7
“What was that about?” Kalea asked when Lailani sat down.
“He told me to stand up for myself.”
“So, the same thing we told you to do. Perhaps not everything whispered about him is true.”
“What things are whispered about him?”
Kalea lowered his voice and leaned forward. “I’ve heard that he was raised by wild dragons.”
“I’ve also heard that,” Huou said. “And that he saved the life of the emperor. Twice. He killed an entire clan of assassins by himself—with his bare hands.”
Lailani lifted her left brow questioningly. “And you believe that?”
Huou shrugged. “It’s possible, but probably not true. There have been warriors in the past who’ve been known to master bujutsu to the point that they were all but invincible. Perhaps our lord has done the same.”
Lailani’s gaze went to the purple
