Kagome sat stiffly against the wall of the room, the constant buzzing of the other women like a rash upon her skin as she tried to focus. She barely remembered returning to her room, thankful that Rin had been exhausted when she'd joined her and hadn't tried to check on her.

Or worse, asked about what happened.

Squaring her shoulders, she turned her attention to the nearest window. She'd been looking forward to another training session in the western courtyard, hoping their paths would cross again, but after last night, she'd made sure to avoid the area at all costs.

"I did not see you at the gathering," Kaguya said, settling down beside her. "Was it not to your tastes?"

"I was there," Kagome said in a clipped tone. "But I left early."

"That is a shame. I was hoping my lord would steal you away for a private dance."

Tears burned the back of her eyes, but Kagome refused to let any fall. He deserved nothing after what he'd said. "That won't be happening."

Kaguya raised an eyebrow. "He has done it before. Though I hardly consider hunting an appropriate—"

"If he comes near me," Kagome hissed, "he'll severely regret it." The demoness gave her a startled look, and Kagome's hands clenched into fists, reiki making the floorboards quiver. "I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't be making threats—"

"What did he do?" Kaguya demanded, fully ignoring the other women as she turned to her. "If he forced himself on you, I will see he is properly punished."

Kagome's heart squeezed, and she gave her a watery smile as she shook her head. "No. The complete opposite, actually. He accused me of—" She paused, searching for the right word, considering her present company. "—being an adulteress."

Kaguya's youki flared, lavender eyes flashing. "He what?"

"With his brother, no less," she sighed. "And the prince of the eastern wolf tribe."

Kaguya rose to her feet in one fluid movement. "I shall inform my mistress immediately."

Kagome blanched and grabbed her sleeve, pulling her back down. "What? No! There's no way she'd believe me over her own son."

"You would be surprised," the redhead seethed as she brandished her claws, and Kagome laid her head on her shoulder, grateful for her support.

"There's no point. The competition will end soon, and I'll be leaving anyway." There were only two events left—one to showcase their musical talents and the final presentation, where the council would tally the scores, hopeful that the winner would best Inukimi's champion.

"But you are hurt," Kaguya argued.

"Not as much as him," she muttered, remembering the feel of his skin against her fingers.

Kaguya's eyes widened. "You retaliated."

Kagome crossed her arms. "He deserved it."

"I do not disagree. I am surprised you did not give him a limp."

Kagome would've smirked if the sting of his words weren't so fresh. "I thought about it, but I didn't feel like taking on the shiro's sentries at the same time." She'd just wanted to leave and curl up into a ball.

"Will you apologize?"

The floor trembled again, and she had to take a deep breath to calm the storm raging within. "Never."

"You are not afraid that he will seek revenge? What if he kills you?" Kaguya's concern was genuine, but sapphire darkened to indigo as Kagome raised her head.

"I'd like to see him try." At this point, she'd welcome the distraction. Her emotions were in turmoil, skin tingling with the amount of reiki begging to be released. She'd never felt this out of control, even before her training, her head in complete denial as to the reason behind it.

"I'm fine," she lied, avoiding Kaguya's knowing gaze. "I will be, then. Besides, it was a good reminder about where I stand in the food chain."

"Kagome-san, you are—"

She shook her head, not wanting to hear anything to the contrary, then resumed her position against the wall, resolute in her decision—and her anger—as she waved towards the ladies at the other end of the room.

"He has a huge selection of people to choose from. He won't even notice the difference."


The difference in the room was tangible, Sesshoumaru unable to find a comfortable position as the notes from the various instruments grated against his nerves and dulled his senses. He leaned to one side, resting his chin in his palm, managing to hide his wince when he touched the still raw flesh of his cheek.

His mother snorted behind her fan. "Your miko is quite angry with you."

He did not need her to tell him that. The miko's absence from the event spoke volumes.

"She is not as honourable as she appears," he said, eyes unfocused as memories of his brother's soft expression and the wolf's blatant claim assaulted his mind. He'd almost torn the prince's arm off, but Kagome—the miko—appeared to be acquainted with him.

With both of them.

An emotion he had not felt in centuries had followed him like a shadow as he'd moved around the room, taunting him with every word uttered between them, finally boiling over when he'd cornered her on the balcony. He'd meant to question her calmly, but the shadow forced venom-filled words from his mouth, and the miko's relieved expression at his appearance had slowly turned to horror before icing over.

Sesshoumaru's teeth ground together.

"I have told you before, pup, the council is only interested in power. Her blood means nothing—"

"That is not the dishonour I speak of," he bit out, the shattering of his teacup covered by the applause from the crowd as Tsubaki's shakuhachi was replaced with Kagura's koto.

