Prologue

I leaned back against the railing studying my new engagement ring for the umpteenth time. I squinted as the diamond set in it glimmered under the bright lights of the amusement park. Each of its faceted sides shined a different color, like each one told a distinct story. A ring followed and bathed in blood that was how he described it.

Before me, it had been his mother's engagement ring. Up to the day she was assassinated for having and protecting an illegitimate son of one of the world's most powerful men. I softly brushed my lips against the promise that now rested on my finger. I was going to protect it.

"Hey girl! Are you all alone?" I glanced up with disinterest, as a drunkard stumbled over, some friends on his tail. "I'm sure we can have some fuuunnnn." His slurring was almost incorrigible.

The man before me could have had some relation to a pig. He was big and meaty, with unfocused, beady eyes. His greasy black hair was matted grossly to his face. Worst of all, a disgusting smell emanated off him in waves.

I tried not to gag, as the smell overpowered me. "No, thank you. I am just waiting for my fiancé. He went to the bathroom." Now that I thought about it, he had been in there for quite a while.

I stood, prepared to go find him, when the drunkard grabbed my arm. I struggled to get out of his strong grip, not wanting to hurt him. "Don't go, beautiful. After all, wouldn't you prefer a handsome man to some girly-looking brat like your little boyfriend?"

I went rigid, not missing the meaning in his words. His eyes ran down the length of me, and I realized the man in front of me wasn't as drunk as he seemed. I glanced out of my peripheral vision, spotting over a dozen different men in every direction. I had fallen into a carefully planned trap.

I turned back the man in front of me, tempted to kick myself. My fiancé was nowhere in sight, and I knew these men had a hand in this. I grit my teeth, and I ripping my arm out of the disgusting pig's grasp with ease, before sending him flying back with a particularly well placed kick to his chest.

I was already gone before the men could pull out their guns. They couldn't do much as a throng of people surrounded them, trying to find out what happened. One of the men I had spotted earlier was quickly approaching the scene, and I managed to slip past him by pretending I was with a little family.

I carefully approached a group of men standing guard in front of the bathrooms, and slinked past them. Taking off, I arrived at the entrance to the boy's bathroom. Bending down, I noted a trail of misplaced dirt, which indicated someone had been dragged away. I stood, forgetting all sense of caution at the idea of him being in danger.

Evidence of struggle could be seen everywhere. I stopped short when I saw the blood on the ground. That was when I began to panic. Before I could continued a searing pain struck my mind suddenly, as if someone had shot me. Collapsing, I began to suffocate. My limbs seized up, refusing to comply with any order to move. Everything went black.

It was only moments later that everything snapped back into focus, and I frantically swallowed air. I couldn't for the life of me figure out what had just happen. I rolled onto my back to face the sky, trying to focus. Then the last thing I had wanted to hear broke me out of my reprieve, and I was on my feet. A scream pierced the air.

"K-"