Just as they got to the tower, they stopped. Maura moved forward but was pulled back when Mokuba didn't move.

"What's wrong?"

"R-Ryo said not to go in there."

Maura looked back at Leichter, who'd slowed down but stayed close enough behind that they wouldn't get back to the castle.

"Well there's not much choice is there."

Mokuba looked back and nodded. Maura continued on. Mokuba gasped and quickly ran to catch up with her.

"M-Maura."

"What?"

Mokuba shook his head no.

Maura smiled. "You want to hold my hand?"

Mokuba nodded. Maura didn't argue; she just reached back and grabbed his hand. Mokuba grabbed her arm with his other hand. They slowly started to walk till they entered a room and froze when they saw two women sitting in the room.

"It's about time you got these brats here." Ita said.

"You sure took your sweet time about doing it, too." Malka said.

"It's not my fault!" Leichter said. "Don't be so impatient."

Just then, Crump walked in. "Yes, he's correct. We have been more than patient in trying to get rid of that kid."

"Yes, the last two we hired failed." Leichter said.

"Might we ask how?" Malka asked.

"The first it seemed had a fascination for women and killed several, but failed to kill him." Leichter said.

At that, Mokuba whimpered, squeezed Maura's hand and scooted closer. That explained to Maura one reason Mokuba was so frightened. He obviously knew one of the women that was killed.

"The second only succeeded in killing himself and wounding that Ryo guy, the one that's been watching these brats."

Ita walked over to Mokuba. "Do we have to kill him?" She asked as she ran her finger across his cheek causing him to whimper again and move his head away. "He's kind of cute. I'd like to keep him. After all he is a prince, who knows…"

"Idiot, what would you do with him if you could keep him? Besides, isn't he a little too young for that." Malka said.

"You never know." Ita said and ran her hand down Mokuba's chest causing him to whimper even more and moved behind Maura. "He'd just vanish. I could keep him. Even if I could never get pregnant he'd make a good play toy. Not to mention I know a lot of men and women alike that would love to pay big money for a kid like this."

That comment made Maura extremely mad and reached out and grabbed her hand and twisted it till it popped.

"You little bitch!" Ita said.

"What happened?" Malka asked.

"The little witch nearly broke my hand!" Ita said.

"Next time keep your hands off my little brother!" Maura said.

"I didn't think the little brat had been here long enough to get that attached." Crump said.

"We were told her stepmother was really the one hiring us to get rid of her, we were told she hadn't been here long." Malka said.

Maura was shocked, she knew her stepmother hated her but she never imagined she'd hire someone to kill her.

"I didn't think she was." Leichter said.

"Well let's get rid of her here and now! Then we can discuss the boy." Malka said and pulled out a knife. Then she approached Maura.

"I thought you agreed to make their deaths look like an accident." Leichter said.

"Don't worry by the time we're through it will look that way." Malka said.

As she longed towards Maura, Mokuba turned and threw his arms around her. Nosaka tried to protect him and he couldn't do anything to save her. Maura was doing what she could to protect him; he wasn't going to lose her too.

Malka didn't have time to react and stop from stabbing Mokuba in his shoulder. He cried out a little. After being beaten all his life, he'd learned not to cry out too much. This only angered the woman and started to cuss as she pulled the knife out.

Ita walked over and grabbed the knife. "Can't you do anything right? I'll show you how it's done." But when she tried to pull Mokuba away he refused to budge. He wasn't going to lose his new protector! "Sorry Malka, I'll have to hurt him more till he lets go, then we'll get him help and you can have your new chew toy."

Malka didn't like it but was at least happy that she wasn't going to kill Mokuba.

Maura quickly wrapped her arms around Mokuba as she saw the woman was going to stab him. The woman's knife pierced Maura's arm.

"Well it seems the little brats want to protect each other." Ita said.

"Hey what's going on in here?" a voice called out.

"We'd better get out before we get caught." Ita said.

"We'll be back!" Malka said and with that they both left with Crump not far behind.

Leichter walked further into the room when one of two people pushed him into the room. It turned out that the two people were Yugi and Joey. After what happened with the dragons and Pandora, Yugi had asked Dartz if he would be willing to train him. He agreed and Joey decided to stay with him. Now they were returning to the castle but hadn't learned of Maura just yet.

"What happened in here?" Yugi asked.

"Hey, isn't that Master Mokuba?" Joey questioned.

"I think so." Yugi said.

Joey carefully walked over to him and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Master Mokuba?"

Mokuba was crying but looked up and much to Maura's surprise broke away from her.

Yugi walked over to him. "Hey are you alright, Mokuba?"

Mokuba just nodded happy to see some friendly faces.

"No, he's not, he's been stabbed!" Maura said.

"Is that true Mokuba?" Yugi asked.

Mokuba nodded.

"And just who are you?" Joey asked.

Mokuba smiled. "T-This is M-Maura."

"So where are you hurt, Mokuba?" Yugi asked.

"His shoulder, he was trying to protect me and got stabbed." Maura said.

"Oh well turn around and let me see." Yugi said.

Mokuba did as he was told.

"Well that's not too bad but you will have to go get your bandages changed though."

Mokuba nodded as Yugi began to heal him.

'Bandages? I wonder if that has anything to do with his treatments. I'll take it that these two are friends of his and obviously they know what his treatments are about.' Maura thought. Angry at the fact that it seemed everyone around her knew what Mokuba's treatments were and what they were for but no one would tell her.

"There you go all better." Yugi said.

"T-thanks." Mokuba said, then ran over and pushed Maura closer. "C-Can you h-heal her too?"

"I'm fine." Maura said.

"And just how did you get stabbed?" Joey asked.

"S-She w-was pro-protec-protecting me." Mokuba said.

"Who are you two anyway?" Maura asked.

"S-sorry." Mokuba said. "T-this is Yugi and Joey. T-their m-my friends."

"So, exactly who are you supposed to be?" Joey asked.

Mokuba smiled brightly and said, "M-my b-big sister."