"Do you honestly believe the miko is capable of that level of deception?" she asked, her eyes glued to the wind youkai as she knelt in front of her instrument.

His hands shook as claws dug into his palms. Kagome wore her heart on her sleeve, her emotions plain for everyone to see. Rin had commented on how much she enjoyed her company because she never had to guess what the woman was thinking—and that there was no hidden agenda to their conversations.

But there was also the issue of her underlying power. And the vagueness of her explanation of being related to Midoriko. There was something she hadn't told him, and that fact alone spurred on the feelings of betrayal within him.

"She will not come to you," his mother said, mouth still hidden behind her fan. "And I expect a proper apology for your abysmal behaviour."

His claws only dug deeper. "She is the one who—"

His mother's fan pressed into the side of his neck like a knife. "She deserves more than vulgar words based on immature assumptions. Did it ever occur to you that she appears to have an agenda solely based on the notion that you wish to see one?" She twisted the fan, the edge biting into his skin.

"You would take the word of a mere human over your own son?"

"Actions speak louder than words, pup. The miko has never given me any reason to doubt her intentions." The fan hit the back of his knuckles before he could raise his hand. "And you and I both know she is no mere human."


Sesshoumaru rubbed his neck as he stalked the hallway, youki spreading out like wildfire as he attempted to locate the miko. Hard-pressed as he was to admit his mother was right—about anything—he needed to speak to her.

Rin's lessons had concluded for the day, and his ward had been tight-lipped about where the miko had gone next. His mother had been no help either, walking off with her hand-in-hand as Rin chatted excitedly about the story she'd been writing.

Inuyasha had been much of the same, citing that it wasn't any of his business what her schedule was. "She's a private person," he'd said, before heading towards the dojo, the two humans from the night before trailing along behind him. Sesshoumaru had been tempted to remind his brother who the superior warrior was, but he had business with the miko first.

If he could only find her.

Another sweep of the citadel proved fruitless; she was concealing herself on purpose, her scent stale even in her room, and those of the other competitors. And Sesshoumaru had made the mistake of thinking they would be of any help.

Tsubaki had latched onto him immediately, pulling him out into the gardens as a means of keeping his attention to herself. Her touch felt slimy even through his clothes, and it took every lesson in propriety he'd learned as a pup not to shove her away.

"How long have you been travelling together?" he asked, trying to steer the conversation back to the miko.

Tsubaki groaned. "It feels like a lifetime, my lord. She has learned little from me, no matter how many opportunities I present. I fear she is dim-witted and not suited for anything above menial labour."

Then you do not know her at all, he thought, grateful that Kagome's farce was still intact. There was a purpose to every move she made, and if Kagome had placed herself in the dark miko's company, there was a reason for it.

"You can speak freely here, my lord. I will tell no one of what transpires." He gave Tsubaki a considering look, barely managing not to roll his eyes when she blushed, batting her eyelashes at him.

Sesshoumaru's face immediately went blank, jaw clenching. Why did all females insist on reading so far into things? Even the slightest bit of attention caused them to fabricate their own narrative—

The sting of his mother's fan returned, and he rolled his shoulders. What had transpired between him and the miko was not the same. He pulled away from Tsubaki's hold, and she frowned but didn't argue, not wanting to get on his bad side.

"Have you been enjoying the events? I have dedicated each of my performances to you."

"As have most of the others," he said, ice leeching into his tone as he flipped his hair over his shoulder. "You are nothing special." He would likely pay for that remark later—his mother had ears everywhere—but he had better things to do than placate a viper like Tsubaki.

A spark of awareness brushed against his foot, like stepping into a shallow pool, and his head whipped around, searching for the owner. Ripples caressed his boots, ebbing as youki probed, but there was no response. Sesshoumaru pushed his power out further, lips curving up into a smirk when he found a trace.

A trail.

Not bothering to even acknowledge her presence, he strode quickly away, instincts tugging him into the village. She was clever, concealing both scent and aura, attempting to throw him off by immersing herself amongst the throng of merchants and customers, but he was not called the Killing Perfection for nothing.

He could slay his enemies without the need of a weapon and bring entire kingdoms to their knees—a single woman would not elude him.

Steeling himself, he inhaled deeply, taking in every scent around him, searching for the one creature without one. A few passersby paused, but he paid them no mind, tendrils of youki curling around the booths until he found what he was looking for—a void.

He smirked and began to move, the eyes of a predator gleaming when the void shifted, attempting to disappear once more. The footsteps were silent, the presence zipping between youkai and humans alike, never disturbing, only avoiding—namely him.

