Whatever you may look like, marry a man your own age - as your beauty fades, so will his eyesight.

My eyes moved from Aza's one eye to another, trying to find something - anything that would tell me of his plans but this man, smart-witted and strong showed nothing other than a spark of mischief.

"You remember? I told you about a spy among us and would you look at that, I finally found him." I gulped.

One of his hands rested on my wounded shoulder, daring me to move while the the other pressed the dagger to my throat. My hand had grabbed onto his wrist, trying to push the dagger away from my lifeline but it had no effect.

As if I was trying to push a wall.

I did not even have a weapon on me if I decided to defend. Did I trust this man that much to leave my weapon back at the small house?

"You thought I would not notice? You pretended to be mute, took the identity of Amir Hamza, and led people to believe that you were the Amir. A perfect position to fool the nation without being questioned, if you are not the spy, then who is?"

Aza brought his face closer, his lips inches away from my ear, and whispered, "You are not even a man, are you?"  A short laugh escaped his lips, a hint of threat lacing it.

My heart lurched to my throat.

How- how did he know!? How long had he known!?

He stared deep into my eyes, waiting to see if I rejected any of his accusations.

I didn't - I couldn't!

"Sahab, you can come out now." Aza suddenly called out and the bushes from the side rustled.

My eyes did not dare to leave Aza's, afraid he would swipe the dagger any second, letting me bleed out.

The little sleep that weighed down on my eyes had completely vanished and my throat had dried.

The man whom I had encountered many times before closed in on us.

"I knew he was not the Amir! The moment I saw you, such an eyesore! You were the spy." Aza pulled the dagger away and took a step back, my life that stood on the edge came back slightly but not for long and Sahab took Aza's place, stepping closer to me. 

I hunch down when a punch is awarded to my stomach and my eyes shut close, all the while trying to bite back the scream that had formed at the back of my throat.

The Sahab grabbed me from my shoulder and straightened me, making me look into his eyes. My body had started hurting all over and it fought to stand straight.

My eyes somehow mustered a glare that threw the Sahab off, "You dirty little wench! You should die! You pretentious -"

Blood splattered all over me and my eyes widened beyond the limit. Aza had lodged the dagger into Sahab's throat and pulled it out.

The man gurgled, his hand that was previously grabbing my shoulder wrapped around his throat to stop the blood fountain, and dropped to his knees.

"You are a filthy man!" Aza spat venom and landed a kick to the man's rib, a sickening crack reached my ears and I pushed down the whimper that threatened to escape. Aza kicked again and the man on the ground rolled to his side.

Hold up! I am confused! Did he know I was an imposter? Or was he pretending to say all those things?!

My gaze held a questioning look as I stared straight at Aza, who seemed busy killing the man at his feet.

W-What is he doing!?

I pushed Aza from over the man on impulse turned and harshly pulled away and then pushed me back, leaving as  shocked as ever, "Don't touch me woman!" He spat and my heart drummed harder.

So he had figured after all, no need to beat around the bush then I believe.

My brain stopped working and any emotion that enamored my shocked face disappeared.

Huh, ridiculous.

Aza had jumped on the man again, stabbing him until he was sure that the man under him was drained of all his blood and no longer breathing - even though he stopped breathing a long time ago.

Monster. That was the only word that circled my head.

And then, with a murderous look, Aza raised his eyes to me.

"How did you know?" My voice came out firm and thick, Aza's eyes narrowed and he slowly stood up and my eyes did not dare to look down at the dead man.

I would vomit if I saw his mutilated face.

Only now did I see the amount of anger Aza had held back, the fury in his eyes sent a chill down to my core.

"Sahab was the spy. A man willing to do anything for money was loyal to non, I have no use of him anymore." A quick flashback of Aza dragging me to Sahab's office to get approval for my brothers to go home and how he was easily bribed came to me.

"And if you were truly a spy, you would not have jumped in front of the arrow meant for me." My mind focused on his words, he did not say 'You would not have saved my life' instead chose different words. Did that mean he was able to dodge the arrow while submerged in fighting another man. Was he that talented? Am I still yet to see more of his abilities?

But that was not what I was asking.

"No. How did you know?"

Aza raised a brow and cocked his head to the side, "About you? Do you think that figuring you out was difficult? I figured you out the very day you came to get goat feet, afterwards were just more confirmations that proved my theory true." He took a step closer to me.

"A warrior with your figure who pretends to be the Amir. It was not difficult to figure out what you were. Hiding behind that title was an ideal situation for you that you did not miss. You were given respect yet not questioned for your actions, it would be idiotic if you did not take the opportunity." He took another step closer so that our chests were almost touching.

