Sure enough, later in the day, Maria and a couple of the tribe’s won appeared at her door. Their voices floated in first—light, playful, dripping with laughter.
"Ms. Kaya," Maria sing-songed with a giggle, "can we co in?"
Kaya stiffened instantly. No! No, no, no! she scread internally. But before she could even form the word no, the won had already stepped inside, their smiles wide and their eyes twinkling like they carried a basketful of secrets.
Kaya forced a smile that felt more like a grimace.
Maria tilted her head, her grin wicked. "Kaya... you look tired."
Kaya’s eyes twitched. Tired?
She straightened her spine, glaring in protest. "How am I tired? I don’t think so."
Kaya tilted her head in confusion, not quite grasping what they ant.
Maria and the others exchanged sly smiles, then Maria leaned in, patting Kaya’s shoulder with mock sympathy.
"See? I told you, Miss Kaya is too strong," she said, her voice dripping with mischief.
"Exactly," another chid in, giving Kaya a playful nudge with her shoulder. "If anyone else had gone through that last night, they’d be too tired to even walk today."
Kaya blinked. Once. Twice. Then the aning hit her full force.
Her face went scarlet. Heat climbed all the way to her ears as she stamred, "I... I... I... uh... I should... I should get you sothing to eat!" She shot up from her seat like a soldier escaping enemy fire.
But Maria caught her wrist, tugging her back down with a mischievous pout. "Oh-ho, Miss Kaya," she teased, giggling, "we didn’t co here to eat. We ca here to talk to you."
The won burst into laughter, their voices filling the room with rciless amusent.
Kaya’s whole face burned crimson. She ducked her head, wishing the floor would open up and swallow her alive.
And just when she thought she couldn’t possibly die of more embarrassnt, another woman leaned in, her smile wicked.
"So, Miss Kaya..." she asked sweetly, "how was last night, hmm?"
Kaya nearly choked on her own breath.
Kaya lowered her head, unable to et their eyes, her fingers knotting together in her lap. Sha pressed down on her like a weight. She didn’t even try to defend herself—because what could she even say?
"So, Miss Kaya..." one of the won drawled, leaning forward with a grin that was far too wicked, "are you satisfied or not?"
Before Kaya could even part her lips, another burst out laughing. "Satisfied? What are you talking about?" She clapped her hands together, still giggling. "With how loud last night was, of course Miss Kaya is satisfied!"
A chorus of laughter filled the room.
Kaya’s face burned hotter and hotter, shifting from pink to red to crimson. She wished she could sink into the floorboards and vanish forever. Her shoulders hunched, her head drooped lower, but nothing could hide the way her ears had turned scarlet.
Here she was—Kaya, the soldier who never hesitated to face down enemies, who had stared danger in the eye without flinching—and now she couldn’t even summon the courage to walk outside her room. Just the thought of facing the tribe after all this made her want to curl up and disappear.
None of the won spoke for a mont, until Miskaiah leaned forward with a grin that was far too knowing.
"You know," she said slyly, "last night we could not sleep because of the sound. And it was so, so... interesting that and my mates were awake the whole night."
Another woman laughed and nodded eagerly. "Of course! too. and my spouses didn’t sleep a wink either."
"Yes, sa here," another chid in, as if it were a matter of casual gossip.
One by one, they all nodded, their smirks twisting the knife deeper.
Kaya felt her stomach drop. Her face burned so red she thought the heat alone could set the room on fire. Nailed again... nailed alive.
At last, Maria raised a hand, her laughter softening into sothing gentler. "Alright, enough, everyone. We’ve teased Miss Kaya enough." She gave Miskaiah a playful nudge. "We actually ca here for a reason, rember?"
Kaya blinked at her, suspicious but also desperate for a change of subject. She straightened in her seat and asked warily, "Yeah... what did you co for?"
Maria and the others exchanged glances. Then Maya leaned closer, her voice lowering.
"Miskaiah was about to ask you... Did you drink the juice last night that Tara or Amy gave you?"
The question struck Kaya like cold water. She froze, mind flashing back. Her lips parted, then closed again. Slowly, she nodded. "Yes... I did drink it."
And then it hit her. The foggy blur after that mont. The way her mories seed to cut off, swallowed whole by darkness. She pressed her palm to her temple, pulse racing.
That damn drink...
Her breath quickened as the realization settled in. She had drunk it. And after that—nothing.
Hearing that, Maria’s expression softened just a little. Her voice lost so of its playful bite as she said, "Ms. Kaya, that drink is... quite strong. For soone not used to it, well—it can make you drowsy, tipsy, even completely drunk."
Kaya blinked, her heart pounding. "D-drunk...?"
Maria nodded, lips twitching as though she was trying not to laugh. "Yes. And... last night... you really did act like it."
Kaya’s brows shot up. "What do you an?"
Maria leaned in, her eyes sparkling with mischief now. "You don’t rember? You called my brother a doggie."
The room erupted with laughter.
"And then," Maria added, barely able to get the words out through her giggles, "you made his wife beat him because he barked at you!"
Kaya’s mouth dropped open, her face draining of color before rushing back to crimson. "Wh–what...?"
The won clutched their stomachs, laughing harder, reenacting little barks and howls, so even mimicking her "doggie" command. Kaya buried her face in her hands, wanting nothing more than to vanish.
She couldn’t rember it—any of it. But the more they laughed, the more she realized it had to be true.
That damn drink... it didn’t just make drunk. It turned into a complete fool.
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