One of the tendrils wrapped around an ankle, causing a slight misstep but quickly disintegrating before the void disappeared again.

A blatant taunt.

Sesshoumaru's blood was electric as he followed, actively having to change direction and destination as he attempted to corner his prey. And he would corner her.

He was nothing if not a hunter.


Kagome was out of breath by the time she reached the western courtyard.

Stupid dogs.

She'd have to talk to Inukimi about Sesshoumaru's upbringing. Clearly, he'd never been taught that people needed time to cool off after getting into a fight.

Things had been quiet during the musical presentation, Kagome having used Rin as an excuse to skip the event altogether. She'd assumed the rest of the day would be more of the same—what reason could he have to talk to her after last night?

Instead, she'd spent the better part of the afternoon ducking between booths in the village while Sesshoumaru was hot on her heels. It almost felt like a game, like he was mocking her, but there were times when she genuinely knew she'd lost him, his aura spiking in anger before he'd catch her trail again.

She'd never met such a persistent hunter.

If she wasn't still suffering from his insults, she might've admitted to having fun, but every brush of his youki had her own power sparking in retaliation, and if he'd been any closer, or alone, she'd have singed off something more solid.

She knew she couldn't avoid him forever, but she needed time to rid herself of the feeling of regret, of heartbreak. To forget how much she'd enjoyed his company and conversation. That way, when he sneered at her, or worse, chose one of the other competitors as his mate, she wouldn't completely fall apart.

Kagome sucked in a ragged breath, determination hardening her gaze when she finally opened her eyes. She would make it out of this in one piece.

"You are a hard woman to track down."

She'd felt him coming but realized too late that he'd only hidden his aura in the last leg of the chase, giving her the impression he'd been further away. Cursing under her breath, she kept her face hidden, refusing to face him.

"Forgive me, my lord, it has been a long day, and I did not wish to disturb you." She managed to keep the bite out of her tone and her back straight. Suppressing all emotion, her steps were steady as she walked away from him. If she could make it to her room, then Rin would be there, and he wouldn't be able to—

Slim fingers wrapped around her wrist, pulling her to a stop. "I have not given you permission to leave."

Kagome whirled around, eyes blazing, her hair lifting off her shoulders as reiki crackled. "You have no say in when I leave or not!" she hissed. "You lost any right to that when you accused me of—" Her voice cracked, and she tried to pull away, but he held firm, his expression a mask of indifference.

She wanted to wipe it clean off his face.

"Let me go."

His grip only tightened. "No."

"I have nothing to say to you," she said, lanterns flickering as her power raged, the lid to her power rattling with each word she uttered. She needed to get away—to get away from him so that she could reign herself in. She couldn't lose control here. Not now. Not when Tsubaki was so close to revealing herself.

She shut her eyes again, struggling to breathe, then rolled her shoulders and lifted her chin. "I need my rest to prepare for Rin-chan's lessons. And since you're more than capable of pouring your own tea, I don't see the need for me to return to—" If he hadn't done it before, she would've shrieked, but she managed to bite her tongue when her feet left the ground, Sesshoumaru's arm wrapped firmly around her waist.

"Where are we going?" she demanded, resisting the urge to shove him only to avoid the lethal drop, wind tangling their hair together.

"A place more suited for a private conversation."

Reiki shot out of her like lightning. "You don't get to decide that!"

"You have proven to be a worthy challenge today, miko," he said, giving her a sideways glance. "But you could not evade me entirely and will now accept the consequences."

"Listen here, you arrogant, self-entitled, overbearing jerk!" Now that they were up in the air, she had no qualms about controlling her power—or temper. "Regardless of what Tsubaki says, I answer to no one. Least of all, someone who—" Her words were garbled as water poured down on them, the rush of the falls drenching them both before Sesshoumaru finally set her down on the other side.

Kagome finally shoved him away, stumbling as he acquiesced, sputtering as she pushed her hair out of her eyes. If she wasn't positive that killing him would start a war, she'd fry him where he stood.

"I did not realize you had already made the acquaintance of my brother," he said, as if that explained everything.

"That's no excuse! You could've just asked him. Asked me." No amount of apologies was going to make a difference. She'd thought they were at least friends, and his words had hurt. "You were too busy focusing on the stick up your ass to even consider it was only friendship."

"Miko—"

"No! I'm talking now. You had your chance, and you're going to listen." His mouth opened to argue, but her fingers were already curling, reiki sailing past his shoulder. Incensed that he'd dodged, she shot at him again, Sesshoumaru having to actively spin out of the way.

