It had been days and the only thing I knew was going to happen was my death. I stepped into the living room to find Kyle standing there.

"Is it time?" I muttered as he handed me a silk red slip. I walked into the bathroom locking the door as the tears I had fought off for so long won rushing down my face. I was going to die and there was no way to stop it. I wasn't going to have the safety net of Magnus. How I longed for Eric's embrace as I sobbed. My child and I weren't going to live past the night.

"Sapphire open up," Kyle whispered as I stayed sitting on the tile floor.

"I'm fine I'll be out in a minute," I said making my voice as steady as possible. Kyle leaned against the door. I pulled the dress on trying to keep it in.

"I can feel your pain Sapphire and I want to help," Kyle said as I faced the door pulling it open. He looked at me sadly wiping the tears away. "I tried but I couldn't stop this," he said wrapping his arms around me his lips brushing my cheek.

"I," he put his finger against my lips.

"I know you have a fiancé who you love I just needed to make sure you were okay," Kyle mumbled as I looked at him. "I don't know how but you changed me. I used to feel nothing but you changed that, you made me feel something," Kyle said as I looked at him. "This is how I know you are meant for so much more."

"I wish there was a way to beat this but there isn't," I said as he paused and I could see he was thinking of a solution.

"I know we could get married, Dedrick would never hurt you if we were family," Kyle said as my mouth hung open.

"But I love Eric," I murmured as he shook his head.

"It wouldn't have to be real just real enough for him to back off," Kyle said as I looked at my engagement ring. I hoped Eric would understand a fake marriage was my only chance. I wrapped my arms around Kyle.

"Kyle is she," Dedrick froze seeing us hugging before pulling me to my feet. "Oh Kyle you must explain."

"Dedrick let her go," Kyle said as he smirked.

"I don't see the appeal, she reeks of kindness," Dedrick snapped as I winced.

"Dedrick she will be loyal to us you just can't hurt her family. In fact I asked her to marry me," Kyle said as Dedrick stared at him in shock.

"You can't honestly think she wants you," he growled before launching Kyle out a window releasing me. I ran toward the edge finding him falling quickly. I quickly launched myself over the side diving toward him. My arms wrapped around him as I tapped into my magic slowing our fall. We landed softly on the ground Kyle catching me before I fell on the ground.

"Come with me I know where you will be safe," Kyle said as we ran down the street hundreds of people staring at us. We were drawing too much attention to vanish like this.

"Kyle there are too many people how are we supposed to lose Dedrick," I said as he faced me teleporting us to the place he referred to.

"Where are we?" I asked wandering around the room so dark I couldn't see. I gasped as a fire lit the room. We were completely surrounded by the Brotherhood of Malum. "Kyle stay behind me!"

"Kyle come," Dedrick laughed as Kyle strode forward.

"Did I do well?" Kyle asked as I was grabbed.

"Yes my soon to be heir to the throne. You will get great pleasure in the kill as a reward," Dedrick smiled as I struggled against their hold. I tapped into the baby's magic tossing one guy off me. Before I was gripped by two more guys. It was pointless to fight against Dedrick's army but still I fought but not for myself but for Eric and Josh, the twins. I struggled as they tied a necklace riddled with dark magic around my throat.

"Don't fight its stupid," Kyle laughed but I only became more determined as he betrayed me and I was dumb enough to trust him.

"Is this what you got as a reward for betraying me, keys to the kingdom? I will fight and I will win because I have something to fight for!" I growled as he laughed.

"Feisty in the face of death I love it," Dedrick laughed as I was pinned to a sacrificial table that hummed with magic. Kyle held a knife with a symbol on it and I felt a memory surfacing. I had seen this symbol before.

Flashback

"Brie stop moving," Dedrick said with a smile. He scooped me into his arms setting me on the couch. "This is important because it just may save your life, this knife is blessed by our family and as long as you don't fight it can't touch you my little girl. You are so special."

---

"Brie I'm getting you away from here just be quiet," my mother said putting me into the car. "You won't be safe here but you will be elsewhere. Now I'm going to call you Natalie."

End of flashback

I wasn't Natalie but Brie the lost daughter of Malum. I relaxed hoping my father wouldn't lie to me. Dedrick looked at me briefly in confusion then with pleasure, little did he know he was trying to kill his daughter. I looked at the knife the alchemy symbol for death making fear rush through me. It urged me to fight but I held back and instead looked at my father. He looked so different, time had aged him and the more I watched him the more I saw the pain hidden deep inside his anger. He was broken and alone, no one deserved that.

"What are you trying to do?" Dedrick, my father, snapped as a tear slipped down my face.

"Proving my loyalty," I whispered as the blade was plunged downward racing toward my heart. If he lied I was dead but for both of us I hoped he told the truth...