Youki stirred the air in currents. Above the frothing river, mist coalesced into a shimmering fog that filled the canyon like a fallen cloud. Before Kagome’s perch, the skeins of mist parted like a veil drawn aside, and Hirokin stepped forward, his blue eyes glittering sardonically as ever. “Kagome-sama,” he greeted with a slight, graceful

Beyond the fallen gate was a scene of fiery mayhem. It was one thing to have watched from a distance; quite another to be standing here in the middle of the fray. Amidst the brimstone and bedlam, the death and destruction, Kagome paled, shaken to the quick of her soul. In harried bands, soldiers strove

No, Kagome thought as she curled her hands into fists. No. Her eyes narrowed. Her features steeled in defiance—at the flames, at the drought, at the gods themselves. Over her dead body would she let Edo—her Edo—be razed to the ground. To Rin she said, “Stay here. The castle is upwind of the fire, and

It was a small silver blade, no bigger than a penknife. Kagome recognized it even in her shock for the delicate floral patterns of moonstone that inlaid its gleaming edge. An edge which had never dulled in the years since it had been gifted to Rin by Sesshoumaru, on the day she became a miko’s

Kagome’s nails bit into her palms, these last words of Ren’s making her sight go red. In her ear, Kanako whispered, “Please, Kagome-sama, you mustn’t rush in now. You mustn’t.” As Ren crushed his mouth to Rin’s neck, the girl grimaced away. “…A man who was good to me would wait.” The samurai’s lips curved against

Sliding back the screen door a fraction, Kagome peeked out into the hallway beyond. It was empty as far as she could tell. Tiptoeing across the newly-lacquered floor, she and Kanako crept down the corridor as quietly as possible, straining their eyes and ears for any hint of sight or sound. Up one staircase and

“Come on then,” Kagome said to Kanako. “We’ll cut through the woods.” “Hai, Kagome-sama,” the waif replied. Together they set off for the forest’s edge. The dark sky was beginning to lighten a little, and they were able to find their way forward through the trees now without too much trouble. Soft beds of moss

Together, Kagome and Kanako picked their way across the splintery rubble, skirting carefully around the abyssal hole that had caved in half the room. By the guard’s hunched-over corpse, Kanako paused. Kneeling down, she hefted up his fallen katana. “Here, Kagome-sama. You should take this.” The miko frowned. “I wouldn’t even know what to do

But as the hours dragged on, the night remained as calm as ever. From the open window, the last cold, dry gasp of winter rattled through the slats of the shutters. Turning over onto her side in the plush futon, Kagome scowled. Her fingers drummed impatiently on the tatami beside her bed, as she wondered

Kanako’s face scrunched up like she wanted to argue, but at Kagome’s stern look, the waif relented with a frown. “…Hai, Kagome-sama,” she said as she bowed, and scampered off to do as she was told. When the bath was drawn and steaming, Kagome stepped behind the changing screen, which was large enough to shield