I couldn't stand humanity-less Elena Gilbert, so I left Mystic Falls, again. I joined my twin brother in the UK where he was currently living with his boyfriend. I forgot to tell you, they're living together now. Great, huh? I'm glad my twin is finally finding what I'm hoping is love.

"Hey, sis." Kayne said as he plopped on the couch next to me turning on the TV, "What have you been up to?"

"It's certainly been an eventful two weeks." I said, "So, what happened was-wait, where's Simon?"

"He's in the kitchen." he replied, just as the Vampire in question walked in the room, "Oh, there he is."

"Hello, Kyra." Simon said as he sat down next to Kayne with a tray of cookies in his hand, "You look stress. Take what you'd like." he offered.

I shrugged and grabbed a cookie, "Thank you."

"No problem," he smiled, "Don't let me interrupt your story." he gestured me to continue, "Please."

"Okay. I guess it's time for twin catch-up, plus one." I smiled, "So it started when Rebekah, Klaus, Kol, and the people who used me for my magic found out about a cure for vampirism. Kol didn't want them to find it from what I heard and went mad trying to keep them from getting to it." I paused, "They killed Kol."

"Who did?" Simon asked.

"Jeremy and Elena Gilbert." I told, "A Hunter and a Vampire Doppelganger."

"Oh, sis," Kayne sighed, "I'm so sorry. Here." he handed me a cup of hot cocoa.

"It's fine. I'm in the process of making her suffer. Her brother died and I refused to bring him back." I said, "Um, anyway, uh, I went with them to this mystical island to find this cure I could've sworn didn't exist. But, turns out I was wrong."

Kayne got more comfortable on the couch, "It actually exists?"

"It did." I said, "Do you remember the story father used to tell us of the powerful physic immortal vampire who could do anything?" He nodded, "Well, turns out, it's not just a story." I paused, "Silas is real..." I put my cup of hot cocoa on the table in front of the couch, "He forced Bonnie, a Witch, to drop the veil to The Other Side. Silas can get inside people's heads, and know everything about them in an instant." I explained, "He got into mine."

Kayne's eyes widened, "What?"

"So here it is..."

Kyria was walking outside after a nasty run-in with humanity-less Elena, when she bumped into someone, "Oh, I'm sorry-" she cut herself off, "Kol?"

"Hello, darling."

"How are you here?"

"Does that really matter?"

"Wait..." She trailed off, her smile fading, "You're not real. Kol, he, Kol died at the hands of the Gilbert's." She slowly backed away, "You're not real. You're not Kol."

"Yes I am."

"No, you're not." Her eyes lit up golden, "Silas..."

"Okay, okay." He surrendered, "You caught me. I'm not Kol." He said, "But I am just trying to help you, Kyra."

"How do you suppose you're helping me?" She asked, sarcastically, getting angry as a few car alarms went off and the wind picked up, "You wait until I lose control and then you swoop in and attempt to rescue me."

"No." He told her, "I am genuinely trying to help you." He slowly walked closer to her, still appearing to be her dead boyfriend, and watched as the foundation of the sidewalk lit on fire, "You didn't mean to do that did you?"

Kyra shrugged, "Maybe I did." The fire got worse.

"Control, Kyra." He yelled over the wind, "Control."

"Get out of my head." she whispered as her eyes lit up again, "You're not welcome in here."

"Wait, so, this Silas character got into your head?"

"He did." I sighed, "Tormented me for days until I learned how to block him out." I remembered another detail, "There's more to the story than we thought. Qetsiyah and Silas were lovers, and Silas was her true love, but she was not his..."

"Kyra." Stefan whispered, "Kyra, hey."

"How did I get here?" she mumbled.

"I found you, alone, in the woods." a beautiful brunette woman said, "And Stefan I helped drag out of a safe in the quarry." she gave the Blackthorn a small smile, "I'm Qetsiyah, but I'm not fond of that name so, please, call me Tessa."

"Okay, Tessa," Kyra dragged out, "well, why didn't you just leave me in the woods?" she asked, "Why did you bring me here?" she noticed the stinging pain the back of her head, "And who snapped my neck?"

"That would be Damon and Elena." Stefan said, "First Elena, then Damon."

"Why the hell did they think that was a good idea?" Qetsiyah asked, "One thing I've learned, never make a Blackthorn angry."

"How do you know my last name?"

"Your presence reminds me of a Blackthorn I knew a long time ago." The 2,000 year old witch answered, "Do you look anything alike? No." she said, "Kyria Chantelle Rosaria Blackthorn, you are by far, much, much prettier."

The Blackthorn Witch was confused, "You knew my ancestor?"

"I knew a lot of them, the Coven to be exact."

"Prove it."

"Your Coven's alternate name is The Gemini Coven." Kyra's eyes widened, "What did you think I was lying?"

"Well, you are two-thousand year old Witch who seems to hate everybody so I kind of figured..."

"You're right. I do hate a lot of people." Qetsiyah stated, "But a Blackthorn, I could never."

"Why are you even here, Tessa?" Stefan asked, helping Kyra off the floor and next to him on the couch.

"Bonnie lowered the veil, I saw an opportunity." she replied, "I'm here for Kyria." she paused, "And you, Stefan, but leave us. I need to speak with Kyria right now. I'll get back to you later."

Stefan looked at her and Kyra suspiciously before reluctantly leaving the room.

"The Blackthorn Coven is the very first Witch bloodline of the world." Qetsiyah explained, "Based on that, they were and are very powerful. They are the most powerful Coven in the world of Witchcraft. I heard a legend 2,000 years ago, and it was said that The Blackthorn Coven would face an eminent danger in the far future." she said, "One of your ancestors told me there would be a specific set of twins that would be in great danger." she looked directly at Kyra, "The twins are Kayne and yourself."

