The Demon General Is My Ex's Little Sister novel · Chapter 11 of 24

Chapter 11: The Wall Tent

Sora came into the tent with his sword in its sheath and his hands open at his sides.

He had not brought a single soldier.

He stood just inside the flap, in his white and gold coat.

Looked at the tall woman in the plain tunic who had risen from the cot.

Rin stood beside her, fully dressed now, with her hand wrapped around Kaede's.

Nobody spoke.

Sora's mouth moved, but nothing came out.

"Hi, Sora," Kaede said.

His knees went.

He did not fall, exactly.

He sat down hard on the packed earth with his sword across his thighs.

He put both hands over his face.

"Kaede," he said, through his fingers. "Kaede. You're alive. You're alive."

"For two years."

"I looked for you everywhere."

"You looked in Tokyo."

"I looked in every hospital, every train station, I put your face on posters..."

He broke off, sobbing.

"Mom stopped getting out of bed."

Kaede's jaw worked.

She crossed the tent in three strides and dropped to her knees in front of him.

She hit him.

It was a short, hard punch to the shoulder, nowhere near his face.

Then she grabbed the front of his coat and hauled him into her arms, and they both cried.

Rin turned away and gave them the room.

She stood by the table and waited.

After a while Sora lifted his head and wiped his nose on his sleeve.

"They told me the Demon General ate prisoners," he said. "They told me she was a monster."

"I'm Kaede," Kaede said. "I'm the monster."

"You're not."

"I know. Sora, listen. Rin has something to show you."

Rin brought him the case.

He read the Edict first, then the top deed, then the card.

He read each twice.

His easy face went flat and still.

For the first time since she had known him, Rin saw him look like a grown man.

"Haibara," he said.

"Four thousand two hundred and twelve deeds."

"He told me the Reach was infested."

"He said the people were possessed."

Sora looked up at his sister.

"I killed men for him."

"I burned a village."

"You burned a barn," Kaede said. "I put the fire out."

"That's not funny."

"It's a little funny."

He laughed, and it cracked.

Then his gaze moved from Kaede's face to Rin's hand, still holding hers.

To the mark on Rin's neck, purple under her collar, and he went very still.

"Wait."

Nobody answered.

"Rin. Kaede." Sora pointed between them. "You two are..."

"Yes," said Rin.

"Together?"

"Yes."

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