"Stay still!" Another burst erupted from her hands, catching his foot and causing him to stumble. Fangs bared, Sesshoumaru growled, shifting from defensive to offensive, evading her attacks long enough to pin her against the wall of the cave.

She struggled on principle, refusing to give in, even if his fingers were wrapped around her neck. "You're going to end up limping to the next event."

The bastard had the nerve to smirk. "You are welcome to try."

"I'm going to do more than try. You'll be lucky if you can even walk when I'm through with you!"

Temptation gnawed at him, she could see it in his eyes, but he sighed and relinquished his hold. "I did not bring you here to incite more violence."

Kagome crossed her arms. "Could've fooled me." Sesshoumaru glared down at her, but she'd spent too much time with him to find him threatening. Besides, holding onto her anger distracted her from how close he was.

And the butterflies wreaking havoc on her stomach.

"So, what is your excuse for being an asshole?"

She watched the muscles roll along his jaw. "I have none."

She wanted to smack him, but she settled with grabbing his collar. "You've never been that cruel before. All I did was talk to a few people, and you went all squirrelly. No one does that unless—" Her entire body froze, breath stilling in her lungs as her eyes widened. Emotion swirled in his golden depths, ones that Kagome had told herself she'd never see.

No—it wasn't true. There was no way he could possibly—

"Were you jealous?" The question was barely a whisper, but it bounced off the walls, the roar of the falls somehow making it louder. Maybe he hadn't even heard it. She could pretend she hadn't said it and just go back to the shiro, content to ignore him for the rest of the competition.

"Tell me you were jealous."

Damn her treacherous heart.

The plea was desperate, as were the hands on the collar of his haori, gripping the expensive fabric as her eyes stayed glued to his face. He tried to remain stoic, but Kagome had been watching him for too long not to notice the subtle change in his demeanour.

And the pinkening of his ears.

Her hands slid up to his face, hope blooming in her heart with every moment he didn't pull away. His pupils dilated as her thumbs stroked the stripes on his cheeks. To touch him was forbidden, but if he was jealous, it only meant one thing.

He cared. And that was enough.

Kagome went up on tiptoe, pulling him down the rest of the way down until her lips met his, the scent of evergreen and mountain air invading her senses. Heart stuttering, she slanted her head, his growl vibrating through her when she flicked her tongue out against his lower lip.

His arm snaked around her waist, the rugged plains of his body pressing her into the cave wall as he returned the embrace. The chill of the falls was soon forgotten as his claws slid into her hair. Kagome breathed his name, and Sesshoumaru took advantage of the opening and slipped his tongue into her mouth.

He tasted divine.

The need for air was secondary, as was the need for dry clothes; all that mattered was that he was kissing her back—with enthusiasm. She dragged her tongue across his fangs, relishing in the shudder that wracked his body.

Youki slid up her arms, reiki coming out to meet it as she arched against him, steam rising from silk when they finally broke apart. There was a heat in his eyes that hadn't been there before, turning gold into molten honey, and she couldn't help but smile, her rage and resentment melting away when he dipped his head again.

She'd worry about what came next later.


Inukimi chuckled to herself as she washed Rin's hair.

"What's so funny, Wisteria-sama?" Rin asked, grabbing a handful of bubbles and blowing them into the air.

"Nothing, little one."

"But you're happy about something," she said, giggling when Inukimi styled her hair into soapy pigtails.

"I am. And I plan on rubbing your father's face in it when he returns." The villagers had given him a wide berth during his little scene in the marketplace, but she'd known exactly what it was.

Even if her son did not.

"Tomorrow will be a very interesting day," she mused.


Tsubaki set another slip of parchment on fire, eyes glowing as it slowly turned to ash. She may not have been able to sway Sesshoumaru's mind, but she hadn't struck out completely.

Having Kagome with her during her travels allowed her to cover up her true intent—no one would suspect two miko of any misdeeds, especially one as pure as her apprentice. She'd followed every rumour, every whisper, hopeful that she'd eventually find something tangible. A youkai shiro was the last place she ever thought would harbour such a powerful item, but perhaps she shouldn't be surprised with Inukimi being the one in charge.

There'd been a glimmer at the formal gathering, but it was so small that Tsubaki had thought she'd imagined it, so she'd put it out of her mind, focusing more on trying to capture Sesshoumaru's attention.

Tonight had been a different story.

Waves of power had washed over the citadel, the rest of the competitors shifting uncomfortably while spouting off their pitiful reasons for wanting Sesshoumaru's hand. But Tsubaki was no fool. She'd known what it was the moment she'd felt the lanterns stir.

The Shikon no Tama was here. And soon it would be hers.