"No way are those evil SOBs going to intimidate me."
I sit up and strike my most heroic pose, my head up, staring at Daji.
"I'm the grandson of two of the finest innkeepers the Wendigo has ever seen. The consort of Daji Foxspirit. Uncle to the Monkey King. Adopted by a baby Cthulhu. I don't back down. I don't quit. And I don't let people push me around--gods or no gods, demons or no demons."
Daji lets out her breath in a whoosh. "I knew you'd say that. But you speaking those words makes all the difference. Especially since you were blindsided about the true nature of your inheritance. I think your grandparents should have told you long ago."
"They probably thought they had all the time in the world," I mutter. "Humans always do. Don't leave anything unsaid. That's my motto."
Daji wraps her arms around me, burying her face in my shoulder. She mutters something I don't catch.
"Could you repeat that?"
