She was still groggy when she came to, though the pain in her head had lessened. Bracing herself, Kagome pushed herself onto her elbows, her gaze automatically turned to the window as she tried to gauge how much time had passed.

Sunlight had been bright and cheery as it poured into the bedroom during their confrontation, but both it and the temperature had faded since, mist seeping in between the stones.

That alone had her frowning, instantly regretting it as the pinched expression caused some of the pain to return. She gingerly touched her temple; the bleeding had stopped at least. Relaxing her features, and steeling herself as best she could, Kagome got up from the bed, making her way over to the window.

What once had been a thriving garden now looked starved for attention, the vines that grew along the labyrinth walls wrapping around some of the nearby trees—almost like they were calling for help.

There was a distinct lack of colour as well, the usual kaleidoscope fading to a scale of grey that was dull and lifeless, and it reminded her of the missing spark she'd noticed before.

Craning her neck, she looked around for the supposed Kagome the king was hunting. The parallels to her own life were daunting, and she couldn't stop the ice-cold dread that followed every time she thought about it.

She was Kagome. The only Kagome. So if someone was parading around as her, there had to be a reason for it. Glancing over her shoulder, even though she knew no one else was in the room, she released some of her power, tiny tendrils sliding down the side of the castle like ivy.

At first, nothing seemed out of place; maybe the castle was just old and needed some patchwork. But the moment her power touched the ground, she nearly reeled back in shock.

The land itself was dry. Even as an untrained teen, Meikyuu had thrived under her feet, the creatures who lived there feeding off it whenever necessary. But now—

The knob turned, and the door to the room opened, the king staggering inside. His pelt dragged on the floor, the crests on his clothes a dull comparison to when he'd first left, and Kagome struggled to cover her gasp.

He reached the bed, half collapsing onto it, barely able to keep his eyes open. He muttered something under his breath, drawing her closer as she strained to hear.

"She got away," he said, hair covering his face.

"Who did?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Kagome. I offered her everything, but she refused." He turned his head, eyes still closed, and she knelt on the bed. This was the perfect time to escape. She could feel his dwindling power—there was no way he'd be able to catch her—but something was still off.

Unable to stop herself, she brushed his hair from his face. It didn't shimmer as it usually did—was even tangled in some places—and she meticulously worked through it, eventually braiding it down his back. All the while he slept, breath shallow but steady as his body tried to recharge itself.

Had he ended up like this after she'd left before?

The effects of her winning had never crossed her mind; she'd been so happy to have escaped with Souta in one piece that she never even stopped to think what spurning the fae king would've done to him.

Head pounding, she lay back against the headboard, her hand still on his head. In the privacy of his room, she whispered his name, this true name, and he leaned into the touch, her fingers tingling as his power sparked.

Questions burned hot and bitter under her skin, her frustration only growing when she realized no one was around to answer them. His room was probably heavily guarded—either with spells or creatures—and she doubted anyone would let her wander the castle looking for Shippou.

Hakudoshi's sneer came to mind, and she instantly wanted to throw something. The arrogant little pig did nothing to better the lives of the creatures in Meikyuu. The few interactions she'd had with him proved he was all about making sure everyone knew just how important he was. And his sister—

Kagome shuddered. She hadn't been able to get a good read on her, but the blank look in her eyes was the stuff of nightmares. The strange way her mirror had rippled didn't help either.

The king groaned softly, and she hissed as electricity shot up her arm. He looked paler than before, and though she was waning herself, she steadied her breathing and let some of her reiki pool around her fingers. Even if this didn't work, he was unconscious, so it's not like he could reprimand her.

And she doubted any of his subjects was permitted in his room, regardless of their role.

She darted a quick glance toward the door. The fact that she'd remained undisturbed, even after he'd left, was surprising, though she couldn't imagine him sharing the room with anyone else. He struck her as someone who enjoyed his solitude, though he did his best to hide it behind glimmer and glamour.

Sighing, she pushed out more of her power, waiting for the rejection, but it never came. His depleted power had left him starved, soaking up everything she had to offer, though the ashen pallor of his skin remained.

Regardless of the current situation, their powers were opposing forces. She was human, and he was—other. He was undoubtedly fae, though the marks on his face had never been mentioned in any of the books she'd read.

"Maybe it's a royalty thing," she murmured, tracing the curve of the moon on his brow. None of his subordinates had the same marks, and though Hakudoshi and his sister shared the same hair colour, they looked nothing alike.

Were the marks bestowed upon him once he took the thrown? She tried to imagine him without the slashes of magenta across his face, but the image wouldn't form in her mind.

"Guess you're meant to stand out." She rolled her eyes, knowing he'd only scoff at her if he'd been conscious.

Maybe once he woke up and realized she'd actually helped him, he'd be a little more open to discussing what was happening to the castle. He'd distinctly said Kagome before he'd left the room, so unless she had a clone running around, there was more to the castle's illusion than the hole in her cell.

Because if she was here, who had he been chasing around the labyrinth?