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Chapter 32

A card whizzed past my ear, snipping into the tender skin as I ducked out of the way, lost my balance and rolled down the side of the hill that we had just climbed.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" I shrieked, spluttering up dirt and leaves as I forced myself to my battered and bruised knees. A scrape ran the width of my cheek, a dribble of fresh blood rolling down my jaw from the massive chunk of skin currently missing from my jaw. Apparently, this was a new game of ours.

Right when he got to the top of the hill, he had leaned over to me and whispered: "Are you tired, mousie?"

I had stared up at him, half suspicious and half distracted by the closeness of his body, the curve of his eyes as he smiled down at me smugly. "No?"

His grin grew. "Oh, good. This next part won't be too terrible for you then."

And before I could blink his hand was reaching out and I was being shoved so hard that I actually flew down the hill, landing with a loud whap on the first landing of an impressive array of hills. My side hurt. My nose stung from all the dirt I had just inhaled. Up at the top, I saw Minoru make a half-hearted swipe at Hisoka, the red-head batting him away with a playful tsk.

"You fucking bastard!" I snarled, shoving up from the ground so hard that two identical plooms of dirt sandwiched me. Up at the very top, Hisoka was still smiling, his teeth flashing in the glare of the setting sun.

Minoru's breath sawed from his maw, his eyes tired as he tried to stay upright against a nearby tree. Do you-?

No. He's not going to hurt me. I paused at the flick of a card, catching Minoru's raised brows before correcting myself. Not a lot.

Minoru had barely had the energy to walk up the ever inclining hills, his flank heaving as he tried to keep up. I had no clue why he still wasn't able to fly, the growing mystery becoming an increasingly mammoth problem. Aerial attacks had grown to be a good fallback, an even better asset to my survival since my height and weight were always such an issue. I still didn't fully understand why it was taking Minoru so long to recover, my own condition perfectly fine after Eimears treatment. And… my eyes flicked to where Hisoka was still staring down at me, his tongue rubbing predatorily along his lower lip. I wasn't willing to ask him any questions. I wasn't dumb and I refused to give up any more secrets than I already had to a man that seemed to be pruning me like a fruit tree in his backyard, waiting for the day that he could cut off all of my limbs and leave me bare.

"What the fuck are you trying to do, Hisoka?" I yelled up at him, taking note of the way that he set a delicate hand into the crook of his hips, that card flicking lazily between his long fingers. He looked like he was in his element again, his golden eyes glittering, lips curled up in a maddening smile. He had combed some sort of gel into his hair as we walked, his silence growing thicker and thicker as we cut our way through the dense growth of the mountainous region.

I had quilled any questions, sensing his mood and not wanting to press it too much. Still, I couldn't help growing a bit more flustered at every passing tree, every ridge of mountain that we hiked over. I was severely out of my depths and growing increasingly more aware of the fact that if he left me, I wasn't sure I would be able to find my way back to the dinky tour bus that we had gotten off from.

"A little lesson," he called back cheerily and all of a sudden the slim, deadly shine of a playing card flashed between each of his fingers. He smirked as I tensed, hunching a bit as I tried to weigh whether I should split for the safety of the trees or stay and bet my chances on the fact that he liked me enough to keep me alive. My stomach dropped as I realized how little faith I had in the latter. "Speed has always been your area of expertise - it's where you excel. Frankly speaking, you know this and you lean on it a bit too much." His eyes flashed, turning the color of clear honey being drained in the glare of the sun, the cards flaring out like a bird preening. "What happens when you're ability to fly and your speed are taken away?"

He was crippling me. A dribble of sweat leaked down my spine, my throat constricting. He was crippling me and enjoying the process. My eyes drifted along the steep incline, gut tightening even more at the pockets of loose rock. Trees were cocooning the small footpath that had been created, the sun blinding just behind Hisoka. He hadn't only taken away my main resource, he had all but blinded me. It would be near impossible to see those cards coming when the sun where it was right now. And there was another thing that I was going to be a problem: I had lied about being tired.

"The game is simple." The innocent sound of cards skimming across skin accented his words. "You try and get to me before Illumi gets here. If you do… well, we can negotiate on rewards." He purred the last part, looking delighted at the prospect of giving me presents in return for a job well done.

