The Sacrifice (The Alexandra Denton Chronicles Book 4) by Amanda K. Dudley-Penn Page B

asked, frowning as I studied his face.  He hesitated for a moment and then nodded. 
                  “Promise me that you will try to help Annaleigh and Ariel…Until they are grown,” he said, shifting, “Promise me that you’ll take care of them the best way you can.”
                  My heart clenched with the weight of the promise, “Daddy, Felicia would never let me,” I said and then, bit my bottom lip, “She will fight it every step of the way.  You know that she’s made my life hell.  She will tell them horrible things and they’ll believe it because she’s their mother.”
                  “I know,” he said, shifting uncomfortable, “I’m sorry about that.  I got myself into something I couldn’t get out of with her and I know that I’m asking for a lot from you but I love your sisters too.  I’m asking you to try…Nothing else.”
                  I nodded but the silence stretched between us for a long time as I took in the consequences of the promise.  My life would mean nothing in the face of it.  It was a promise that I would be hated for in the long run.  Worse, once I did as he asked, I would always be the bad guy and my sisters would never see what I would go through to keep that promise.  Still, as I gazed into my father’s pleading eyes, I couldn’t deny him especially if this was the last request he asked of me.  Tears filled my eyes as I whispered, “I promise, Daddy,”
                  Whispering the words felt like a death nail in a coffin.  It wasn’t because of my sisters.  It was because I knew that until they were grown, I would have to face someone who spoke ill of me behind closed doors and I would be used.  I would only be worth what I could give her. 
                  “Thank you,” My father said, shifting because he knew that the sentiment was far from enough.
                  “What about Matty?” I asked, pursing my lips as I thought of my little brother.  He was finally back in our lives and it seemed cruel that our father could be taken from him so quickly. 
                  “I love him too but his mother does take care of him.  Still, there is something you can do for him now,” he said, staring out over the backyard. 
                  “What can I do now?” I asked, confused. 
                  My father shifted, “Well, you know that the demons are after him.  He’s going to have to know about everything.  I want you to tell him.”
                  “Why can’t you?” I asked with wide eyes as I shook my head.  Already, I had promised too much.
                  “Because he’ll think I’m crazy,” he said and then, raised his brows, “Or he’ll think I’m just trying to give him an excuse for being absent from his life for so long.”
                  “You don’t think that he’ll think I’m crazy?” I asked, blinking in shock, “He barely knows me, Daddy.”
                  “No…I don’t believe he’ll think you’re crazy,” he said as Ky stepped out on the porch, “Because you’ll use that special gift of yours to show him your memories.”
                  “Who?” Ky asked as he glanced from me to my father. 
                  “Matt,” I said, frowning at my father before turning back to Ky, “It looks like I’ve been designated to tell him about the Appointed.”
                  Ky smiled obviously amused with my reaction, “I’ll go with you.”
                  I shook my head before meeting Ky’s eyes, “No,” I said as his face fell, “I need to speak to him alone.  He won’t be as receptive if you’re there.  It needs to be one on one.”
                  Ky frowned causing a muscle to tick beneath his eye, “You are not supposed to be