CHAPTER ONE

My name is Kelly Burkhardt, and I'm a Grimm. You probably don't know what that is… don't worry, I'm fairly new to it as well. I just recently discovered who I really am and I'm still trying to figure out what it all means. My father too is a Grimm; he's the one who explained it all to me when I came across my first Wesen; you'll learn all about them later, but in short, I saw a man turn into a frightening creature before my very eyes. I know it sounds crazy, but believe me, it's all true.

I have no memories of my mother. She died when I was just a little baby. But ever since I can remember, my father has been telling me about her and just how much she loved me. She sacrificed her life to save us. You see, there was this demon called Zerstörer (which means 'destroyer' in German) who aspired to become the most powerful being on earth. But my dad refused to give him the one thing he needed to achieve his ultimate goal; a stick. I know what you're going to say: a stick? But it's not just a stick. It was actually part of a bigger staff, the one Zerstörer had in his possession. But he needed my dad's stick to complete his power. So in order to get my father to give up what he held, Zerstörer took away everyone he loved; his colleagues, his friends… and the one true love of his life. My dad had nothing left to live for, except for me and my sister… that's Diana. She's actually my half-sister, but my father loves her as though she were his own flesh and blood. Anyway, when Zerstörer offered to bring my mother back to life in exchange for this powerful stick, my dad almost took the deal. But then my dead grandmother and great-aunt showed up (for real, I swear I'm not insane). They told my dad that he had the strength to defeat Zerstörer and that it needed to be done to ensure the survival of humanity. So in the end, my dad gave up the life he had planned to live with my mother to save us all. That's right; you and I are here today because my father had the courage and the strength to give up the one person he cherished most.

Over the years, my dad raised my sister and I all by himself. Well, that's not entirely accurate; his cousin Trubel also helped him out for a while. But she's gone now. Don't worry, she's not dead; she was recruited by this group of Grimms in Eastern Europe. So now we're on our own. My sister Diana is special as well; you'll get to know her soon enough so you'll learn exactly what I mean by that. My father's a detective and he works for the Portland Police Department. Yes, you heard right; he's a cop AND a Grimm… double duty. Actually, make that triple duty; because he's also a father… the best one out there. He's given up so much to make sure my sister and I always had everything we needed to become who we are today. I know he's grateful to have us in his life, but… he misses my mother. Every night, I can hear him whisper her name in his sleep: Adalind. He's suffered the greatest loss of all… we all have. When he talks about her, I can feel just how much he still loves her… and just how fresh the wound left in his heart still is. He'd give it all up to have just one more second with her… and the truth is, so would I. I'd move through worlds to find her. And this is where you come in. I need you to help me cross to the other side, into the other place… because I think my mother is trapped there. You see, I don't believe she's actually dead. I think she's in this alternate universe, all alone… believing she lost her children and the man she loved more than life itself; my father. As their son, I owe them my life. And I need to help them find their way back to one another… even if it's the last thing I do.

Will you help me?