He'd wanted to question her further—she could feel it in the way his aura darkened—but all she could manage was a reassuring smile before sleep claimed her. The dreams weren't as hostile as before, and she felt more rested when she woke, but the king was nowhere in sight.

Sighing softly, Kagome pushed herself up against the headboard. His pelt was still around her shoulders, buzzing with power, but his aura was stale, and she wondered how long she'd been out. She knew time moved differently compared to the real world, but which world was real? There was no way this was all a dream, so maybe it didn't matter how time moved.

The door opened, and she sat up more, hoping to continue their conversation, but was instantly on alert when Hakudoshi stepped into the room. She heard the soft click of the lock and felt the pelt bristle.

So, she wasn't the only one who didn't trust him.

His feet were silent as he turned around, but she was rewarded with his shock at seeing her awake. "It's ungentlemanly to enter someone's room without knocking," she said. "Or permission."

"It's not your room," he replied, face returning to its condescending facade.

"Neither is it yours." She crossed her arms, reiki crackling along the edge of the pelt. They were at a standoff, and he knew it. Kagome wasn't about to give anything up or away; he'd rubbed her the wrong way from the beginning—her time in the dungeon notwithstanding—and the fact that he'd just entered the king's room showed how much he cared about protocol. "What do you want?"

Leaning against the doorway, he eyed her meticulously, and she raised her chin defiantly. "I was asked to check on you."

Lying was against the rules, but she wasn't sure he even was fae. And from what Shippou had told her about the halfling children, he could be anything. All she knew was that he was dangerous. "The list of people allowed in here is very short, and I can guarantee you're not on it."

"You think to lecture me on—"

"You're the one showing up without a motive when the only person in here is me, and I'm in no condition to put up a fight." It wasn't a lie if she wasn't sure it was the truth, right? Her power was still low, but if it came down to it, she had enough for a barrier—along with whatever boost the fur would provide.

His eyes narrowed, but he didn't move away from the door. "It's my job to investigate any and all threats to his majesty," he sneered.

"Even when his majesty has stated otherwise?" Kagome wasn't sure if he'd stated it outright, but the fact that she was still in his room had to mean something. Hakudoushi scowled, arms tightening across his chest, but his response was interrupted when he was shoved from behind, the door swinging open.

Shippou stood over him, hands shaking slightly but clenched into fists. "You're not allowed in here."

Hakudoushi regained his balance, and composure, glancing over his shoulder at her. "You have no right to order me around."

The kit raised his chin. "I do when my orders come from the king. Directly," he added when Hakudoushi turned back around. "If you leave now, I won't tell on you."

The guard braced himself against the floor, but Shippou refused to back down, and Hakudoushi seemed to think better of it, casting another glare over his shoulder. "I would stay out of trouble if I were you."

"I'll keep that in mind," Kagome replied, then shooed him away, managing to keep herself upright until the door closed behind him. She sagged into the pelt, pulling it closer as its power slid along her skin. She'd have preferred it come from the king himself, but she couldn't be picky in her current position.

She still didn't know all the details about the spell—or who had cast it.

"I'm sorry."

She blinked in surprise; Shippou's voice had lost its previous edge, his eyes covered by his bangs. "Whatever for?"

"I should've been here to protect you." Her face crumpled slightly, but she held her hands out to him, and he leapt into them, shoulders shaking as she held him close.

"You were so brave," she crooned, stroking his head.

"I don't feel very brave," he sniffled.

Kagome chuckled. "Says the boy who's clearly been working on his lock-picking skills."

Shippou cleared his throat. "You're not going to tell the king about that, are you? I'm not supposed to use it unless it's an emergency."

Patting his head as he pulled back, she winked. "I'd say anything involving Hakudoushi constitutes an emergency."

He glanced back toward the door, then nodded fervently. "I don't like him."

"That makes two of us," she said. At least she wasn't losing her mind about that. She gazed out the window, wishing she had the strength to go outside. She hadn't been out of the room since she'd snuck into the kitchen, and even though she knew she needed the rest, the walls were starting to close in on her.

"I can help," Shippou said, reading her mind. "I'm strong enough!"

She offered him a wane smile. "I thought you were supposed to be keeping me in here."

The colour had returned to his face, and his hands went to his hips. "He told me to watch you." Emerald eyes took on a mischievous glint. "He didn't say where." He fashioned the pelt around her shoulders like a collar, much akin to how the king had worn it initially, then helped her out of the bed.

Knees wobbled, but her feet were steady, and he led her toward the window. "Are you sure about this, Shippou? I don't want you to get in trouble."

He shook his head. "It's fine. I'm taking you somewhere to make you feel better, anyway." He left it at that, then transformed, the sleek fox that took his place urging her onto his back. He was the size of a large dog, and she had to wrap both arms around his neck to keep from falling, but the ride was smooth as he leapt from the room.

