Everyone stared at me with confusion.

"What do you mean this isn't my daughter? If this isn't her, were is she?"

"The demon used another womans body and placed a part of your daughter's soul inside of it, making the body look like hers. As for your daughter's whereabouts, she's somewhere in the palace since a piece of her soul is here."

"What does that mean," The lord yelled out.

"It means," Sango said, "that without the other half of your daughter's soul, your daughter can't go far."

"So how do we find her?"

I looked to Sango for an answer but Kohaku beat her to it.

"Most likely the demon can look like a normal servant or even you, sir. There's no way of knowing for sure where he's keeping her."

"I see," The lord said, "very well then. You are free to stay if you'd like. Please find my daughter, I'll pay you however much you require." With that he left. Rin ran up to me and grabbed my hand.

"Kagome, how did you figure it out," Rin asked. I stuck out my tongue and smiled down at her.

"A priestess never reveals her secrets to kids."

"But I'm not a little kid anymore," she said with a pout. I stood up and stretched before walking out of the room for air.

I wish Miroku were here so that he could purify the place. I can only do about three rooms at a time.

"Kagome." I didn't turn to face him at all but I didn't move away from him either.

"Kagome, you did really well in there."

"Thanks, I've practiced a lot." He nodded and we sat in uncomfortable silence.

"Kagome, please believe me when I say that I wasn't going to go with her this time. I admit, she got to me at first but then I remembered you and-"

"So you admit that you have feelings for her then," I said sadly.

Kagome, I..."

"It's fine, InuYasha. I was just being silly before. I should have trusted you'd be with me."

InuYasha

"Don't be stupid! I shouldn't have went to her in the first place," I shouted.

"I said it was fine you idiot," she yelled back, "you wanted to see she was alive with your own eyes and I get that! I just got jealous is all!"

"Jealous? You expect me to believe that it was just jealousy?"

"Yeah, because it was!"

"I don't buy it at all."

"Yeah well I don't care!" She stormed off and I glared at her.

"Why does she always have to be so difficult!" I looked to the room of the lords daughter and saw everyone was watching us, including my brother.

"What are you all looking at," I yelled before jumping away from them. I followed Kagome's scent to make her tell me what was wrong. When I caught up with her, I saw her speaking with a guy with long black hair and fake smiling. I hid in the bushes to catch their conversation.

"I'm fine really, thanks for your concern though," she told him.

Your not fine Kagome!

"Is it the man you were speaking with earlier?"

"You heard all of that, huh? Sorry."

"Its quite alright. Although, the entire palace is probably talking about the two of you by now." Kagome was on her hands and knees now in disbelief.

"Really? No way!" The guy laughed and she pouted.

"My apologies but didn't like seeing such a lovely girl sad like this." I watched her blush as she sat back down and looked away from him.

Who is this guy messing with my Kagome? Reminds me of that stupid wolf boy Koga!

The guy stood up and brushed himself off.

"Well, I best be going. As the head keeper of the palace I must make sure that things are in order for our guest."

"Okay, see ya around I guess," she said as she gave him a semi fake smile and waved him off. She stood herself and yawned before looking up at the sky. My breath almost stopped when I looked at her and saw Kikiyo once more, just like I had saw her all those years ago. I stood and was about to go to her but stopped myself and snapped out of it.

Did I just... picture Kagome was Kikyo?

Kagome

The keeper of the palace, Donmaru, was kind to us the entire night, even to Sesshomaru and InuYasha who just glared at him constantly. At dinner, Donmaru asked if I would like more tea and when he went to pour it, InuYasha stopped him and poured it for me himself. Donmaru asked me if my food was to my liking and Sesshomaru said that it was mediocre. I expected that to come from InuYasha but for Sesshomaru to do it was rather odd. After dinner we went to the palace hot springs and had a nice soak.

"Kagome," Sango said, "may I ask whats been bothering you?"

"Huh? Oh its nothing, just me being silly thats all."

"If InuYasha-"

"Well this was a nice bath and all but I think I'm heading in early." I did a fake yawn and got out of the hot spring.

"Don't stay in long, Rin."

"Okay!"

I felt Sango's stare but ignored it and kept walking. When I was finally outside I let out a breath I was holding.

Sango knows me better than anyone so I suppose I can't hid anything from her. But still...

I woke up to movement in the room and saw Rin was still sleeping with me soundly. With my abilities I sensed someone was coming and quickly grabbed my weapon and aimed at the door. First was the footsteps and then I saw a silhouette. When the door opened I was going to let go of the arrow but stopped just in time.

"Sesshomaru? What are you-"

"Be silent," he demanded. For some reason I did as he said and watched him come closer. His gaze went down to watch Rin and he took a seat in front of us.

"Her night terrors have decreased since being with humans," he said in his usual cold and calm voice. I looked down at Rin myself and brushed a hair away from her face.

"Rin's come a long way. She never did explain her bad dreams to me but I did try to help her sometimes." I layed back down and got comfortable looking at Sesshomaru.

"Is that all you came for?"

"No, I realized that no one was watching over this room properly. Your skills have improved but they are still mediocre."

"I don't know whether or not to feel insulted so I'll just ignore it." I turned to my side and hugged Rin close like I've done Shippo in the past. I missed the little fox demon terribly.

Just as I was about to go back to sleep, I felt a heavy demonic aura surround the room. I quickly stood to my feet this time and shot and arrow on the walls and the middle of the floor, for now this was the only way I could create barriers. Sango must have felt it too because she put on her mask and picked up her Hiradikos.

"Kagome!"

"I know!" I felt the barrier was about to break so I sat down and closed my eyes. I let out a deep breath and concentrated on strengthening the barrier."

The room shook and growls of pain could be heard. I felt multiple demons trying to enter the room but they couldn't.

"Kagome? Whats going on?" I ignored Rin and concentrated harder, using everything I had in me.

"Iron Reaper Soul Stealer!" Suddnely the pressure decreased and some of the demons had left. After a few moments all of the demons were gone.

"Kagome, are you alright? Hey, say something!"

"InuYasha," I whispered out before feeling drained and falling to the ground. I heard my name being called but couldn't answer, I was completely exhausted.

Sesshomaru

I caught the woman before she fell and watched the barrier weaken once more. Her companion rushed over and tried to help but there was nothing we could do, the miko was exhausted from using most of her spiritual power. InuYasha burst into the room with Kohaku and his pet and he froze seeing her.

"What did you do? Hey Kagome, answer me!"

"InuYasha, she's sleeping," the woman said to him, "she must have over did it a bit."

"Well, from what I've seen its not a trap," Kohaku stated, "the lord and his family are all sleeping."

"What of the servants," Sango asked.

"Thats who we just fended off but they disappeared," he said.

The woman in my arms stirred a bit but no one took notice. InuYasha was no longer concerned with the weak miko and instead explained what they've witness. Without being noticed I put Kagome in her sleeping sack before going to do some searching of my own.