He looked at me. "Use what?"
"Use the fact that she's so completely different from any woman you know."
She's not your mother.
I swallowed. "Lean into that difference and maybe. . .just maybe you won't need the bag."
His hands began to shake, telling me how much trauma he still carried from that night. "I'll think about it."
“Two days, Rin. That’s all you have before I tell Nyomi what happened to Deja.”
“Could you give me a week?”
I scowled. “Two days.”
Sighing, Rin rose until he was standing on top of the railing. His long hair rippled in the wind, showing more of that cracked crown tattoo full of black roses.
From this view, he appeared like some ethereal spirit balancing on the edge of the world. “Okay. Two days.”
I nodded. “Get some rest and don’t drug Deja anymore.”
“Yes, sir.” Rin stepped off the railing into a silent drop.
I never heard him hit the ground.
Fucking unbelievable. Why would he kidnap her?
But the conversation had made me think of one thing.
Our ancient grandfathers over several generations—a samurai and an emperor.
Same blood.
Same shadows.
And neither Rin nor I had escaped what our blood had built for us.
I need to know more about my ancestors. Maybe. . .it could help in the war.
I quietly returned to the bedroom, got in bed next to my Tiger, grabbed my phone, and sent a text to my Roar.
Me:Look through my mother's belongings. Find any texts, books, journals, anything that talks about my bloodline. I want it in my office by morning.
It took too long to go back to sleep as I held my Tiger. . .too long, but when I did. . .I dreamed of shadows shaped like beasts hovering over faceless dead people floating on a rippling sea of blood.
Chapter four
Party Planning
Nyomi
The next morning, I woke up reaching for Kenji, but my hand only found the ghost of his warmth lingering in rumpled silk.
Fuck. When did you wake up?
His absence was a physical thing, and the cruelest part was that his scent still coated his pillow. That smoked sandalwood rose like incense from a temple hidden deep in the mountains and then chased with candied ginger crystallized in fire.
His scent. . .was starting to feel like home.
