My New Boss at the Yokai Pharmacy Is a Fox Who Cannot Lie novel · Chapter 14 of 24

Chapter 14: What Do You Want

Haruna waited until the shop was empty.

She did not want forty spirits listening, and she did not want Natsuki to see her shake.

At first light the door turned back into a wall, and the clients drifted away down the alley with their gifts of ice and tea.

The thermometer read forty-three point two.

Natsuki had fallen asleep sitting up, with her cheek against the bedpost and a wet cloth still in her hand.

Tsukumo lay curled on the tatami.

Haruna sat on the edge of the cedar bed and took Kuzunoha's hand in both of hers.

It was hot, and dry, and the nails were faintly blue.

"You're awake," she said.

"I've been awake for a while." Kuzunoha's voice was a rasp. "I was listening to your sister snore."

"She doesn't snore."

"She does. It's rather sweet."

Haruna laughed, and it came out wet.

Then she took off her glasses, because she wanted to see this clearly.

"I think I know what's wrong with you," she said.

Kuzunoha's eyes sharpened a little.

"The rule of the shop is that a medicine only works when the patient hears the truth. You told me that in the first week."

"I did."

"So I'm going to tell you the truth about your illness, and then I'll write the prescription."

"Please."

"You aren't sick, exactly. The fever is a price. You pay it every night you don't say something."

Kuzunoha said nothing.

"In forty years every spirit in this alley has asked you what they need. I did it too, on my first night. I asked what the fever was, and what to take, and how to help."

"You did."

"So tonight I'm asking the other half."

Kuzunoha's hand tightened on hers.

"That's the whole illness," Haruna said. "It's a question that was never asked, and you can't answer unless someone does."

The room was very quiet.

A tiny line of sweat had finally appeared on Kuzunoha's forehead, and Haruna wiped it with her sleeve.

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