"Do you want me to be flayed open again so soon?" I gritted out between bared teeth, trying to force my irritation down. He needed to stop controlling my emotions. He was too good at it.

"I won't aim for anything vital." The cards flared out, creating a deadly fan. "Yet."

Joy. We would be playing this more than once.

That was how I found myself at the bottom once more, my shoulder and ribs throbbing in a way that reminded me of how broken I had been just a day ago. I was… a shriek worked its way from my gut, crawling up my spine before tearing apart my throat and ripping from my mouth. I wanted to rage - I was beyond tired, dirty and hated this - this feeling. Like I knew that when I got up it would be a repeat. Like I knew exactly where he would take me down: halfway up the hill. And even worse than that was the fact that I knew he was toying with me.

Just as he had promised, none of the cards had come anywhere close to puncturing my chest or head. Even when I had moved to dodge them it was as if he knew where I would go, how my body would move. He was unerringly diligent and frustratingly accurate in every single thing he did.

"You know you look quite attractive from this angle." I snarled at the teasing lilt to his words, the way his eyes dipped to take in my fuming form, hunched over and panting at the bottom of the hill. His eyes seemed darker from down here, heavy-lidded as another card flicked between his fingers.

I forced myself to straighten, ignoring the way my muscles moaned for me to stop. Sweetness coated every one of my syllables as I grinned up at him, the edges of my smile feeling too sharp. "Come down here and see if you still think so up close."

Arrogance hooked a single brow, his smile growing deadly. "Tempting. But I don't particularly want to roll around in the mud with you at the moment, pet."

Another snarl tore from my throat, the urge to storm up there and rip that cocky little head right off his body making me spin away. I needed to get myself under control. Anger shook my hands, making me almost dizzy. I had never had this problem. Not before… I gulped, shutting my eyes against the image of those last moments on the boat with my brothers. The way they had smiled at me. The way they had trusted me. Something inside of me crumbled a little bit, a wall disintegrating and releasing with it all of my control. Control that I needed. I wouldn't cry. I wouldn't give the bastard that killed them the satisfaction of my tears.

Air rushed into my lunges, cold and unforgiving. Slowly, I straightened, forcing down those emotions with a cruelty that some would only hope for their enemies. I clung to it, building up whatever I had let slip in those few seconds between my last breath and now.

"Will you be breaking down often, pet?" The nickname suddenly made me furious.

"I'm not your pet," I spat, turning back to glare up at the hill. "Let's go again."

His eyes flashed in the dimming light but I was too far away to see them clearly. He didn't hesitate when I stepped up to the very edge of where the hill started from the level ridge. The first card was easy enough to dodge - it had been this whole time. My feet skidded in the dirt, creating a pocket of soil and I took off, dodging a second one as I tried to keep my body moving even as my limbs threatened to give out. I wanted to rest. I wanted to lay down and go to sleep, maybe let Minoru roll me into a nearby stream so I didn't smell like sweat and dirt and the fried chicken that Hisoka had gotten us earlier that day.

The lush material of my coat tore open, sending the inside fuzz cascading out along with the first spurt of blood from the new wound at my bicep. It was superficial. I glanced up, catching the calculated tip of Hisoka's eyes as he watched me push off from the dirt, spinning to avoid a second attack to my side. It was superficial because he wanted it to be that way.

My foot slipped, creating another ploom of dirt. Rocks and gravel got into my eye, my earlier attempts coming back to bite me in the ass as my toe broke through the soft patches of dirt again. All of my runs for the top had started to wear down the trodden path. Pain zinged along my hand, another card narrowly avoiding taking off one of my fingers as I dove to the side, forcing my body to push off and get a couple of inches further.

I was halfway there again. This was where he would - five cards flew through the air and I jumped, twisting as I dodged the first three and then wincing as I hit the ground hard. Gravel and rocks rained down around me, christening me with grime. My thigh muscles burned, the wounds along my body becoming less of an inconvenience and more of an actual problem as I tried to keep myself moving.

