The Hikoboshi Series

Three years later… “Hurry up, Yumi. They’ll be here any moment!”

Akari’s fox trots out of the sitting room and chitters at my feet. “You think?” I ask him, and he stops and stares at me.

I turn my senses back up to full. I want to hear every blade of grass, every breath of every insect, every flap of a bird’s wing.

This was such a bad idea. I close my eyes and count the moments until we’re free of this cold, dark place.

My heart skips a beat at seeing him standing in the doorway. I close my eyes and say a silent thanks to Yoshi for giving me back my emotions.

“We’ll be out of your hair soon. Another two to three hours at most.” I turn to Rikki and offer him my hand to shake.

No one notices me when I slip into the Kazenoho headquarters two hours later. The room is a mess of people, with groups in every corner.