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It was also possible she ht die

Yes That, too, was a fact of which she was keenly aware

Her knowledge of hoin a fight was purely theoretical The scuffle with the drunken fool in the forest had confir: Mariko’s best asset in any altercation was her ed to best asuspicion of how she would fare against a seasoned warrior in an actual fight And with th to be given the greatest weight

But in a battle of wits?

It could be any hed her options Whether she should run or stand her ground

I should simply take shelter and watch these fools kill each other

There could be a certain satisfaction in that

But if that were to happen, she would never knoho had plotted her death

And why

The sharp whistle of the kanabō being swung through the air tore her froht--

Just in ti With not a moment to spare The breeze froiant laughed "Too slow"

An easy sh he possibly shared the giant’s aan to consider this possibility, she noticed a change in the boy’s body

It had begun to treh her center She fought to ta interest No Mariko could not be the least bit entertained by any of this Being entertained meant she could be easily distracted And she refused to die in a watering hole this night

Careful to remain beyond anyone’s notice, Mariko rose to her feet, still clenching her s certain not to ht draw attention her way

The giant swung his kanabō in a vicious backhand As it rose, its tip grazed the boy’s shoulder Mariko winced reflexively when the boy barely ed to escape the full iiant--then spun to standing Once he righted himself, he noticed a tear in the arm of his black kosode He proceeded to launch into a series of curses Mariko had only heard the lowliest of stable hands utter in ar sorts of words that would have asp into her pal to his subordinates

The boy gripped his bare shoulder tight, wincing through the pain as blood began to well onto his fingers As his shaking greorse

This was the best the Black Clan had to offer?

How had this lazy fool everMariko had experienced in the last week had been in jest

Her lips pulled into a frown

If this battle wasn’t in jest, Takeda Raner

And Mariko was not ready or willing to see him lose to anyone but her

She waited for a member of the Black Clan to coht It took her only a single glance to realize that none of their ranks appeared to be the least bit alar their leader’s life

The ht Unworried Ranh he was disinterested The one-legged cook leaned on his bō, studying its polished wood surface as though he were seeking soh there could be so for hiiant’s face Raising his kanabō oncehis victory

Mariko edged away fro in surreptitious fashion Certain this fight was at an all-too-swift end