|
|
The rest of the group reached them and looked each fighter over. They were both pretty dirty and bloody. Both had the makings of a shiner on their cheeks, too. They were both breathing heavy but refused any help. Nobody dared step out to assist either, anyway.
"What just happened here?" Mia asked, looking from Kento to Royda. "The two of you are fighting when somebody we know is in trouble?" She looked at Kento. "Kento, what was the meaning of that? She didn't do you any harm." She turned to Royda. "And you Royda. I thought you would have more sense to be calm when you're sister was kidnapped."
Neither of them looked at Mia. They didn't seem to notice anybody at all. If it wasn't for the anger around both of them, the rest would have thought that they liked each other. Murder was both in their eyes as they continued to stare each other down.
"Everybody back inside," Anubis said. "We're doing no good out here."
"Hmph," Royda said as she turned away from Kento. She went up the stairs and went back into the castle. Everybody else looked at each other and shrugged. They all followed her back in.
"Would now be a good time to tell your story?" Cye whispered to Reva.
"It all depends on whether or not Kishin wakes up in the next few minutes," she whispered back. "If she doesn't, we're going to have to deal with Royda on our own."
Both of them walked side-by-side and right behind Royda. The only evidence that she was involved in a fight would be the condition of her clothes and a few bloody spots on her face. Kento didn't look any better than her. Both of them walked, back straight, with no indication that they were in pain.
The five adults stayed outside until everybody got back in. They had all recognized that stubborn look in Kento's eyes and knew that she must not be far behind. They had experienced first hand how determined she could be and how hard she fought. They were really surprised that Kento had stood up against her that long.
"They are all getting more and more complex," Dais said. "First she attacks one of her own and then challenges a Ronin. What next?"
"How about getting Kayura back?" Cale asked gravely. In all the confusion of this short time, everybody had forgotten what started everything.
"That's what got her all tied up in a knot," Mia said. "She's never known how to deal with her sister before and when she's taken away a second time, she just goes ballistic."
"What do you suggest we do then?" Sekhmet asked. "We didn't stand a chance against her when we were against them."
"Let's just hope that Kishin's awake when we come back in," Anubis answered. "She seems to buffer Royda's anger more than Mira does."
***
"Your sister is so entertaining to watch," Tyra's voice said. Kayura couldn't see her from where she sat in the corner.
"If you're just going to talk about her again, don't bother telling me." Kayura shifted. "I know what to expect from her."
"Did you expect her to pick a fight with one of the Ronins?" Tyra suddenly showed up just beyond the barrier. "She held back a great deal. The bearer of the Hardrock armor wouldn't have survived a real fight."
"Maybe he's more qualified than you think."
"Okay, I admit that I did exaggerate. She was using half her strength and half everything else. She wanted to examine how far she could go with these guys."
"And what did you expect?"
"I didn't expect her to kill him if that's what you mean. She wouldn't do that. What I didn't expect is that he got under her skin a lot quicker than I did. I had to almost decapitate Kishin before she got angry at me. Kind of makes you wonder what's with this one-eyed warrior, doesn't it?"
"Who don't you leave me in peace, huh? Don't you have other people to both...?" She didn't get to finish her sentence. There was something around her throat that was squeezing the life out of it. She could barely see the glowing eyes of Tyra as she fell down unconscious.
"You're lucky I can't kill you yet," Tyra told the still form. "I want your sister to actually want to come here. Of course with you dead, she'd be the first one here to take my head. I can't have that happening. I want to be on her good graces when she comes and visits you. Maybe then she'll see that nobody deserves her more than me."
She looked at the form and really marveled that this could be the oldest. Her father could really pick them. One of his original Warlords betrays him and mates with the last person he wanted for him to mate with and everything falls apart. Now it was her turn to pick up the pieces.
"Do not worry father. This will not end so easily."
***
A weight sat down next to her and she knew who it was. Her presence was almost tangible and her headache got worse. It didn't help that the same person that sat next to her was the same person that hit her.
"Calm down Royda," Kishin said. The one eye that was showing was closed and the other had an ice pack over it, still under her hair. "You gave me this headache and you're not making it worse by simmering in anger. Go sit somewhere else or calm down."
She didn't think that she would have listened to her but the aura next to her lowered and started to soothe her. She was always good at choosing the right emotion for the right time. Kishin wasn't really surprised that the anger quickly left and was replaced by a caring one.
Other auras entered the room and she had to open her eye. Mira was the one that could identify people by auras not her. Just that one that sat next to her. She could see that Kento didn't look so good and was sort of surprised that Royda didn't either. All the guys wearily walked across from Royda, except for Cye who sat down with Reva across the room. The adults came a little later.
"We will start explaining Ryo," Anubis said as he caught sight of the Ronin leader, itching to ask that question. "Everybody promise to behave and sit still."
He looked around the room and most all of them nodded. Kento and Royda were far enough apart that they weren't a threat to each other or anybody between them. Mira and Kishin sat on either side of her to make sure that she kept her seat.
"All of you want to know what really happened up there in that resort, right?" Anubis started. "Well, everything Mia told you was true, except she left out a lot of things. As you can probably guess by now, Mira and Royda are Kayura's sisters. I'd let them tell you the whole story later. What Mia didn't tell you was that these girls helped to get me back. They were the ones responsible for me being here.
"They were also the ones that defeated and brought the other Warlords back. Everything was brought together by these girls. The new Dynasty that Tyra is ruling over is very powerful. From what limited experience you've seen with their powers, you have to admit that they are better friends than foes."
The Ronins were silent, glad to finally know the truth but knowing that it wasn't all of it. There was still one big secret that hasn't been revealed yet but they were content to wait. They had other things to worry about.
"Why doesn't everybody go and rest now?" Mia suggested. "Most of you have been running around all day and fighting."
All of them were not in the mood to argue with her. They looked among themselves and found that they were tired. All they had to do was get their bags, which presented another problem.
"We better go get our bags then," Sage said. "They're still our there."
Everybody moved but Kento, Kishin, and Royda. They all stopped and looked at the three.
"I don't think you'd want to leave me with these two," Kishin said, one eye pleading. "They were the reason I'm like this."
"Well, I don't think Mia is going out there again and neither would Cale," Anubis said, looking around for said Warlord. "Sekhmet and Dais can help anybody who doesn't want to stay behind with us."
Mira and Kala went for Kishin and helped her up. Royda didn't move until Mira moved to help her. Sage and Rowen went to get Kento. The rest followed the other Warlords outside.
"You still wouldn't tell me anything, would you?" Cye said to Reva as they both lagged behind Ryo, Dais, and Sekhmet.
"What else is there to tell?" she asked, getting a little defensive. "I thought Anubis did a pretty good job."
"He explained a part of it. He didn't explain how you girls brought him back and how you guys defeated the Warlords if they were so powerful."
"That's better kept for another day, okay? Right now, I think the biggest problem we have is keeping Royda calm so we can find Kayura."
"This day is just getting worse and worse."
"I don't think it's going to get better soon either."
"Would the two of you care to hurry up?" Ryo asked, standing in the midst of fallen suitcases and gifts. "We'd like to get out of here as soon as we can."
Both of them shrugged. As they
started to pick up bags and boxes, Cye couldn't help but think
about his girlfriend. What else is she keeping from him?