75% there. I danced to the side, another card slicing through the side of my boots. I needed… I needed a distraction. I jumped the side, slamming my fist into the ground with enough force for the nearby trees to give an answering quiver. The air became thick with dirt, rocks, and muck blanketing the air and making it hard for me to see.

And for anyone else to see either.

Muscles I didn't know I had screamed, my legs starting to cramp as I forced my body to go faster, propelling me up the hill and to the top.

I had made it. My legs quivered, giving out on me and sending me crashing to the ground as I heaved out air, trying to draw in a full breath. God, I wanted to go to sleep. I shut my eyes, tired beyond belief. I couldn't believe that worked. It shouldn't have. If he was taking me seriously-

The sharp tip of something deadly pressed to the vulnerable skin of my throat. "You're dead." I would kill him. The heat of the sun cooled as Hisoka leaned over me, grinning down at my heaving, sweating form. "I'll give you a moment to collect yourself before going back down."

"I made it to the top," I spat, unable to do anything more than glare up at him, every single muscle in my body shaking with fatigue. I couldn't do that again. Not today. "You said-"

"I said that you needed to come to me," he supplied cheerily, dragging a single finger along my throat, the car following swiftly behind like the tail of a stingray. " Did you come to me?" He stared at me pointedly. "Or did you get to the top of the hill?"

I didn't know what to say. An argument bubbled along the tip of my tongue, pushing against my lips. I wanted so badly to tell him he could shove it. To strangle the ever-living life out of him. But, goddamit he was right.

I could try to rip out his throat, Minoru suggested half-heartedly, blinking tiredly at me from his place under a nearby tree. He had been asleep for the duration of my little game with Hisoka and still looked like he could take another nap. He would be an absolute tragedy in a fight right now.

We both know how that would go, I replied bitterly, already forcing myself up to my hands and knees. The way my arms and legs were shaking, I didn't know if I could even make it to the bottom of the hill, much less -

"You brought a girl." My whole body stilled, the monotone voice of someone who had approached completely silently making my stomach cramp. I hadn't even suspected that someone was coming upon us. My eyes darted to where Hisoka was crouching, his big body lax, a pleasant smile crinkling his eyes to slits. He had known, I realized. Known and by the way that his gaze flicked to me, had been seeing if I would know as well. My stomach clenched to the point of pain.

My gaze slowly moved from where Hisoka crouched, nearly blocking me from the person who had come into our group. Behind me, I heard Minoru shift to his feet. There was an almost fragile shape to the man's face, wide dark eyes staring impassively over at me as if I was a bug that had wandered into his path - not particularly surprised or emotional about my presence at all. Long ebony hair cascaded down his shoulders and to his waist, framing a face that was as pale as the moon. He was hypnotic in his beauty, frightening in his emptiness.

"That's the person you told me to stay away from," I realized, catching sight of the yellow pins piercing through his green vest. He had been in the exams. He had been the one Gon had been holding just before I had come into the room. Now I couldn't help watching him warily, shadowing Hisoka as he stood. Maybe if I hadn't been spending every day in his company the tension in his shoulders might have slipped past me, the only indication of unease being the feral flash of his teeth as he stared at the man approaching.

"You should stay away from him," he mused, watching the man's approach closely. "But we'll make an exception since I'm here."

The pinned man blinked slowly, his eyes tracking me in a way that made me feel unbearably vulnerable. "You don't usually keep other people around."

Hisoka's smirk grew into a full grin. "I have tons of friends, Illumi."

The man - Illumi - blinked once more. "You kill your friends."

That sounds promising, Minoru sighed from behind me, keeping a safe distance.

"Doesn't mean I didn't have them to begin with." Hisoka's head tipped to the side, his eyes narrowing. "Shouldn't you be a bit more worried about that fact?"

Illumi ignored the question, leaning around where Hisoka's body blocked most of me from view. "You were in the hunter's exam." His hand slowly raised, making my stomach clench anxiously. Was he-? "Your hair's very similar to my brother's."

Before I could even blink, Hisoka's hand whipped out, slapping Illumi's reaching fingers away from me with such force that his whole body jerked. His smile was absolutely feral, his eyes nearly closed. "No touching."

Illumi blinked, flexing his fingers impassively. "You've never done that before."

"I don't like people touching what's mine."

