Clean Water: Chapter 84

Castra held her hands behind her and waited for Elmina to come back over the monorail. It arrived, and Castra watched, but Elmina did not come out. A man approached them. He had shaggy black hair and a pale face, and eyes that slanted like Elmina’s. “Are you Cassie?” the man asked.

Um, yes,” Castra responded, confused. “Who are you?”

“I’m Haru Kazume. Elmina’s brother.”

“Oh. Elmina isn’t…”

“No. She’s staying to work on some house or something. She said you’d give me a room.”

Lilly approached them. “Lilly,” Castra said, “you’re supposed to be at the inn.”

“Some woman came. She says Luna died of heart trouble. She left us her house. She left a note saying she wanted to pay for the damages of her daughter.”

“The fuck?” Haru asked.

“It’s complex,” Castra said. “Lilly, aren’t there papers to sign?”

“Yeah.”

Castra turned to Haru. She gave him the key to their room at the inn. “Can you wait for us in our room?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“There’s…” Castra fell silent as she recognized the muscles on the man. He had the body of a warrior. He looked like a man who lifted boxes. He looked like a strong man in the sunset. “There’s bits in there. Please stay until we get back. We shouldn’t be long.”

“Okay. What room number is it?”

“One-seventy-seven.”

“Okay.” Then the two parted. Chills shivered along Castra’s back. She immediately fell in love with the man.