Kagome was tired of waking disoriented, but at least this time, she was comfortable. Not bothering to lift her head, she forced her eyes open, dark lashes giving way to silver hair, and she managed to stop herself from darting upright.
The weight around her waist she'd thought was a blanket turned out to be the fae king's arm, her body plastered against his side. His chest expanded with each breath in a steady rhythm that had her sighing in relief.
His colour had also improved, the subtle sparkle that followed him having returned to both his hair and clothes—clothes that somehow remained unwrinkled even though he'd slept in them all night.
Pursing her lips, Kagome stifled the urge to ruffle his hair—or smack him with a pillow. Why couldn't he have bedhead or terrible morning breath? Were all fae this perfect, even in sleep? She thought of Hakudoshi waking up with his hair standing on end and couldn't stifle her snort.
The king stirred, his arm around her tightening as he pulled her closer. Heat suffused her body, toes curling as he whispered her name against her throat. She allowed herself a moment to enjoy it, then broke the silence. "Are you feeling better?"
"Why do you insist on alluding me?" he whispered, delicate claws stroking her spine.
"I'm right here," she replied, placing a hand on his chest as he pulled back. "I haven't gone anywhere."
"You are never here," he sighed. "And I am forced to—" His eyes finally focused on her, and she was immediately shoved away, the king rising off the bed in all his regal glory. "Do you think to sway me with saccharine words? Your spells will not work here."
Kagome's mouth fell open, and she struggled to sit up without jostling her head. "What spells? You brought me here, remember?" She threw a pillow at him. "And I'm not trying to sway anyone."
He scoffed, easily dodging the projectile. "Deny it all you want. I know what you are."
She crossed her arms, raising her chin defiantly. "I'm not denying anything. I'm not supposed to lie to you, and I know you can tell when I do, so why would I bother?" Eyes flashed as power surged, but Kagome refused to back down.
She wasn't sure if his sudden change in demeanour had anything to do with the crumbling castle, but she wasn't about to take his scornful accusations either. She was the one who'd been taken from her home and thrown in a dungeon for no reason.
"Are you going to stand there all day and pout about being caught with your pants down?" she asked. She knew she was pushing her luck, but that seemed to be her way with him. At home, she never took risks, relying on research and well-thought-out planning to get her ahead in life.
Meikyuu always brought out her impulsivity. Or maybe that was just him.
The king bristled at the insinuation, then flashed her a feral smirk as he towered over her. "If I had been 'caught with my pants down', you would spend the rest of your life begging for more."
She barely suppressed a shudder but didn't relinquish her gaze. "I doubt it. I could probably teach you a thing or two." The air shifted, and she knew he was tempted, his fingers flexing against the sheets. She couldn't say she wasn't tempted herself, especially with how well their bodies fit together, but she wouldn't be the one to give in.
His gaze roamed her body, raising goosebumps on her skin, but he sighed and eventually pulled away. "As enticing an offer as that is, I am far too busy today to give into the whims of a delinquent."
She knew it was coming, but the sting of his dismissal was no less sharp. "Planning some heavy gardening?" she asked, settling back against the remaining pillows.
"There are others much more prone to horticulture than I," he said, already moving toward the door. "Though you are welcome to inspect them yourself."
Both eyebrows rose. "You're letting me leave?"
The king smirked over his shoulder. "You are free to roam the castle grounds but will be dealt with accordingly should you try to enter the village." It was more than what he'd allowed before and gave Kagome some hope that she could find someone to answer her questions—someone who didn't fall in line at the snap of his fingers.
"Aren't you worried I'll use those spells again?" He couldn't be talking about her reiki; she'd made sure only to use it when he was unconscious. He paused at the door, then gave her a careless shrug, his eyes cold and dull once again.
"You are not a threat."
After helping herself to his hairbrush—she was honestly surprised he even had one—Kagome made her way down the hall, using the wall for support. Magic or not, she'd still suffered a significant fall, and the pounding between her temples had become a constant whenever she stood up.
Smells of spices and fruit lured her down a corridor, eventually leading her into what had to be the kitchen. Mouth watering, she idly wondered how far the king's reach went and if she'd be able to snag something to quell the hunger gnawing at her stomach.
He'd said she had free range, but she had a feeling if she crossed paths with Hakudoshi, she'd find herself confined to her cell again.
Or worse.
Mindful of the pots hanging from the ceiling, she snuck around the shelves for something that didn't need to be cooked. The faster she could get out of here, the better—
Something slammed into her legs, and she fell to the floor, somehow keeping her head from hitting stone. "You're alive!" a voice wailed, several spoons clattering around them as red fur and emerald eyes came into focus.
"Normally, people just wave or give hugs, Shippou," she groused, laughing softly at his horrified expression. She wrapped her arms around him, soothing the tremors that wracked his small shoulders. "And yes, I'm fine. Barring any further injuries."
The boy winced, then scrambled onto his heels, hands clasped firmly against his knees. "They wouldn't tell me what happened to you! And the king didn't know who I was talking about." Kagome glanced around; there didn't appear to be anyone else around, but she'd learned not to be deceived by appearances long ago.
