The cold woke him. It was not the chill of the night. It was not the air conditioning. It was a deep, bone-level frost that had nothing to do with temperature. Kaito opened his eyes. The room was dark. The streetlights outside were off. The city was asleep. The clock on the desk read 3:00 A.M.
Yuki-Onna stood by the window. She did not touch the glass. She floated an inch above the floor. Her kimono was white. It moved without wind. Her hair was long. It flowed like water. Her eyes were pale blue. They were calm. They were terrified.
Kaito sat up. The sheets were frozen. The frost cracked under his weight. He did not shiver. He did not speak. He waited. The entity did not often manifest fully. She preferred the card. She preferred the whisper. If she was here, the threat was absolute.
Yuki-Onna said: "Whatever is directing the Hunger-Born has made a decision."
Kaito said: "What decision."
Yuki-Onna said: "I do not know. I only know the shift."
Kaito said: "When."
