I race upstairs, my heart racing in time with my steps. Kailor's disturbing words still creep over my skin uneasily, making me wonder whether Tai is destined to fall onto the same path as his father. Surely he's better than that. At least I hope so, as I gently press on the door and slink my way into Tai's personal quarters. His quarters are similar in size to Vaia's, but with a lot less pink. In fact, everything is rather minimal in regard to furnishing. A seating area extends toward what must be his bedroom, all muted colours of ivory and hints of sage. Tai must be here, after he stormed

I stare out into a serenade of darkness, the shifting mist swirling tauntingly, illuminated by the golden glow from the light inside. With a storm fervently rolling in, Marek and I found refuge in a small barn in the back of someone's property, too wary to book ourselves into a motel with Tai's correspondents crawling around everywhere. Despite the bitter chill that has fallen with dusk, curling up in the hay will have to do for tonight. Shivering, I run my hands up and down my bare arms, Marek using my coat to create a make-shift bed behind me. In the distance, white-gold lightening erupt

Tapping my pen against the desk, I consider the words in front of me. Over the last few days, my writing has been my only escape. Tai is still tense around me, and although Marek has his job as my personal guard now, he has been avoiding me. So I've been writing, and doing research into the Beast. I've discovered far more personal accounts of encounters with the Beast. I can't believe I've gone my entire life believing what my mother and the other village leaders told me. None of it includes all these harrowing real life stories.

I walk down the steps, wincing with every step. My skin feels stiff, pulling tight beneath my billowy clothing, protesting at my movement. It's been like that for weeks since the incident, most of the scarring having since faded, although still leaving behind irritating remnants. My physical therapy sessions with one of Tai's healers happens now only once a week. Pain medication is no longer necessary, and I can walk, run and swim as I once did. 

Preparations for the ball took less than a day to set up. Jessa getting me ready felt as though it took longer. My hands are clasped behind me, my palms damp. I've decided that this is the furthest from what I would ever be interested in. I stand in the corner of a room in Tai's estate that I've never ventured to, watching people I've never met dance and drink around me, paying me no mind. I haven't seen Tai since this started, leaving me absently standing by the expensive wine, wondering if I should risk a drink to breeze through the rest of the night. Knowing I've never drank in my life,