Everything had gone black and I thought I was being sucked into some kind of dark demented world but then everything changed. I found myself standing in the familiar forest by my home, the night sky above dusted with sparkling stars and the moon glowing like a beacon sent a sense of peace over me. As I stood there feeling the wind caress my face I began to wonder if this place was my own personal heaven, if that were the case then I must dead.

Soft laughter echoed from the forest and a middle aged woman walked out, a white silk gown clung to her body and flowed at her feet as she walked towards me. Her green cat eyes stared me down as a smile spread onto her lips."Your not dead Emerald, I've simply summoned you to this place...a safe place."

My mood darkened as I stared at my mother, she looked so beautiful and happy. I found it hard to share the same enthusiasm on seeing her again, after all I had been through it was hard to run and hug my mommy.

She slowly walked over to me and glanced at my shoulder, something flickered in her gaze but quickly vanished as she gently gripped my wrist. With her other hand she pulled my jacket off of my shoulder and examined the wound closely."I wouldn't worry about this to much, I know Reevna must have been so excited to send someone after you but luckily her plans are foiled." She said.

Shoving her hand away I stepped away from her and gave her a look as though she were crazy."I shouldn't worry about this?, You mean the dark veins pulsing through my body or the weepy flesh where some kind of demonic blade pierced me, oh no I bet your talking about the part where blood began leaking from my nose as I heard strange whispering. Of course those are things one shouldn't worry about." I spat bitterly.

My mother retreated backwards in shock, she placed her hand over her chest as she struggled to take a deep breath. Her hurt gaze searched my face curiously."You've never spoken to me that way, you sound so much older." She whispered.

Scoffing I shook my head and crossed my arms over my chest."It's a little hard to be happy right now when your out getting into trouble over that stupid heart, all while I'm stuck here arranged to marry a selfish prince and having to deal with your enemy. I would think a mother would be worried about her witch daughter becoming infected because of some kind of poison blade." I grumbled.

She rubbed her hand across her forehead and sighed."Emerald you have every right to be angry with me over this marriage but I promise you its for your safety. I know you must think somethings happening to you because of the blade but I promise you that nothing is wrong with you and your going to be fine." She said reassuringly.

"How do you know for sure!? How can you stand there and tell me I wont turn into some evil witch, that I wont end up crossing because what ever she's done to me drives me completely insane and I finally give up!" I shouted.

My mothers hands clenched into fists and her eyes clouded with some type of emotion."Because your body is fighting off the effects of the blade, your shoulder is burned like that because your blood sizzled when the blade cut you not the other way around. The dark veins pulsing around the cut are your own and their pumping out any type of infection, you were born with them Emerald."

She un clenched her fists and rubbed her eyes, her features turned weary as she continued speaking."Your father is of the dragon world and just like every creature there are those who are good people like Lorik then there are others like Reevna, your father isn't like the dragon family your now staying with. In fact his kind hates them, if they got the chance they would rip them to shreds just for the satisfaction and they would feast on every mortal in this world so they could show their dominance. They would never have allowed your existence if they had known, between having the power of a witch and also being able to tap into a darker side of yourself, your extremely rare and almost impossible to kill.

"When your were younger I watched you constantly for signs but nothing ever showed and you were such a sweet child, just as you are today. I did notice you had trouble controlling your power when you became angry or upset but that never screamed bloodthirsty killer to me. When Lorik offered me the deal I couldn't turn it down no matter how much it hurt me, I knew I had to take the heart and hide it so you could find it one day. With all of your abilities who know's what it could do for you, I had to make sure you got the option to find out." She said with tears forming in her eyes.

I stared at her with my mouth hanging open in shock, here stood the woman I called my mother and now I didn't know who she was. Maybe in her own world she had been protecting me by keeping all of this information from me but to me she lied to me for years and even when I was leaving she never uttered one word.

Turning away from her I began walking towards the dark forest surrounding us, with each step I took everything around me began blurring and melting away. Shutting my eyes I began hearing voices around me, some calm, others angered and panicked.

My body felt to hot, I could feel the slick sweat coating my skin and I could hear the thudding of my own heart. It became so loud that I bolted upright from the soft surface I was laying on and my eyes flew open, I found my eyes gazing into a pair of familiar amethyst eyes.