Chapter 3

The fortress where Hiei was being kept didn't look like much. A crumbling castle with a spiked-filled moat greeted Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, and Kohaku. "This is it?" Kuwabara laughed. "Maze Castle looked more menacing than this."

"Appearances can be deceiving, Kuwabara," came Kurama's retort. "We'd better take them seriously, no matter what their home looks like."

"Hiei's uncle is the leader of the family, and his children are raised ruthless and powerful. Plus he's bound to have a few allies or henchmen with him," Kohaku added.

"So tell me, Kohaku: What exactly does Hiei's uncle think his father wants?" Yusuke asked. He'd been a little shocked when Kurama had explained Kohaku's history to him. However, it didn't come as a surprise that she'd demanded to come with them. Even though she looked more like a cat demon, he could see that she and Hiei definitely had the same attitude about enemies. Kuwabara had mostly kept his mouth shut around her, and Yusuke had decided not to tell him about the family ties.

"He thinks they want to take over the family business. He runs an assassin guild, but as far as Hiei's father is concerned, his brother can have it."

"Gee, maybe Hiei would fit in better than we thought," Kuwabara teased. Kohaku glared at him, her eyes taking on a redder sheen to them.

"My- Friend is not a murderer, no matter what you might think." She'd almost slipped and said "brother", which Yusuke had warned her not to do. Kuwabara had a hard time keeping secrets, and this wasn't something she wanted him blabbing to everyone, especially Hiei. He might take it the wrong way and turn his back on Kohaku before he knew her, and she wanted to avoid that.

"Kuwabara, don't start with her."

"But Urameshi-"

"I don't want to hear it. Once we get into the castle we'll split up and look for Hiei. First one to find him, call the others on the communication mirrors, got it?" They all held up their own mirrors in response. "Good. Now, how are we gonna cross this spiky moat-thing? I don't see a bridge." Kurama began chuckling as he uncoiled his whip.

"Yusuke, you haven't changed. I can swing across by hooking around the spikes above the door." The door he referred to was a good thirty feet away, and if the fifty-foot drop didn't kill them, the spikes that lined the bottom of the pit probably would.

"Actually, there's no need to do that," Kohaku argued. She pulled a small crystal rod from behind her back and tapped it against her boot twice. It lengthened into a five-foot staff, and the two ends were actually diamond points. Walking up to the edge of the pit, Kohaku lightly tapped the air with one of the points, and a plink was heard. "Thick glass forms a thin bridge across, but unless you know it's there, you can't see it."

"So how do we know where it's safe to cross?" Yusuke asked. A moment later Kohaku held a small fireball in her hand and placed it on the bridge. As she walked, it moved ahead of her.

"Follow me, but walk slowly. The glass can be slippery." Kurama shrugged and walked after her, followed by Yusuke, who dragged Kuwabara behind him. Once across the bridge, the fireball smoked out, and they entered the door to the castle, keeping sharp eyes open for guards. "Most everyone will still be training, or in a meeting. That's this guy's usual practice when a challenge or some such fight has been called."

"How do you know?"

"You think I came here unprepared? Hiei's father told me what to expect, and he was a partner to his brother. He just decided long ago that he was a lover, not a fighter."

"How ironic that his children seem to be mostly fighters," Kurama mused.

"Sign of the times, I suppose."

"All right, let's split up here. I'll try and find the training areas and see if Hiei is there. Kuwabara, head upstairs and find the spare rooms."

"I'll be in the dungeons," Kurama told him.

"Fine. Kohaku, you're with me."

"Very well." The group split up, and the black-haired demon followed Yusuke through the main part of the castle. "You don't trust me, do you?" she asked after a few minutes of silent searching.

"Is it that obvious? I know you're Hiei's sister and all, but you could be leading us into a trap."

"If you really thought I was going to do that, why have everyone split up? It's easier to take out a single target." Yusuke stopped then, turning to stare at her.

"That's the kind of answer Hiei would've given me."

"You were testing me." So she'd known all along. He wondered what other things this girl knew or could do. They kept moving through the halls, still on the lookout for anyone. The fact that no one seemed to be around was starting to bother Yusuke.

"I guess I was. Look, all that matters is getting Hiei back. I'll apologize later."

"Don't apologize at all. I would've done the same thing, whether you knew Kurama or not."

"Speaking of that, how do you know him, anyway? Kurama never really talks about his past much."

"A lady never kisses and tells, Yusuke. Besides, if Kurama wants you to know what happened, he'll tell you."

"That's a longer way of saying your brother's favorite expression."

"Which is?"

"Hn." Kohaku chuckled softly, hoping she would soon meet this brother who seemed to be more like her than any of her other siblings. Suddenly the two of them heard a soft beep, and Yusuke quickly fished the communication mirror out of his pocket. "Yusuke here, go ahead."

"Yusuke, I think I've found Hiei. He's in one of the cells in the basement. I'm going to get him out."

"We'll meet you down there," Kohaku said as she turned and sped down the hallway, leaving Yusuke to call Kuwabara. Finally, something was going right.

Hiei had no idea how long he'd been kept prisoner, but it seemed like years. Every day he was visited by Hashi, who demanded his allegiance and cooperation. At first Hiei had fought back with everything he had, yet nothing seemed to work. Even the power of the Dragon hadn't stopped Hashi, and only Bui had ever been able to survive a direct attack of that magnitude. But the telepath seemed immortal, and he took his frustrations out on the smaller demon, whipping him without mercy until Hiei would collapse. Then they would allow his body to partially heal, only to come back and start the process over. "This ends today," Hiei whispered, looking around the cell. A cup of water was on a small table, along with a piece of rancid meat. However, something else on the table forced Hiei to push himself to his feet despite his aching back. There was a knife lying on the table, as if one of the guards had forgotten it. "Perfect." His fingers grasped the knife and pulled it close, hiding it in the tatters of his shirt. Wetness seeped down his back, and he knew the whip marks from yesterday were bleeding again. Suddenly he heard footsteps, and a key was inserted in the lock to his door. Slowly, Hiei turned and lay down on the stone floor, clutching the knife tightly to his chest. He would only get one chance, and he needed to kill Hashi if he ever hoped to escape. The white-clad figure strode through the door, smirking down at the fire demon.

"Hiei? Are you all right?" he asked, coming closer. The black-haired demon didn't move, listening as his target walked nearer.

"It's time to go," Hashi continued. "Looks like I'll have to carry you." Arms encircled him, and Hiei's eyes snapped open, and for a brief instant met gray ones. Then the knife was moving, and it slid into soft flesh as the arms trembled and air rushed from the man's lips. And then, as Hiei backed away, he saw the white hair bleed to red, and the clothes shift into a red school uniform. And the eyes- which had been gray just a moment before, became a green like that of lush grass. "Hiei?" Kurama gasped, clutching at the knife protruding from his stomach. "Why?" And then he collapsed, and a scream echoed through the room. Hiei's legs gave out from underneath him, and darkness ate away at his vision. The last thing he saw was a strange dark-haired girl run towards Kurama, a look of horror on her face.