"Is there somewhere else we can go?" she asked, slowly getting to her feet.
"Aren't you hungry?" Shippou asked, quickly following suit. "Wait, how did you get free? Hakudoshi and Kanna never let anyone—"
"It was at the behest of the king that I be allowed to roam free," she replied with a grin. "Meaning, as long as the king is in charge, I can go wherever I want."
Hope welled up in the boy's eyes, making him appear much younger. "You mean it? You broke the spell?"
Kagome frowned. "What spell?"
"The spell," he replied. "The one that keeps the king busy all the time." Muscles clenched along her jaw, and she sighed. Was he still so innocent that the duties of a ruler were akin to being bewitched?
"No, Shippou. I didn't break the spell."
His shoulders slumped, and he kicked at the ground, fox paws chasing away dirt. "I thought for sure bringing you here would work." She wanted to hug him again, but her stomach growled, reminding them both of her impending hunger, and Shippou darted between the shelves, collecting delicacies and fruit.
"Can you leave the castle?" he asked.
"As long as I stay within the grounds."
His eyes lit up, and he grabbed her hand, dragging her out of the kitchen. "Let's go to the garden, then!" How he managed to keep the plate from spilling was beyond her, but she let him lead her through various doors before they were drenched in sunlight.
She nearly tripped over stone steps as they passed gnarled trees and dried patches of grass, Kagome's heart lurching at the overall lack of life and lustre. "Shippou—"
"Hold on, the best place is over here." Branches caught her shoulders, yanking out a few hairs before she ducked under a bush, the scent of flora teasing her senses. Memories of her last time in Meikyuu ignited behind her eyes, and suddenly she was showered in a breathtaking display of colourful flowers and lush grass.
A stream splashed and bubbled, bouncing off rocks as it made its way through the hidden oasis, and Kagome's hand tightened around Shippou's. "This is where—"
"—you beat the gatekeeper," he confirmed. "Your power still lingers here. It's the only place anything grows." She wouldn't have believed it if she hadn't seen it herself from the king's window, and she glanced in the direction of the castle. The garden was completely enclosed, the surrounding hedges overgrown and imposing as they towered over her.
"The king comes here a lot," Shippou continued, tugging her toward the stream.
"Why would he do that?" she blurted, unable to stop the question from leaving her lips.
Shippou shrugged. "Maybe you should ask him. We should have enough time to eat, though. He doesn't usually show up until later." She rolled her eyes at the notion of asking the king anything and getting a straight answer, but she didn't voice it, joining him on the embankment.
They sat in silence for a while, Kagome eventually dipping her feet in the water. Shippou did the same, quiet contentment washing over them before he handed her the plate of food he'd collected.
Her fingers hesitated over the offering, and Shippou's head cocked in confusion. "I thought you were hungry."
"Famished," she confirmed. "But I'm not supposed to accept food from you." It was one of the basic rules, the first rule after not offering up her name, and though her stomach continued to gnaw at her, she didn't want another chain tying her to this place.
Shippou wasn't perturbed, laughing softly as he put the plate in her lap. "That's only with real fae."
"And you're not?"
He shook his head, picking up a spare pebble and tossing it into the river. "None of the kids here are."
"There are more of you?" Shippou was the only one she'd come across before. All of her other allies had been fully grown.
He nodded, then pulled up his sleeves. "See? No stripes. We only get the ears. And whatever goes along with the animal spirit we're mixed with." She hadn't noticed any markings on Hakudoshi and Kanna, but she'd been too busy being accused of trespassing and being shoved into a dungeon cell to get a closer look.
"Most of the guards have them on their arms or ankles. Tells everyone what their station is." Shippou's chest puffed up as he relayed the information, and Kagome grinned at his need to impress her.
"And the king?" she asked.
"He has to show his off. To let everyone know who's in charge." He dipped his fingers into the water, then traced the markings on her face. "The ones on his cheeks tell you he's powerful. The one on his forehead tells you he's king."
"So someone else had it before him?"
Shippou nodded. "Souten says his was different, though. The mark was on his chest instead of his head, so he wore open shirts a lot." Kagome laughed as the boy made a face.
"I wonder if they choose where it goes?" she mused, swaying her feet in the water. "Who's Souten?" Her smile widened as Shippou's face turned as red as his hair, quickly looking away.
"She's like me, but older. An eel halfling, so she can use lightning." There was awe mixed in with his embarrassment, so she didn't push it.
"Maybe I can meet her next time too."
He mumbled a reply, then nudged the plate. "You should eat. The fae rules don't apply, so you're safe." She snorted. Safe was subjective, but she trusted Shippou, so she gave in to her hunger.
"You said you're both halflings. Did you come here from another kingdom?" The food was distracting, flavour bursting on her tongue, but she'd ventured out of the king's room with the sole purpose of retrieving information, so she tried to remain focused.
Shippou shook his head, lobbing another pebble into the stream. "We used to be human. The king chooses an animal when we arrive to prolong our lives, and so we can survive in Meikyuu." Kagome choked on a ripe strawberry, staring wide-eyed at the matter-of-fact tone.
Shippou was a baby that hadn't been rescued.