"Before I accept your challenges...Tell me," I said, voice carrying clear as my grin widened, "What will be the stakes?"
For a moment, the crowd seemed to hold its breath—just long enough for one of the bronze-ranked youths to shout back.
"You will surrender the position of Chieftain's disciple!"
The words ignited the mob. A roar of approval rose, hundreds of feet stamping against the sandstone floor, their chants pounding in unison:
"Step down! Step down! Step down!"
I let them chant. I wanted their noise to burn itself out before I spoke again.
Then I tilted my head, tone deceptively mild.
"Very well," I said. "And what do all of you put on the table?"
The chants died almost immediately.
A ripple of silence spread through the square.
Contemplation followed—confused glances exchanged between the youths, a few hushed whispers. They hadn't expected me to accept. Certainly not this easily.
The short girl with the dual-daggers who had spoken for them before stepped forward.
