I woke alone in Van's bed. I got up walking around his room before stepping into the hallway to find him. I walked into the room where the party was only to find Van talking to a girl. I could see it in her eyes that she thought she was something to him.

"So are you going to call me later?" She asked grinning at him. I looked at his expression and it was perfectly clear he wanted her to go away. I marched forward wrapping my arms around him resting my head on his shoulder.

"Coming back to bed?" I asked as the woman fixed me with an icy gaze.

"Back? You don't honestly expect me to think you shared a bed last night," the woman snapped as I shrugged.

"Fine don't believe me but we did sleep together last night, ask a guard if you don't believe me!" I said as she turned storming off.

"I can't believe you just did that," Van laughed putting his arm on my waist.

"It's true though," I laughed.

"I have business but your brother will protect you. He's my best guard," Van said softly.

"Will you be long?" I couldn't hide my disappointment that I wouldn't be spending the day with him.

"Tell you what. Get dressed in something fresh and come with me," Van said as Lane led me back to my room. I walked into the room facing Lane.

"What should I wear?" I asked as Lane handed me a purple mermaid dress with diamond spaghetti straps. I walked into the bathroom pulling the dress on fixing my hair before making my way back to where we left Van. I stopped in the doorway when I saw he was talking to the guards.

"No one gets to her do you hear me!" Van growled harshly. "No repeat of last night she's too important to me."

"He must have feelings for you," Lane whispered as a small blush crept across my cheeks.

"No he doesn't," I said out loud though I knew it was true. I walked into the room standing next to Van. I could tell that he knew I was there our shared power giving me away.

"You look stunning," he said taking my arm leading me down the marble staircase and to a car that was waiting. I started to get into the car when Van groaned his hand slipping from mine. I turned to find him bleeding on the ground. I turned to help him when I was pulled into the car before it pulled off. I let out a final scream before the car pulled around the corner. I struggled as two men grabbed my arms placing a magic rope around them.

"Be quiet or it will be worse," one said as they drove for miles through the city until they reached an area that was dark with almost no people around. They pulled up outside what appeared to be a palace but with black stones instead of white ones. They pulled me from the car as a man came to meet us.

"She's pretty, more than the others," the man said as I glared at him.

"What do you want?!" I demanded tiring of this game I was clearly a pawn in.

"Power only Van can grant. I don't want to be in exile anymore and in return for those things he gets you back untouched. He fails to care he will watch you suffer by my hand," the man snapped as they pulled me inside and up to a large room. It was a comfortable room fit for a princess but wasn't anything short of a luxury jail. I tried to use the magic but the rope prevented the power. I stood up walking toward the balcony. I stood near the railing and I could see Van's palace on the horizon. I wasn't even his girlfriend and they expected him to care about me. I hoped for his sake he let me die because I wasn't his responsibility anymore.

"Master Charles wants you," a guard said but I knew it wasn't an option to say no so I followed the guard. I stood in a garden as the guard left.

"So I hear you have Van's magic," Charles said as I rolled my eyes.

"Go to hell," I snapped as he picked up a knife.

"I could kill you but then I wouldn't get to see Van's face once my letter arrives," Charles said grabbing my arm cutting my palm drawing blood. He smeared it on a paper before sealing it in an envelope. He walked over to a hawk attaching the letter sending off.

"He will kill you if he comes at all!" I growled as he laughed.

"Do you not realize he has never cared if I hurt anyone before? I killed his girlfriend but he never cared about her at all in fact he told me to kill her. Van only cares about Van until you arrived. You are changing everything in our world," Charles said as I looked at him. He couldn't be serious. I jumped as a brilliant white bird flew toward me dropping a letter in my hand.

Dearest Sapphire,

Don't worry I will come for you. I promised to protect you and I failed but I will come and I will put an end to Charles's terror. He has come after me over and over but strangely enough I didn't care until now.

From,

Van Lucian

He was coming for me and he was going to be killed, now I know why they took me. They didn't want anything but Van dead and I was the easiest way to accomplish that.

"I won't let you hurt him!" I yelled lunging at Charles but he just laughed tossing me toward a wall. I winced hitting the ground. I had to save Van and they only way I knew to do that was end my life. I stood grabbing the knife off the table as Charles laughed.

"You don't think my guards will stop you from stabbing me?" Charles smirked as I looked at him.

"I was counting on that," I snapped plunging the knife into my chest...