding us erupted in a chorus of jeering laughter. Something was wrong.

Unable to focus on anyone else despite knowing how dangerous it was, I stooped and half turned him over to get a better look at his face. A pair of dull eyes met my gaze as a second chorus of laughter filled the air around me. This wasn't Kotaro. I ground my teeth together as the strange, old man lifted his misshapen hands to protect his face.

"Don't take my other eye." He pleaded, and his voice was broken and empty. "Please, don't take it. I want to see Sakura again." I covered his hand with my own, and a flash of blood and excruciating pain echoed in the catacombs of my brain.

"I'm not going to hurt you." I murmured, and he stilled at the sound of my voice, lowering his hands. "No one will hurt you now." I added.

"Sakura?" He murmured in a broken whisper, clinging to me with sudden strength. "Have you come for me? They have the boy. They found your boy." His voice turned to a broken wail.

I didn't know what he was talking about, but I gripped his hand firmly and offered him a smile. "It's all right. I'll take care of everything."

Remaining crouched beside him, I turned back to look at Hyun-Won. Ice flooded my veins at the sight of the arrogant amusement dancing across his features. He was toying with me, and the idea was infuriating. Ha-Won had to me to remain calm when we were in his brother's presence, but the erratic pounding of my heart overcame all attempts at rational judgement. The old man continued to mutter incoherent phrases, but I was too angry to hear what he was saying.

"Who do you think you are?" The words rolled off my tongue before I could stop myself.

Hyun-Won's smile melted. "What did you say?"

I was too angry to care about the shift in the atmosphere. "I am not one of your subjects nor one of your prisoners that you may toy with me as you please. We came here as ambassadors in good faith, and you have the audacity to treat my request with such scorn?" I snorted. "So I need to know: just who do you think you are?"

The last hint of amusement perished on his features. "After everything, you still don't know?" His eyes burned with hatred. "You may have come here in good faith, but it's me who decides your fate now that you're here. Show me the respect and honor I deserve in my own home, and I'll consider allowing you to continue living. If I want, I can make you slaves to serve and amuse my court."

Breaking free of the babbling man's grip, I turned and spat on the floor. I'd never been this angry before, and I no longer cared about hiding my abilities or playing Hyun-Won's games. He had taken Kotaro, and now, he was under the impression that he could take me and my friends, too.

"You old fool. You have no idea what you're dealing with." I ground out, but my voice didn't sound like mine anymore. "I was being polite by asking you to give me back what belongs to me, but I didn't have to."