As Aldrich’s entourage led us in, an ocean of eyes washed over us in a tidal wave, and there was a roar of applause. Despite our concerns, I was glad Aldrich was receiving the recognition he deserved. He seemed to perk up at the positive reception, flashing his women melting smile. Emily, Elias, and Benjamin stood up, but seemingly reluctantly. They applauded with blank expressions. I accidentally met Emily’s gaze and she glared at me, her perfect lips curled in disgust. They looked hateful, but not menacing. I took a deep breath. The King and Queen sat upon their thrones, watching us with a smile. The love the Queen had for her son overpowered any loathing she had for me; she seemed genuinely happy. The ballroom was glorious, unlike anything I had ever seen before. The floors were of glossy marble, sparkling like the white grand piano playing revelry music along with the orchestra. The thick velvet drapes were folded on the sides of the French windows, letting in the d

Cathy I did not slap him, nor backhand him. That was too nice. I curled my fingers into a fist and smacked it across his face, making blunt force with his nose. Everyone gasped, some smiled, some laughed, some cried out. But mostly, they laughed. His face immediately reddened, matching the color of the liquid coming out of his nose. Emily could blackmail me all she wanted, but with Aldrich stationed by my side, I could do anything, and get away with it, too. I hoped Theo didn’t see that. I scanned for him in the crowd, and saw Danika covering his eyes. Alan was beside her, grinning like he just won a million dollars. “Every time you see your broken nose in the mirror, remember me,” I hissed at him before turning to walk away. The crowd watched me in delight before eventually dispersing back to its original knot. Some people applauded me on my trek through the room, others smiled at me like I was a new shiny toy. I had officially made my memo

I screamed, the fireworks unable to mask the horror that escaped from deep inside my body. It came out sounding primal, like something was eating me alive. Aldrich had followed my gaze and immediately ran inside. The last detail I remembered was a pale Aldrich ordering the guards to watch me. I fell to my knees, traumatized at the demented sight. Was I having another nightmare? Was this all actually happening? Were fireworks merely a figment of my subconscious, and Alan getting hurt was another addition to my dreams of bleeding friends? Everything was occuring in split moments, each event happening within the length of a second. I forgot the color of things and the names of people. I forgot that people actually died in real life, that blood does not ooze but pour. The guards Aldrich commanded surrounded me with heavy concern. They lifted me from the ground, I think. I wasn’t sure what exactly happened after I saw the blood stains on the stone. “We must get

Clement. “Wha–what?” I sputtered, looking up at him. I had not seen him in years. His eyes glowed through the dark, and he looked like a dark lion that just found his prey. “Cathy?” he questioned, and when he confirmed it was me, his tone changed. “Ah, dear Cathy, what are you doing out here at such a time?” Clement was just as dark and alluring as usual. I had never grown accustomed to his aura of intelligence, sharp wit, and dark wisdom. He was the physical embodiment of magic, and he looked it as well. I stood up, hoping I didn’t appear too crazy. He probably thought I had become a mad woman, sprinting through the forest with branches in my hair, in a dirty, torn ball gown, with tears reddening my eyes. Now I really contemplated if it was a dream. Clement rarely passed through anymore. “Please,” was all I said, trembling. His expression morphed from amused pleasure to slightly horrified surprise. “What is the matter with you?” he demanded,

I did not find Aldrich that night. Worry began to seep into my former excitement about Alan, but I did not let it overpower me. He was a strong warrior who had seen death through his life perpetually as seasons, and very much likely had political matters to tend to. I just wished he would come back so that I could tell him what I did. But before he arrived, I would figure out what to say when he asked how I did it. For the time being, I did not have time to worry about that. A groan pierced the air and I grabbed Alan’s hand. His eyebrows were pinched together, sweat still beading on his face and naked chest. “You’ve got this, Al,” I encouraged, rubbing the side of his thumb. “Focus. Don’t let the pain distract you.” He was slowly mending together, piece by piece and bone by bone. Naturally, it was an agonizing, painstaking process in which the bones unbreak themselves and structure back into place. Sometimes, they ripped through arteries and ve