"Was it wolves?" Rin asked when her tears stopped.

"No. Youkai."

"A demon like you?" she said, faltering.

"... like me." He answered with a perfectly impassive face, but the word cost him bitterly. Not because it wasn't true, but because it was his fault.

He heard her swallowing. Her throat was dry after crying so much. She stood from his lap and came back with a cup, this time choosing to sit in front of him rather than on him. There was a helpless silence before she spoke again. "Ake wasn't killed by chance," she said, "was he."

Sesshomaru turned his face aside.