Jayden was silent for a long time, his hand never loosening its grip on the cup. The dark liquor inside swayed gently from the pressure of his knuckles but never spilled a single drop. The few people at the table all realized at that moment that what he was about to say might not be the usual sharp tongued cold remarks.
Zich had expected him to continue with the sarcasm. Helen had thought he was just going to push the atmosphere, which had barely eased, right back into stiffness. Even Mira had lifted her eyes from behind the rim of her cup, quietly watching this perpetually cold faced swordsman.
But when Jayden finally spoke, his first sentence made everyone at the table pause.
"My family will be watching this tournament."
It didn't sound intense. In fact, it was quite plain, but everyone present understood that for Jayden, this wasn't simply "my family will be watching" in the ordinary sense.
The Smith family would be watching.
The elders would be watching.