"I'm not yours," I cut in, disturbed at the declaration.

They both ignored me.

"You've never been possessive like this before," Illumi mused and Hisoka's shoulders rolled.

"I'm possessive of a lot of things. That boy from the exams was rather interesting."

"There's interested and then there's this."

Hisoka's head tilted a bit more, his eyes cracking open as a sudden calculation ticked across his face. "Your brother was interesting as well."

Everything stilled, the air around us seeming to react as I saw the first flash of emotions darken Illumi's already ebony eyes. His face twisted, body rolling with sudden rage. It was like watching a tsunami meet the stillness of land, magnificent and terrifying. His words rang with calm fury, murderous intent dripping from every syllable. A low growl signaled Minoru's approaching, his hackles raising as he sidled up beside me.

Birds took flight, cawing frantically as the very air around Illumi rippled and darkened. "I… will kill you. Right here. Right now."

It would have bowled anyone over. The murderous intent was enough to send me shifting a bit closer to Hisoka, shielding myself against the sudden violence. It was awe-inspiring. It made it hard to breathe. In front of me, Hisoka's body adjusted, moving so that I was completely behind him, his presence all-encompassing.

"Put your bloodlust away," Hisoka purred silkily. "You're scaring my pet."

"Not your pet," I forced out, trying to stop the uncontrollable shaking that was quickly taking over my whole body.

"Never talk about Killua again." Shock zinged through me, the image of the little kid running along beside Gon flashing across my mind. They were brothers?

"Your wish is my command," Hisoka replied smoothly, watching closely as Illumi let out a breath and turned, his eyes searching the trees. "Where are they?"

"Still at the gates," Illumi murmured his voice back to the emotionless drone of a machine. Who were they talking about? "I doubt that they'll get to Killua anytime soon."

The only people… My mind whirled slowly, putting pieces together. "Gon and his friends are here?"

Hisoka smirked down at me. "A heartfelt attempt to rescue Killua from the evils of his family."

Illumi sighed. "They won't make it past the front gate. Our family estate isn't one that's easily entered."

My brows furrowed, trying and failing to determine what that meant. Were they rich? I had robbed enough people to know that that in itself was enough to make people try very inventive ways to get into a building. At a loss, my gaze drifted to Hisoka, wanting to ask the question but unable to show how utterly lost I was.

Fortunately, he seemed to be able to read my mind. "Killua and Illumibelong to a family of assassins. Their home is a tourist attraction but rarely has anyone gotten to the mansion alive."

My eyes drifted to the elegant frame of the man in front of me. Assassins were a fantasy to me, whimsical and far-fetched. A lot of things were fantasy before the hunter's exams. Now I was beginning to think that fairy tales belonged to the poor.

Illumi had apparently lost interest in us, his attention straying to what was just over the hill. He strayed a bit closer, his eyes running over whatever lay below in quiet contemplation.

"Why did you bring me here?" I whispered, keeping a watchful eye on the man just a few feet away.

Hisoka turned, his body taking up what little light remained in the setting sun. His golden eyes had warmed to warm honeycombs, deceptively appealing. "Kukuroo Mountain has a lot of secrets and you would do well to learn from them. That includes Illumi. A house of assassins is as good a place to train as any other."

My brows rose. Minoru made a soft huffing sound beside me, his face every bit as incredulous as my own. He can't really expect us to go into that death trap, can he?

"I'll be training with the Zoldycks?" The very thought filled me with dread.

"No." He grinned. "You'll be training in the woods and mountains around the actual estate. And if I know Illumi, he'll grow interested enough to oversee some of your lessons."

My mouth thinned at the thought. "You told me not to go near him."

"I told you not to go near him outside of my presence," he corrected and his voice had gone so soft that I wasn't sure if he was trying to play some terrible trick on me. I watched him warily as he leaned down, his breath ghosting along my cheek. "Promise me you'll stay by my side this entire time."

The very thought made the hairs on my nape raise with suspicion. This was a trap. That had to be. Still… my eyes drifted to just over his shoulder, catching the rigid form of Illumi as he stared over that ridge. I trusted Hisoka more than this man. And more than that, I trusted that it was in his best interest to keep me alive.

I agreed.

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