"Let's not forget that feminine whimper of yours when the arrow hit you." His hand slightly pressed over my wounded shoulder.

My fist itched to punch him as I held in another whimper.

He heard it, not surprised. I would be surprised if he did not notice, I was standing behind him after all.

"Yet you never stopped me from fighting."

"Why would I? It only meant another pawn for me." My eyes narrowed and I had to hold it in me, the urge to smash his face.

Instead, a sarcastic laugh escaped my lips and my lips moved before I could think twice, "The irony, no? Because I knew that all along and let's not forget, your own little secret."

My mocking had caused Aza to raise his brow at me and I continued, knowing well that the next words could cost me my tongue, "Amir Hamza."

His wicked eyes remained stoic and then anger took over in a matter of seconds as if he realized something, his body moved faster than mine as he pushed me against the bark of the tree once again, the bloodied dagger pressed to my throat.

I scoffed, we were all pawns for this man. All he cared was for his empire and he would use anyone he found useful.

"You think you were smart?! Humor me. Wondering how I knew? I was not the only one benefitting from the high identity, right? You hid behind another name while I took yours to carry out your own secret investigation. You would purposely put the attention on me while you worked in the shadows."

A smirk took over my lips under the cloth as his eyes flashed a shocked expression.

"Want to know more!? A letter meant for Amir Hamza landed on your shoulder in the courtyard of Mirage. Those birds are pretty clever, no? Yet they land on the shoulder of a man who has no relation to the Amir. Then it turns out, you are also well acquainted with the general of elite warriors enough to tell him who to trust. Coincidence? I think not."

"What makes you think that I did not let you know on purpose? What if I was just testing how smart you were? If you were to be my pawn, you must be aware of my conditions." Aza murmured and my eyes narrowed, was he trying to manipulate me into thinking that this was all his one big plan?

"Are you really going with that? Just admit that you thought every man out there was all brawns and no brains." Aza did not respond and I raised a brow.

What if this all was really all of his plan?

I took several puffs of breath, trying to fill my lungs in. "I can keep on going with the list of things you overlooked, your highness."

Aza did not say a word again, only pressed the blunt of the dagger into my throat, almost pressing my airways and so I continued, laying all my evaluations open,

"You were the only person who would not call me by the title of Amir and that would have been a sign of disrespect to the real Amir unless you knew that I was not the Amir. You also knew exactly what to do, what strings to pull to get that lot of men out of the camp and go look for their sister. Now what would happen if I expose this to your people? That their Ami-"

"I will kill you! . . . Is that what you want me to say? Do you really think anyone would dare stand against me? Don't you think in the process of exposing me, you will be exposing yourself? Quiet the brain you got there." He mocked me and the saliva found it hard to slide down my throat.

The person he was back in the camp was a completely different man to what he was now. Yes, the man in the camp was no less than intimidating but this man here was a completely different person, his aura and intensity showed me just why was he the son of Amir.

For some reason, the urge to rile this man only grew. We were on the same side, yes but he could not use me whenever he wished. Yet I can not take risks with him.

One wrong move and I might die.

"How are you so sure that you won't face backlash-"

Aza stared deep into my eyes, his eyes completely emotionless all of a sudden and I raised my brow.

"Now how about I take over this blackmailing scheme of yours." His eyes stared into my soul and he gave me a small nod, "You do what I tell you to do and I do not expose you."

Aza knew he could not hold me accountable for identity theft since he too was a part of it in one way or another. The man was smart enough to not bring it up.

"What makes you sure I won't kill you before that, Amir or not."

Aza pulled away from me as if I burned him. He rubbed his forehead and let out a laugh, "I cannot believe this."

Aza snapped his eyes at me and his threatening voice spoke,

"Be my guest for all I care." Gulping, I could only nod.

Aza was a smart man, he was laying traps for everyone he suspected and now I was at the top of his radar.

The man in front of me released me from his stare and took another step back.

When no one spoke a word, I took that as a sign to leave. Carefully stepping over the dead body at our feet, I almost passed Aza when he grabbed my arm,

"I am not done with you yet. The battle might have come to an end for now but my plans for you have not."

Snatching my arm from him, I narrowed my eyes, "I will be leaving tonight given we do not have to fight for a while. Also, the next time you touch me, I will stab you."

These two are quite . . . Attentive to each other. Ehe.

And my girl Hoorain standing her ground, love her!! I like Aza too!

Aza giving the  bad character vibes?