"Why tell me that?" Kyra asked, "I already knew. Stupid Merging." she grumbled, "And while we're on the subject, why and how did you know my family?"

"I knew them so well, that I considered..." Qetsiyah paused, "...I considered them family."

"You considered my family as your own?"

"The leaders at the time were Johnathan and his sister," she replied, "They invited me to join their family."

"Well, congratulations." Kyra's sarcasm was dripping through, "You've joined Hell."

"Why would she tell you about the Merge?" Kayne asked me, "We already knew about that."

"She was trying to prove to me she really did know our family." I paused in thought, "There's more. And it's not pleasant either..."

Qetsiyah looked at her strangely, "Kyria, do you know the meaning of your name?"

"Of course I do," she said, "Hell."

"The Blackthorn started as a tree. At a time, The Blackthorn was seen as a Guardian, a balance between the Light and the Dark. Known, it was thought to be one of the trees that crosses, or separates the barrier between the normal world and our world."

Kyra stared at her, interest sparked, "Continue."

"This is going to be a long explanation, so bear with me..." Qetsiyah said as she sat next to Kyra, "Now, initially, this was not meant to be taken in by people in a bad way." she explained, "But, with the establishment of contradicting religions, however, The Blackthorn was bound on more negative suppositions. The legend I heard is that the The Blackthorn is the carrier of the most sinister reputation in Celtic tree lore and has long since been connected with darkness, mystery. It's referred to in our world as the keeper of dark secrets, it is known as being a tool capable of keeping evil subdued." she said, "As true to the myth of its old world reputation, The Blackthorn is also linked with protection."

Kyra's eyebrow raised, "I hardly think my name has anything to do with protection."

Qetsiyah sighed, "Not only can it be used to contain evil and keep it underway, but it also can be utilized as a borderline to keep out the bad." she explained vividly, "The ancient Celtic name for Blackthorn being 'straif', also known as strife or strive, is equally illustrated in multiple tales throughout the world as a tree of great threat. Witches were also said to have utilized this specific tree for many wicked purposes, which only made the myth more mysterious and scary in the eyes of the people, the mortals." she said.

"When the tree wasn't related to witches or death directly, it was a symbol for war, which usually led to death or other misfortune. This tree had an extremely horrid reputation and it wasn't much assisted by being known as the tree of destiny: a tree that is symbolic of ones fate, particularly of all the outside influences that must be obeyed and followed. Or it will seek its vengeance." she told, "The Blackthorn has also been seen as a test of loyalty and how far one will go for those they love."

"That seems a bit dark and dreary to be true."

"It is true." Qetsiyah said, "I promise you, it is."

"I honestly wouldn't be surprised, so I'll just take your word for it." Kyra said, "The idiot eavesdropping from the bathroom told me about when Bonnie dropped the veil." she said, "She was trying to summon you?"

"She tried. I refused to show up." Qetsiyah mused, "That poor little girl thought I would show up for her. She was so confident that using my calcified blood in that tombstone would force me to speak to her."

"Yeah," Kyra smirked, "Bonnie is overly confident when she has nothing to be confident about."

"Exactly." the two Witches smiled at each other, "You know, I would have shown up for you."

"What?"

"If it was you trying to summon me, Kyria, I absolutely would have shown up." Qetsiyah told her, "I'll always appear for a Blackthorn. You especially." she said, "I have been watching you from The Other Side for seventeen years. You're snarky with your remarks. That's something I admire." she put down her cup, "Remember: we're family."

"You earned the favor of a two thousand year old Witch?" Simon asked, "Wow."

"I guess I did." I said, "Qetsiyah really isn't that bad of a person."

"She's a part of our family?"

"That's what she told me. I really don't mind that she is." I replied, "She's a good person with a very broken heart."

Elijah,

I wrote a letter to your brother too, but I figured I may as well write to you as well. I told him I woke in New Orleans after my transition, which he won't know until he reads my letter. I told him of a Witch that resides there named Jane-Anne Deveraux, who is plotting a move against him. That is very much true.

But, I did leave something out. One very, very big detail. I know it sounds insane, impossible even, but my instincts have never failed me once. I didn't tell Nik, but I will tell you.

Hayley Marshall: a werewolf, carrying his child.

Knowing you, you're going to follow him to New Orleans and try your best to convince him to take in this child as his own, and not let it get killed. Nik is not going to be happy about any of this, which is why I thought you deserved a heads up before things get too out of hand. And also why I made sure you would get this before Nik received his own.

Promise me something?

Stay by the side of your brother. He will have a hard time adjusting to his future title. You and I of all people know that.

Good luck, my friend.

Fondly,

Kyria Blackthorn

Nik,

I know you spoke to me of a place your family used to quite enjoy before Mikael hunted you down and chased you all away from it. That city was New Orleans. And it's where I woke from my short-lived slumber after my transition. I knew a lot of Witches there, in New Orleans, as it's where I spent the month after my transition where the memories of what my mother's fiancé did to me lingered in my brain until I decided to do something about it and go find my brothers in four other countries of the world.

I hear Elijah has refused to give you the cure, and I know that things must be hard right now. I am sincerely sorry for not being there to help you through these desperate, fearful, darkening times. I truly am, Nik. I have a suspicion on a certain something, but I can't be sure if it's true or not. I know what I'm about to say is going to sound completely crazy, but my instincts never lie, just ask my twin. He would tell you.

I can't give you what you need right now, which is support, but what I can give you is this: Jane-Anne Deveraux. Hunt her down. She's plotting something big.

Find her.

Fondly, your friend,

Kyria Blackthorn