Chapter nine— harem
Ryuu looked at her for a long moment. Like he was deciding whether she was worth his time.
"You have two options," he finally said. "Acquire a harem or attach yourself to one of the powerful heirs."
Nyrah blinked. "A harem?"
"Multiple allies. People who benefit from protecting you. It's harder to pull off, but it spreads the risk." He tilted his head. "Or you pick one person. Someone with enough power and influence that others won't touch you."
"The principal didn't mention anything about that in the rules."
"She mentioned influence," Ryuu said. "Power decides rank. Blood decides privilege. Skill decides survival. But influence? Influence decides who gets to keep surviving." He gave her a pointed look. "Dating a popular, powerful person makes you popular by association. It's basic strategy."
Nyrah's mind raced. It made sense in a twisted way. If she had someone protecting her, someone people feared or respected, they'd think twice before coming after her.
"What about you?" she asked.
"What about me?"
"Can I join your people? Your group?" She took a breath. "Or be your contract girlfriend?"
Ryuu's expression didn't change, but something flickered in his eyes. "Contract girlfriend?"
"I'd be your girlfriend. You'd protect me. It would be an arrangement. Beneficial for both of us."
"And what would I gain from that?"
Nyrah opened her mouth. Then closed it. She hadn't thought that far ahead.
"I..." She scrambled for something. Anything. "You'd gain more popularity?"
Ryuu actually laughed. It was short and cold. "I don't need more popularity. I'm already at the top. Everyone knows who I am."
"Then... visibility? Having a girlfriend shows you're—"
"Shows I'm what? Soft? Distracted?" He shook his head. "Try again."
Nyrah's mind went blank. What could she possibly offer someone like Ryuu? He had everything. Power. Status. Skill. He didn't need her for anything.
"I can't think of anything," she admitted quietly.
Ryuu studied her face. Then he nodded once. "That's what I thought."
He turned to walk away.
"Wait," Nyrah called out. But he was already gone, disappearing around the corner.
Nyrah stood there alone in the hallway, feeling more foolish than she had in days.
The next day's training was brutal.
They did full contact sparring. No holding back. The instructor paired students randomly, and Nyrah ended up against a boy from the wolf clan. He was fast and strong, and he didn't hesitate.
He swept her legs out from under her in the first thirty seconds. Nyrah hit the ground hard, her shoulder taking most of the impact.
She tried to get up, but he was already on her. One hit to her ribs. Another to her jaw. She tasted blood.
"Yield," the instructor called.
Nyrah lay there on the ground, staring up at the sky. Her whole body hurt. Again.
When the rankings were posted that afternoon, she'd dropped. From ninety-third to ninety-fourth.
She was moving backwards.
Nyrah sat on the ground near the training yard, her back against a stone wall. She was supposed to head to the stables for cleaning duty again, but she couldn't make herself move yet.
Black sat beside her, licking his paw.
"I don't know what I'm doing wrong," she muttered.
Footsteps approached. Nyrah looked up.
Ryuu stood over her, hands in his pockets. He looked down at her with that same neutral expression.
"You dropped a rank," he observed.
"I noticed."
He was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "I don't want to be more popular."
Nyrah frowned. "Okay?"
"But you can be my girlfriend if you want it that badly."
Nyrah's heart skipped. "What?"
"You heard me." Ryuu crouched down so they were at eye level. "I'll protect you. Keep others from targeting you. In exchange, you play the part. We're together. Publicly."
"Why?" Nyrah asked. "You said I had nothing to offer you."
"You don't," Ryuu said bluntly. "But I'm bored. And watching you struggle is starting to get pathetic." He stood back up. "Plus, it might be entertaining to see how people react."
It wasn't exactly a romantic offer. But Nyrah wasn't looking for romance. She was looking for survival.
"So this is just for entertainment?" she asked.
"Call it whatever you want." Ryuu extended his hand. "Do we have a deal or not?"
Nyrah looked at his hand. Then at his face. He was serious.
She reached up and took his hand. "Deal."