Asami's Shadow (Ryoma's POV)

Chapter 19

I glanced down the halls before slowly sliding the door open to see Ayama clothed, standing in front of a private bath. First, don't do anything stupid. Second, why not use the main bath?

"I don't see what he sees in you. You don't even show him any interest."

The venom in Ayama's voice felt unwarranted. She's to marry Youta, why does she care? "Like I said before, I'm not interested. You can have him."

Her fists clenched as my ego was wounded. "You think he's just a thing you can give away?"

"I'm not the one who fights over him like a toy." Touché... "So tell me, what were your intentions yesterday?" Damn, I'm not even an interesting enough topic?

Ayama tensed. "We... we're just coming to talk."

Even I heard the lie. "About?"

She began to pull at her hair. "Uh... how you were liking it here and Ryoma, of course."

"And that required you to make sure that no one else was here?" Kaida sounded amused and as if she wasn't buying it. "And your intentions today?"

Ayama stood tall. "To tell you to stay away from Ryoma." That little...

I almost burst in, as a peal of laughter gave me pause. Wow, she really has no interest... that hurts. "I'm not the one you should be telling to stay away."

Ayama's jaw was tight. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Kaida's laughing stopped as abruptly as it started and her voice dropped dangerously low. "You should ask him." I heard her sigh in disinterest. "Please leave now, I would like to get dressed." Ayama seemed frozen in place. "What?"

She stilled. "You have them all fooled. You're no princess..."

"That's probably something else you need to clarify with your boyfriend because I never claimed to be." Kaida sounded dismissive and Ayama turned to leave, worry etched on her face. I silently slid the door closed pondering what I just heard as I went to go take my own bath.

I slid into the water, confused. Kaida was basically offering me up on a silver platter. Yet, her reactions to me told a completely different story. Was she in denial or was she leading me on? Then again, she seemed very interested in the man in the brothel and he ended up dead.

I sighed and submerged myself in the water. My ego was very much bruised. Before Ayama interrupted, she actually played the seduction card, entirely too well. She couldn't seem to understand why I would care about who she had slept with or if they forced themselves onto her. How could she, I was a stranger who found her flirting with death by the lake.

Though that was the furthest thing from the truth, I couldn't possibly just say she originally came from here and has been engaged to me for the last 11 years. Nor that I had been keeping up with her since we found her in Shu until she seemed to vanished, which led to a frantic search for her for the last two years. Nope, not an option... yet, we had to ease her into the truth.

I resurfaced, needing to know where her mind was concerning me. So far as her goals, well, the princess and her safety. Her connections, myths that apparently she would have to tell me about herself and even that could get her killed. I groaned in frustration. Why is this so hard?

She was not at all fazed about my actions last night, after the fact. That was a plus, but then she had to mention it was nothing she hadn't dealt with before. How often... how many? Did it even matter in the grand scheme of things?

I was far from innocent having laid with a number of girls whose faces I couldn't even remember. Usually after a good fight, no surprise there, but when the sun rose, my hormones were controlled, and my body sated... they never lasted more than a fort night.

Would she even care if she knew? Hell, would she even agree to uphold the engagement if we ever got that far? It was all just a huge question with her.

I shook my head and rose from the bath, I had requested that the staff gather to prepare them for what was to come. Though... I really had no clue as to what that entailed, a little warning was better than none at all.

I wrapped a towel around my waist and padded down the hall, which was thankfully empty since everyone was gather in the dining room. The lingering gazes of my female servants, though I usually ignored would not better my mood right now. I froze when I opened my door and I saw Kaida perched on the window sill.

She looked up, turned a delectable shade of red as her eyes widened, and looked at her knees. I found her reaction amusing. I'm beginning to think she is all talk... "What are you doing?"

I had to be cautious because one wrong word and she would shut down, she didn't come here without reason. I stepped in and closed the door. "Could you get dressed first?"

I narrowed my eyes and approached to force her to face me. "And if I don't?"

Like the night before, her breathing became shallow and eyes darkened with lust. So... denial? "Then you keep your loyal servants waiting longer."

She sounded breathless and I fought the urge to kiss her. So, I backed away to ease her discomfort. "That's true."

I could feel her eyes on me as I walked away and glanced back as I began to undo the towel. She had laid her head on her arms which were on her knees to look out of the window. I wasn't imagining it... I dressed quickly and returned to her.

She cautiously peeked at me from the corner of her eyes and relaxed as I leaned on the sill, opposite of her. Okay, let's see how much she will tell me... "So... why are you waiting here?"

She turned her head to meet my gaze. "You're preparing for Empress Homura right?"

I was surprised by her bluntness not necessarily how the name sounded like poison on her tongue. Act dumb... "You are the..."

She shook her head, frowning. "I'm no princess and she will know that the moment she sees my face."

I had to reposition because this was about to get good and she was finally opening up, though not in the way I would have liked. "Then, what..."

She smirk was devilish. "I have a plan..."