After having tea with Hikari to make sure she was alright Iku went towards the main house to see Jiro carrying Sana home. Assured that they would let her know if they needed her she stood thinking about what Hikari had said.

"Lady Iku." Hearing Chiase she turned to see she had both her son and Mizuchi in her arms. "Is Sana alright?"

"Yes. Seems to be." Iku said. "Chiase, would you mind looking after Mizuchi for some time? I need to go for a walk."

"But my lady…the ogres." Hikari responded fearfully.

"I can handle ogres just fine." Iku replied walking towards the tree line leaving the younger demon behind. Sniffing the air she didn't catch scent of any and continued to walk.

She took in her surroundings watching as a breeze picked up and rattled the leaves off of the tree taking some off to have them fly and dance on the wind. The sunlight tricked down through the branches casting great beams of light in some places and shadows in another.

Turning she went in the direction she sensed Riku and steeled her nerve to confess everything to him. She would tell him what she had done to him, entrapping him for her own personal gain.

Feeling her heart nearly break before she even got to him she stopped placing her hand against the trunk of a tree. In her mind she heard Mizuki encouraging her to continue with Hikari repeating the words to forgive herself.

Finding her strength she walked on coming to him as she was wiping down his blade.

"You shouldn't be out here." Riku said somewhat sternly out of concern.

"Do you not think I am capable enough to take care of myself?" She questioned him.

"Now I never said that." He replied with a small smirk. "I am hoping you have good news. Kino told us of how Sana reacted to seeing an ogre."

"She is alright. Hikari helped her through it." Iku informed.

"Good." Inspecting his sword before sheathing it he brought his gaze to hers. "Then what is wrong?"

"Hikari is pupped." Iku said wanting to delay what she needed to tell him.

"Oh? That is more good news." Riku stated crossing his arms over his front. "But that isn't why you're here, why you sought me out. I know you and I can see it all around you. Something is wrong."

"I have to tell you something, you may hate me afterwards but I need to tell you just as much for myself as for you." Iku began.

"Go ahead." Riku encouraged waiting patiently.

"I used you to try and have someone close to protect Mizuki and myself. I took advantage of you and let you mate me and breed me so that way I could use you." Iku said as tears began to stream down her face.

"I know." Riku said softly.

"What? You knew? How long?" Iku snapped as she sobbed the words out.

"All along. Iku, I love you. You are intelligent and crafty but not as much as you think you are." Riku replied walking closer to him. "I just hope that I have fulfilled that role for you."

Nodding her head quickly she exhaled a breath she didn't realize she had been holding in. Gasping for air Riku tilted her head up to rest his forehead against hers.

"I love you, I do. I do. I have for a long time. You're wonderful." Iku cried out.

"I've tried to be everything you wanted me to be. I know at times I failed for any number of reasons but I need you to know that my love for you has never faltered."

"How did you know?"

"Aside from the fact you tried to drug me? When you called upon me I knew what had happened, Hikari had told me. I thought you were going to be angry with me but instead you opened up a bit and you were so sad. When you thought I was under the effects of the drink you gave me the words you said broke my heart."

"You begged me to protect you both and apologized so many times. I shouldn't have mated or bred you that night. I should have let you know that I was aware of what was going on but I…I wanted you so badly for myself that I went along with it."

"Here I always thought I was the conniving one." Iku said. "It seems we both have many secrets."

"Too many." Riku stated feeling relief when Iku wrapped her arms around him.