Chapter Ten— girlfriend
The next morning, Nyrah woke up to another knock at her door. More notes. More books.
She still didn't know who was leaving them, but she was grateful. She read through the new material quickly, then got dressed for Combat Assembly.
When she stepped out of her room, Ryuu was waiting in the hallway.
Nyrah stopped. "What are you doing here?"
"We're going to training together," he said simply. "From now on."
"Oh." She hadn't expected him to start the arrangement so quickly. "Okay."
They walked to the quadrant side by side. Black trotted along behind them.
The reaction was immediate.
Students stared as they passed. Whispers followed them through the corridors.
"Is that Ryuu?"
"Who's he walking with?"
"The human girl?"
"Why would he..."
Nyrah kept her eyes forward, but her face felt hot. She wasn't used to this kind of attention.
Ryuu seemed completely unbothered. He walked with the same confident stride he always had, like nothing had changed.
When they reached the quadrant, he didn't leave her side. Even when his usual group called out to him, he stayed next to Nyrah.
Saela looked particularly confused. She kept glancing between Ryuu and Nyrah with narrowed eyes.
Training began, and Nyrah threw herself into it. She was still behind most of the other students, but she was getting better. Her footwork was cleaner. Her strikes more precise.
When they broke for water, Ryuu appeared beside her again.
"You're improving," he said.
"Thanks to whoever keeps leaving those notes."
He didn't respond to that. Just handed her his water flask. "Drink."
Nyrah hesitated. "I have my own."
"I know. But people are watching. Take it."
She understood. This was part of the performance. Part of making their relationship look real.
She took the flask and drank. The water was cold and clean, better quality than what she usually got.
Around them, more whispers started.
"Did you see that?"
"He's sharing his water with her."
"Are they together?"
By the time training ended, the rumors were spreading like wildfire.
Lunch was even more obvious.
Ryuu led Nyrah to his usual table. The one where the top-ranked students sat. Where people like Killian, Kieran, and Saela gathered.
Everyone at the table stared as they approached.
"What's this?" Killian asked, leaning back in his chair with an amused smile.
"Nyrah's sitting with us," Ryuu said. He pulled out a chair for her.
Nyrah sat down, acutely aware of every eye on her. Black jumped up onto the bench beside her.
The table was silent for a moment. Then Kieran laughed.
"This should be interesting," he said.
Saela didn't look amused. She looked angry. "Ryuu, can I talk to you? Privately?"
"No," Ryuu said calmly. He sat down next to Nyrah and started eating.
The conversation eventually resumed, but Nyrah barely heard it. She was too focused on not looking as uncomfortable as she felt.
This was what she'd asked for. Protection through association. But actually sitting here, surrounded by people who could kill her without breaking a sweat, made her realize how dangerous this arrangement really was.
After lunch, they walked back to the training yards together.
"You're doing fine," Ryuu said quietly.
"I feel like I'm going to throw up."
"Don't. It'll ruin the image."
Nyrah almost laughed. Almost.
They continued like this for the next few days. Walking together. Eating together. Training near each other. Never too far apart.
The whispers turned into open speculation.
"They're definitely together."
"I heard he asked her out after she dropped a rank."
"No, she asked him. Practically begged."
"Either way, she's got protection now."
"Lucky human."
Nyrah's rank stopped dropping. In fact, it went up. Not because she was suddenly stronger, but because people stopped targeting her as aggressively. They didn't want to risk offending Ryuu.
It was working. The arrangement was actually working.
Then came the incident with Nymeria.
It happened during an afternoon training session. They were doing close combat drills, and Nyrah was paired with one of the other lower-ranked students.
She'd just finished her match when she heard that familiar, cutting voice.
"Nyrah."
She turned. Nymeria stood a few feet away, arms crossed. She looked perfect as always. Not a hair out of place despite the training.
"What?" Nyrah asked.
"I was just wondering." Nymeria smiled sweetly. "Did you have a good time with the horses last time? You were there for so long, I thought maybe you'd decided to move into the stables permanently."
A few students nearby laughed.
Nyrah's jaw tightened. "I did what I was assigned to do."
"Oh, I'm sure you did. Very thoroughly, I imagine." Nymeria's smile widened. "It suits you, really. Manual labor. It's probably the most useful thing you'll do here before you wash out."
More laughter.
Nyrah felt heat rising in her face. Not embarrassment this time. Anger.
"Are you done?" she asked.
"Not quite." Nymeria stepped closer. "I'm curious about something else, actually. This thing with Ryuu. Do you really think—"
She didn't get to finish.
Arms wrapped around Nyrah's waist from behind. Strong arms. Nyrah stiffened, then relaxed when she recognized the presence.
Ryuu.
He rested his chin on her shoulder, casual and comfortable. Like this was something they did all the time.
"Nymeria," he said, his voice perfectly calm. "Apologize for insulting my girlfriend."
The training yard went silent.
Nymeria's expression froze. Her smile disappeared. She stared at Ryuu like she'd misheard him.
"What?"
"You heard me." Ryuu's arms tightened slightly around Nyrah's waist. "Apologize. Now."
Nymeria looked between them. Her face was a mix of shock and disbelief. "Your girlfriend?"
"That's what I said."
"Since when?" Nymeria's voice pitched higher. "You don't do relationships. You've never—"
"Things change." Ryuu's tone was bored, like this conversation was beneath him. "Apologize to Nyrah, or we're going to have a problem."
The threat in those words was subtle but unmistakable.
Nymeria's face flushed. She opened her mouth. Closed it. Opened it again.
Around them, students had stopped training entirely. Everyone was watching now. Waiting to see what would happen.
Nymeria's hands clenched into fists at her sides. She looked at Nyrah with pure hatred in her eyes.
But she was trapped. Refusing to apologize meant defying Ryuu directly. And no one defied Ryuu.
"I..." Nymeria's voice was strained. "I apologize."
"Louder," Ryuu said.
Nymeria's face went even redder. "I apologize for insulting you."
"Good." Ryuu straightened up but kept one arm around Nyrah's shoulders. "Don't do it again."
He turned, guiding Nyrah away from Nymeria and the crowd of staring students.
They walked to the edge of the training yard. When they were far enough away, Ryuu's arm dropped from her shoulders.
Nyrah let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. "Thank you."
"That's what you're paying me for," Ryuu said. Then he glanced at her. "Although you could have handled that yourself."
"She wasn't going to listen to me."
"No. But you could have made her." He studied her face. "You're stronger than you think. Stop letting people like her push you around."
Before Nyrah could respond, he walked away to rejoin his group.
Nyrah stood there, watching him go. Her heart was still racing from the confrontation.
Behind her, she could hear the whispers starting up again. Louder this time. More excited.
"Did you see that?"
"He called her his girlfriend."
"Ryuu has a girlfriend. I can't believe it."
"And he made Nymeria apologize. In front of everyone."
Nyrah looked back toward where Nymeria still stood. The girl's face was twisted with fury. She was staring at Nyrah with an expression that promised revenge.
This arrangement had just made Nyrah a lot of enemies.
But it had also given her something she desperately needed.
A chance to survive.