He ran along the wind like he'd done it his whole life, fresh air filling her lungs with scents of flora. Kagome inhaled deeply as he descended, squeezing his neck in gratitude. Even if the trip was short and they had to walk back to the castle, she'd take these few moments of freedom.

His paws barely touched the ground before she was surrounded in smoke, fur replaced with a small hand to keep her steady. "Sorry about that. I'm still working on the landing."

Kagome grinned. "You've improved since last time."

Shippou's chest puffed out even as colour tinted his cheeks. "Maybe a little." He touched the ground, tiny ripples of power skipping over the foliage. She'd thought they'd reached a dead end, but the bushes in front of them parted, and he quickly yanked her inside. "We're not supposed to be here, but the king doesn't usually come until later, so we should have a little while before we have to leave."

"You still haven't told me where we're going," she chastised, letting him be her eyes as they ducked between more bushes. It was similar to the maze she'd encountered when she first came to Meikyuu but for less of a threat.

"It's easier just to show you," he whispered, turning another corner. Kagome couldn't keep the direction straight. It felt like they were going in circles, and for all she knew, they were. Nothing stayed the same in Meikyuu; paths changed, up was down, and even when she was on the right track, something—or someone—threw her a curveball and rewrote the rules.

She'd always thought it was the king's sick sense of humour, but after being here, she wasn't so sure.

She still hadn't figured out the cause behind her eye colour. For some reason, keeping her identity a secret was important, but it couldn't be to hide her from the king entirely. Her face flushed as the memory of his mouth against her throat surfaced. He wanted 'Kagome', and it wasn't for anything nefarious.

"You've brought a guest with you, little one."

Kagome jumped, not expecting to find anyone else so deep in the grove, but as the ground pulsed with ancient power, her eyes widened as her reiki rose to meet it without her consent. There was a soft chuckle, and Shippou pulled her into a clearing, a lone magnolia tree residing at its centre. "I figured you'd wanna meet her."

Branches waved as the voice hummed softly. She wasn't afraid, but then again, it was the same with the king, so maybe she needed to work on her self-preservation. "Who are you?" she asked, stepping closer.

The limbs of the tree shook, soft petals dropping onto her shoulders. "I will forgive your memory loss since it has been so long, Kagome. Though I do hope it won't happen again."

Pulled by an unknown source, she reached out and touched the trunk, a face slowly taking shape between the lines of bark. "I know you."

Shippou preened. "I knew this would work!"

The branches snapped in his direction. "You will be punished for entering the king's private domain, little one. Regardless of how altruistic your actions may seem."

"I haven't been caught yet," he mumbled, sitting on one of the protruding roots.

"Yet."

"Did I meet you before?" Kagome cut in, tilting her head to the side as she tried to place his features. He was familiar but not in the way a typical memory was. When she pictured her childhood, she could hear the sound of Souta calling out to her, the sight of him tugging on her wrist so they'd play together. But the tree was more of a feeling—something stored deep within the recesses of her mind.

"Perhaps I shouldn't be so hard on you," the tree said with a sigh. "Our first meeting was brief, and you were distracted." He gave her a knowing look, and the heat returned to her face.

"You seem to know more than you let on." She settled down against another one of his roots. "Especially considering you're stuck to the floor."

"My roots run deep, Kagome," he chuckled. "But I have you to thank for that, so I suppose I cannot complain too much that it has been so long since you have graced me with your presence."

"It's not like I've got an open invitation."

The tree glanced at Shippou, who sighed. "He's still under the spell. He doesn't see her."

"And the others?"

"Not as many as before. Not since she got here."

Kagome looked between the two creatures, pursing her lips. Did they know how aggravating it was to be talked about when she was right there? "Care to fill me in?"

"Forgive me. The young kit has been my eyes inside the castle since your last visit, as I'm incapable of moving myself." His roots shook, dirt scattering like dust

"Were you able to move before?"

"Oh yes, quite freely." More petals fell. "Much like his majesty, I have a humanoid form, but due to the poison leeching into Meikyuu, I have been unable to sustain it." So he knew about it, too. She'd thought it strange that the colours were so vibrant within the clearing compared to the rest of the castle grounds.

"But you've been able to survive by staying here?" Shippou snorted as if she was missing the punchline to a joke, causing her to frown.

"It is thanks to you I have survived at all," the tree mused. Limbs swayed, and he closed his eyes, appearing to bow. "My name is Bokuseno, advisor to his majesty, and forever in your debt."

Bokuseno? Why did that name ring a bell? Sunlight filtered through his leaves, and she turned her head to meet it, the memory of hiding within them taking hold.

The castle guards had cornered her, and she'd followed Shippou's advice to keep them from getting caught. Lithe branches had lifted her out of harm's way just in time, and being the impulsive teenager she was, she'd flared her power, creating a barrier around the grove in thanks. "Did I trap you here?" she asked, aghast.

Bokuseno chuckled. "Not in the slightest. Your barrier has kept the poison out, allowing me to flourish." He smiled softly. "Your power has been sustaining me since you left."