A headache plagued her all day, keeping her inside and away from intruding sunlight. Everything felt stifling, like she was about to burst out of her skin, the slightest brush of fabric making her itch.
Like the sensation of spiders crawling up her arms.
Emiko ran her a bath, adding various herbs and soaps to calm her nerves. Kagome was still so exhausted from her nightmare that she accepted the offer without argument, letting her mother fuss over her.
"I had thought we might see another rose by now," Emiko mused, brushing her hair before pulling the dark locks into a loose braid. "He's never gone this long before checking in before."
Kagome sank lower into the water. "He's probably got something better to do," she said, lips pressed into a thin line.
Emiko frowned at the bite in her tone. "I can't say what beasts such as him do during the day, but he's always—"
"There's never been an always with him, Mama! He showed up out of the blue one winter and then disappeared." She turned around in the tub, eyes blazing. "He thinks he can just show up whenever he wants, and we'll forgive him for not being here and—" Emiko cupped the sides of Kagome's face, ending her tirade.
"You are allowed to be angry with him."
Kagome's shoulders slumped. "Am I? I don't even know who he is—what he is. He could be some sorcerer in disguise."
Her mother snorted. "He would probably take offence to that, but feel free to ask him next time."
Scratching at her hand, Kagome settled back in the tub. "What if there isn't a next time? What if he never comes back?"
"Then I suggest you go looking for him."