“Some ‘brother’ you’ve been to him,” Kagome said, crossing her arms at the chest. “Or maybe treachery is just par for the course with you.” Hirokin smiled, sharp and inscrutable. Inwardly, Kagome fumed. “You demons,” she muttered. “I really can’t stand you.” “What a foul mood you’re in, Kagome-sama—and no wonder.” Wrinkling his fine nose,

Hirokin inclined his head. Through the damaged roof, a light drizzling rain had begun to fall. The drops glowed as they touched him, and he dissolved shimmering before her eyes. “…Until we meet again, my lady.” Alone, Kagome sank down into the tub, feeling oppressed and bereft all at once. Hirokin, she stewed to herself,

Kagome saw it all in a rush— Ikiryou growling at the proffered food. Kaede hacking up blood. Rin doubled-over retching. I couldn’t keep it down…I’m sorry, Kagome-chan…it tasted like— Kagome’s jaw clenched as she ripped back the door of the tent, bitter tears boiling from the corners of her eyes. It was night. Kanako had

Outside, a small crowd had gathered at all the commotion. Soldiers leaned warily on their spears. Concerned faces peeped out from the neighboring tents. Voices whispered, muddled and low. Torchlight seared into Kagome’s eyes as she hurled Kanako out into the mud. “Get out,” Kagome said, raising her voice for all to hear. “You’re banished

The body had been washed and dressed, in Kaede’s former home of all places. A distressing coincidence, but not one to be remarked upon. Going through the motions, Kagome felt worn-out and jaded beyond belief. All this gruesome ceremony struck her as so utterly pointless, when the funeral pyre was just going to burn everything

Uetsugi paled. His stout jaw went slack. A riot of emotions stormed through his charcoal-colored eyes, before he went down into an awkward bow before Kagome on the steps. “You honor me, Kagome-sama,” he said slowly and carefully, as if trying to master his stutter once again. “Yet this charge I must humbly refuse; forgive

So direct, Kagome thought with an inner wince. Apart from the taijiya uniform, she’d have been hard-pressed to recognize him at a glance, he seemed so changed. Taller and meaner, though she doubted the former to be true. And the latter didn’t surprise her. On his cheek, the scars of the slashes she’d given him

A beat of brittle silence passed. “And?” Kohaku demanded as it broke. “What does that have to do with me?” Kagome went red in the face. “It has everything to do with you! She’s carrying your child.” Kohaku’s eyes flashed coldly. “Who’s to say? She threw herself at me so brazenly it begs the question.”

In the woods outside of the taijiya fortress, Kagome slid down from her horse and collapsed onto the shores of a swift, icy creek. Rocks bit into her knees, her palms. Frigid water crawled up the hems of her sleeves. She felt it, and she didn’t. She was aware of it, and she wasn’t. It

In the tottering wreck that had once been her home, Kagome stripped off her miko attire and cast it aside. Donning a simple traveling kimono instead, she gathered up all the possessions she considered of any worth to her. For so wealthy and prestigious a person as she had become, the number was surprisingly few: