A/N: Okay, first chapter of the sequel! I still don't have as much time to write, especially now, but I hope you all are safe and well! Wanted to at least get the prologue out for you guys anyway.

Thank you all again for the interest in my last story and for following Kate in her journey! Can't wait to tell the rest of this story! As far as this story goes this sequel will be less love focused and more focused on OC's. Of course this always was a love story and so that will be the guiding force and primary reason why Kate does the things she does. If you're new to this story welcome! I would strongly recommend you read the first story, as a lot of this will be really quite confusing if you don't but if you're willing to overlook all that then by all means read away. Anyway! Hope you all enjoy this first chapter. And thank you to RubberDuckiez for beta-ing!

Heads up, violence ahead.

Kate watched the battle silently, letting the tree line conceal her as she angrily ground her teeth. She hated this part. Hated having to watch Travelers and anyone else who stood up against him die. Hated having to let them die. Her lips curled into a sneer as he paraded forward, his black hair hanging loosely over his shoulders, black robes billowing about him.

Some of the onlookers let their eyes roll over him approvingly and he gave them a roguish wink, loving the attention. He always loved the attention, the interest, the approval, the tension and animosity around him. He ran a hand over the silk robes, subtle pops of gold peeking through as he needlessly smoothed his tunic in preparation.

So, dramatic, she thought with a roll of her eyes. No one cares how you look, you ass.

Her mouth pantomimed his in mocking, repeating the same words she'd heard him recite time and time again.

"Are you not weary?" Kedron asked the crowd of Travelers who had held out as long as they could, their swords drawn and trained on the other Travelers who had aligned themselves with Sauron. Ley lines whipped and crackled everywhere, an electric hum hovering over them, barely muffling his words. "Would it not be easier to surrender now? Lay down your arms, take some rest."

"There will be no rest for us, if we surrender to Sauron," an older woman called out, a ley line flashing in her hands, making her greyed hair look like it was on fire in the glow. Kedron smiled, nonplussed, as he turned his head to the woman and Kate bit her lip to keep from crying out. She knew what was coming.

"Johanna, darling, what other option do you have?"he asked, his arms waving across the crowd of warring Travelers. "Is this what you want? This constant warring? Do you not want to go home? To your husband… your children. Aligning yourself with Sauron... that is the only way. You have tried long enough to stop him and have failed every time. Perhaps history is not on your side anymore, dear Johanna. Come, put an end to this."

"There will be no end, Kedron. You are a fool!" another young Traveler called out - Aleric was his name. Kate made a point of knowing their names, all of their names. "It will not end with our surrender. There will always be others. Those who will stand up against Sauron, against you, others who will not turn their backs on Vairë!"

"You are confused, boy," Kedron snapped. "Vairë has turned her backs on you. Where is she now, when you need her the most? She could stop this, end your suffering right this moment. But she has been angered and now she seeks to punish you all for the mistakes of a few."

"It is your fault the others were led astray," Aleric bit back. "You have been deceived. Sauron cannot restore what was taken from you. This path that you are on will end in your death, I have seen it. But there is still time, time to turn away from this. To beg Vairë for her mercy, she will welcome you back. All of you, do not think because you have turned your back on her she will do the same. The Maiar will also welcome you back, Kedron. You do not need to do this, old friend."

Kate raised a brow at that. Aleric couldn't have seen it. A typical Traveler could not travel ahead of their time. Backwards yes, but never further than what they'd lived through. For Aleric to see that, to have privy to any assignments, the slightest premonition… Kate had no explanation. In all the times she watched this scene play out before her, Aleric had never given any indication that he knew Kedron's fate... So why did he now? What happened?

The moonlight cast strange shadows across their faces, contending with the flickering glow of the ley lines and hiding the fear that danced across the faces of the other Travelers. And hiding the uncertainty of those who had turned.

It was this hesitation that sparked something in Kate. Maybe it was hope? She couldn't be sure but before she could stop herself she felt herself breathing out a suggestion.

"Aleric is right," Kate whispered, sending the suggestion rippling through the ley lines. "She will welcome you all back. You could all come back." She had to try, but she knew it was useless.

The suggestion would do nothing, the few she "saved" would die. She knew it. They had to. It was written into history now and here she was offering them up on a silver platter all to ensure the timeline remained unaltered. She hated herself. She hated him.

Kedron's head turned ever so slightly, his body going rigid and unmoving. And then, slowly, he relaxed, lazily turning his gaze from Johanna to Aleric.

"Oh, you've seen it?" Kedron asked innocently. "Well, old friend, this should not come as a surprise then." Kate's brow furrowed in concern, standing up a little straighter as she watched the events unfold. He'd never said that before… still, she could allow for subtle variances. Perhaps he thought he was just clever? Kedron's lips curled into a cruel smile and suddenly Aleric's body went rigid, a gurgling noise coming from him as blood started to dribble from his teeth.

This is wrong. This is not right, her mind screamed as pain shot through her, but she couldn't look away. Sure, he was dramatic, liked to put on a show but this was a lot, even for Kedron. Was this her fault? For making the careless suggestion that the other Travelers should turn away from Kedron? This surely couldn't be the repercussion for a mere suggestion, could it?!

Aleric's body trembled as Kedron gave a yank, and then one more, and then in a splatter of blood and gasps of horror a small thread of energy unraveled out of the man, ribboning itself through the air and right into Kedron, who breathed it in desperately.

"What the f-" Kate started, clamping her mouth down as he smiled, turning to look right in the direction of where she lay hidden. The hair on the back of her neck stood up and she could swear he had seen her. But how?

Goosebumps sprouted across her arm as she took an uneasy step back, flinching as a twig snapped under her boot. She wasn't safe here, she needed to leave now! There was nothing else she could do here. This was a disturbance yes, but it would right itself... it would end the same way, in the slaughter of the Travelers who had fought to resist Sauron. But this other thing, what Kedron had done... this was new and way over her head.

"Kill them all," Kedron ordered the other Travelers, who looked at each other in hesitation. Kill their fellow Travelers? That wasn't really what they had signed up for, surely he had misspoken. "I said kill them!" Kedron screamed, his face turning as red as the blood that had splattered across it.

"Stay your ground. Fight. Do not run," Kate whispered, urging the loyal Travelers to fight, to keep with the timeline. "Do your duty. Fight." One final suggestion as she bit back a sob, turning her back to the scene as she listened to their cries while they charged ahead, fighting against the traitorous Travelers.

They would fight and they would all die. They didn't know what Kate knew. They didn't know they were fighting against the order of time now. They didn't know that their fighting meant nothing, they were bound to the fate of history.

But what Kedron had done to Aleric, how he'd killed him, that was not a part of the flow of time. That was new. What is he up to?

A hand snaked around her waist, moving up to circle around her neck in a vice grip.

"It's bad manners to leave without saying goodbye," Kedron hissed, his breath hot against her ear.

Kate used a ley line to pry his hands off her neck, spinning around and sending another blast of energy at him.

"What did you do to Aleric?" Kate asked, holding him in place with several ley lines that sparked and sizzled as he struggled against the hold. He laughed, flipping his hair out of his face so he could let his eyes roll over her.

"Oh…oh, The Traveler, so it is you…now that's interesting," he hummed to himself. "I kind of expected you to be taller."

"Sorry to disappoint. Answer my question," she ordered, giving the line a sharp tug. He hissed as the line dug deeper into his flesh, but he still held that frustratingly smug look. Irritation flooded Kate as he licked his lips, doubt still flickering within his eyes. He didn't know who she was. She would not make an easy target. Let him underestimate you again. Let him think you're weak.

"Well that's hardly fair, when you have no intention in answering any of mine," he tutted. "How about a trade?"

"You're not really in a position to negotiate, if you hadn't noticed."

"Actually, I rather think I am," he countered. A bloodcurdling scream rose up from the battle, distracting Kate for just long enough and Kedron took that moment, shaking off the lines and using his own magic to send her hurtling through the air. She let out a yelp as her body smacked against a tree, the air rushing out of her lungs with such force her body convulsed in a desperate bid for more oxygen. "Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I have this strange feeling we have met before," he said lightly, yanking her up by her hair and watching as she struggled to catch her breath, like a worm on a hook.

After a few moments he became bored, tossing her through the air again, and pulling her back up. Panic seized her as she fought back. This was not supposed to happen, this never happened. What was going on?!

"And of course, that couldn't possibly be the case since I've never had the pleasure."

"It was anything but pleasure," she shot back sending another line hurtling toward him, but it batted it away, ignoring her dissenting opinion. He pulled her up again like a ragdoll and Kate screamed in frustration. She was so weak now!

"I am quite sure I'd remember you and I cannot imagine why The Traveler would have any interest in meeting me. You look like someone who'd be loyal to Vairë. Yes, definitely not one who would ever dream of defying her. So I really can't see any reason not to rid myself of the potential problem you'll be causing me. Why else could you be looking for me? Unless…" His eyes raked over her suggestively and slowly he reached out a thumb, tracing her bottom lip. "Well, all you had to do was ask, darling."

"Hard pass," she rasped, sending another surge of energy and watching with satisfaction as Kedron was sent flying backward. She needed to get out of here, now, go back to her time, make sure things were as they were. "Whatever you're doing, whatever brilliant plan you think you've concocted, it won't work. Stop it now."

"Well obviously some of it worked, or you wouldn't be here time and time again trying to stop me." He chuckled. "You think I haven't noticed? Do you really believe I am so stupid? Was this Vairë's doing? Ha! she thinks she's so clever. Well she's not! You hear that Vairë? Have another try at it, love!"

"You know what, you're right. It does work," Kate said, backpedaling. She needed to get out of here, and she couldn't risk him jumping through with her. "You become very powerful and I'm here to stop you."

"Flattery will get you nowhere," he chided, sending out his magic and suddenly Kate couldn't breathe, her body wouldn't let her. Air seeped out of her slowly, painfully as her lungs stubbornly refused to re-inflate. "But just in case you get any ideas about revisiting…" Her vision was tunneling and Kate was beginning to lose consciousness. Panic clawed at the back of her mind and her body screamed for air, but there was no relief. She was going to die.

Suddenly Kedron let out a cry, letting Kate go and holding his hand as if he'd been burned. Kate gulped air, writhing on the floor and wondering if there would ever be a time that she wouldn't be nearly choked to death.

"A blood bond?" he whispered incredulously, looking at her in a new light. "Now that is something…" He couldn't kill her now, not without sacrificing himself. He raked his mind, wondering when in all his years would he have ever made a blood bond with a human Traveler?

The only thought he'd come up with was that it must not have happened yet… but where was she? When was she? If she really was The Traveler then he had to find her… a new plan began to weave its way into his mind as he watched her struggle to her feet. It would be so easy… humans were so weak, almost too easy. If he could recreate what had been done to Aleric, take that energy from her he'd have no trouble being restored to his full power.

Vairë would see that those Travelers were no better than him. He was smarter than them,stronger than them, even crippled as he was now. Then she'd be sorry. She'd grovel and beg for his forgiveness...and he'd have it all back. But he couldn't do it while the bond was intact, not yet... not without killing himself. Besides with a common Traveler like Aleric he could only hold that gift for such a short time. There was no way to know for sure if this woman was worth it, if it would be a permanent change. No he needed time. He needed to study more on this, he needed to see what she could really do and then he could take it. Kedron laughed lowly, truly pleased at how everything was falling into place for him.

"Do not recreate what you've done here," Kate warned, her throat burning as she forced herself to speak. "It will not go well for you." She sent another blast, really putting her weight behind it, allowing herself the space to make a portal and leave. Kedron fell back, watching as the woman disappeared. How would he even begin to lock her into a blood bond?

She was The Traveler. She didn't need his help; clearly she was able to defend herself but she was weakening... it wouldn't be long now. He needed to find her and soon. He needed help. A Traveler who could trail her without being noticed. He brought himself up, spitting out blood as one of the turned Travelers ran up to him.

"This wasn't the job," she shouted, her voice quivering and Kedron turned a bored look to the human. "You didn't tell me I would have to-"

"You did not ask, did you?"

"I didn't think you meant to slaughter them all!"

"Were you not suitably compensated?"

"Not for murder!"

"Well perhaps you should have investigated a little further then, Alice. Or are you not quite as good at your job as you claim to be?"

"No, I-I am... but I don't murder anyone," she stammered, clutching the pouch of money in her hands, now weighing as much as her guilt. "I don't kill innocent people."

"Well, now you do. Add it to your list of qualifications," Kedron replied, his expression bored. He had more important things to deal with than the ethical dilemmas of one mediocre Traveler. "I have another task for you, now that you have some free time."

"You're cracked if you think I'd work for you again! You're crazy, this whole world is crazy! I'm leaving by sunup. Keep your coin, it'll be no use to me anywhere else."

"Really? I was under the impression gold is generally well accepted in most places?" he quipped, a large bag of gold suddenly replacing her smaller one and Alice gasped as the coins tumbled onto the grass below her. "Or is it that you no longer have an interest? No, I suppose you're right. Much better to die a lonely, cold and starving Traveler who still has her morals intact. I must say, Alice, I am rather impressed. Integrity is such a rare trait in times such as these. Carry on then."

The gold disappeared out of Alice's hands faster than she could have imagined and she stood there, grasping for it. Nothing. He'd left her nothing! After all that! She thought he was different! But he was just like the rest.

"Wait!" Alice called to him as he paused, slowly turning, brows raised in mock surprise. "What do you need me to do?"

A/N: Ok, so there's the prologue. If you all remember when Nestaron was telling Kate about the history of the traveler's this particular event was happening right around then. Also this particular time she has Traveled back was after the War of The Ring but before the epilogue of the last book (before she meets Alice). I'm hoping it gave you more of an insight as to why Kedron was so fixated on Kate at all in the first book and also kind of helps to show that Kate really believes he's been baiting her into coming back and why she's maybe a bit paranoid about it, because she's had this interaction.

Also, because Kate is a Traveler and there will be more Traveling in these next two books if any of the timeline is a bit confusing to you all please let me know and I'll help clear it up, but I'm doing my best to keep things kind of clear. Please Review and let me know what you think! Until next time,

Laurel1234