Tai leads me from the ballroom, the gazes of those still inside dancing following us. He doesn't reveal any of his plans until we are out in a foyer, the great expanse of the room making me feel small, the thin fabric of my dress allowing an icy breeze to crawl through it to kiss my skin. I haven't been to this part of the manor, although the grandeur of it suggests it's only for the most prestige's guests.   Tai pauses in the middle of the foyer, a pine scented breeze coming through the open w

I stare out the window of the carriage, watching the blur of the forest pass by.   The last time I was in a carriage like this, it came to a stop and Tai's men interrupted us. Now, not only does Marek sit in front of me, him and his dark clothing nearly melting into the shadows in the corner, Tai sits beside me.   Today is the day. Together, the three of us are heading deep into the Jade Provinces main forest, close to my home village outside Tai's territory to kill the Beast. For once, I have no desire to return home, where my mother will be, disgusted by the mention of my name. I'm still numb from that night. Only a few days have passed, and yet every time the thought of my mother passes through my mind, my stomach twists and my heart aches.

I've never witnessed a more terrifying sight. There is no doubting this is the Beast, standing tall and large at the mouth of the cave, staring at us with striking green eyes, the emerald shade almost exactly the same as the necklace I once wore around my neck, having only tugged it off yesterday morning before we left. It's almost impossible to believe that looking at this creature, it was once human. It stands far taller than all of us, broad shouldered with thick arms that lead down to clenched fists, thick, yellowy claws. There are no clothes on it's muscled, yet bent figure, instead the creature being covered in a coarse layer of brown fur, so damp it's flattened against its skin. 

Rain lashes violently outside, wind carrying it sideways, accompanied by a bitter chill. Marek and I sit out on the front porch of my family home, the moment strangely nostalgic, reminding me of when him and I would sit in Tai's outdoor area. We managed to escape my fathers incessant questioning on Marek and where he came from, while mother dwells in her room, avoiding us both at all costs. She isn't taking this well, having a King near dead in her home...and having a daughter who betrayed her under her roof. I still haven't slept, the morning having shifted into afternoon, bringing with it a brutal storm. Thankfully I was able to shower, still flinching each

I stare out the kitchen window, watching Marek and the stranger outside. Marek has pulled the man's hood back, tearing the cloth from around his mouth, revealing his identity. From here I can't see the man's face, but I know I wouldn't know him anyway. The man sits on the steps of the porch, head bowed weakly as he holds a palm over the wound in his neck. Marek stands before him, twisting the rope intended for me in his hand. Marek's presence alone has rendered the man passive. I can't hear what they are discussing, but at the beginning, it seemed awfully heated. Now it's calmed down, Marek's expression solemn as he listens intently to what the stranger has to say.