Is it surprising to say that I have never worn a floor length gown till today? And I hated it. It made walking difficult, I have to endure the pain of heels accompanied with it and it showed off my rotting in the poison green skin.

Silas sent me the black gown and accessories with it as if I was in a mood to dress up for this occasion. I wore the gown alright but I never touched the ostentatious necklace or the makeup kit I had no idea how to use.

The ticking of the clock and my heart beat was the only sound resonating in my ears and for some reason that made my stomach churn in discomfort.

My red eyes stare back at me and I can see my reflection begging me to do those red eyes justice and be completely evil but there was something lacking.

Don't be something you are not. Jayden said something along the same lines.

But who am I? I bury my face in my hands and try to inhale and exhale properly.

The knock on the door pull my out of my misery but I avoid it anyway. Whoever wants to come in might want to die or it is Silas.

"Come, it's time." The way he said it sounded ominous. It was ten at night and after two hours I will be nineteen.

I gulped down all the surfacing emotions and looked up, keeping my head high and chin straight. It was showtime.

"How does this work? I just stand in the center of your hall and one by one people start dying?" The coldness in my tone was not surprising anymore.

"No, we will be sitting on the upper floor behind the glass while the celebrations and function will proceed downstairs."

Wow, how intelligent.

"Learn to control power, Annalise." His reproachful tone made me snap.

"You send me a minion to make me evil and now you want me to control. You are a typical parent, never satisfied with your child's progress."

He sighed and gave up on me.

I reached the room where the semicircle glass window allowed me to see whatever was going on down below. And even though it has been just two days. Some sharp emotion hit my chest as I saw all the familiar faces. Surprised at myself my hands fumbled on the tears resting on my cheek.

I am still a weak pathetic fool, still crying, still wishing. I don't learn from mistakes.

Kasper was escorting his grandmother who was the only smiling one in the gathering. I guess that old fairy had some hope in me. Blade and rest of his family seemed struck with fear. Jayden was not in the picture yet.

My "parents" looked pale and unwell and I saw Rose had puffy red eyes. As much as I thought she deserved it, one part of me was breaking to see her this way.

"Who do you want to kill?" Silas asked eyeing me the crowd carefully.

"Everyone."

He remained silent at my answer.

"Jayden said that you offered him a dance?" He asked and I ignored the panic in my heart.

"Does he report you everything?" I asked pertly.

"No, we had to pull him out from the torture chamber for the party. He is being healed as we speak." My fist clenched tighter, nails digging into my palm.

Jayden never told me he was in the torture chamber, I felt nauseous.

"Why did you send him there?" I tried all calm and collected.

"Because he refuses to serve and had been betraying me for a long time now. Had it not been for him you would have progressed sooner." His tone was bitter.

I had the sudden urge to shatter the glass and look around for him.

And as if my power was out of hand now, the glass shattered and Silas looked outraged.

"Annalise," He was using the threatening tone with me.

I had to laugh at this," Yes daddy, are you angry?"

He knew I was mocking him.

I noticed everyone look up and for that second, their reactions mattered to me.

The old lady smiled at me, while Kasper looked shocked. Blade on the other head held the blatant guilt on his face.

In that moment, Jayden walked out looking healed and handsome.

While the look of fear emanated from every soul in the room, Kasper, Jayden, and Blade were not terrified of me. And as stupid as I was this somehow mattered. And even though these were the people that broke my trust I can't help but think, these three also made my life less miserable and in the end, they did end up liking me enough to rebel against Silas.

My inner battle must have been reflected on my face because Jayden sent me his thought messages.

Calm down Frozen, it's just a dance.

Seeing him probably last time with my sane mind I asked lowering the walls around me, Jayden.

All my pain, my desperation, my conflict was out in that one word.

But all of them vanished because I saw the old fairy waving at me. She gestured me to come down and I gave her my driest possible look.

"She is dangerous right now." Silas interrupts my mini-reunion meeting.

"Why is that?"

"She holds a lot of power Annalise, a fairy that old can harness almost all magic."

"Do you want me to kill her first?" I offered but my insides revolted the idea.

"You can't kill her yet," He said with a frown on his face.

Silas offered me a glass of some wine like liquid and I smashed it on the nearest wall.

"I'd rather sit sober through all that torture."

Again, he was silent as the dances began downstairs. Jayden looked up at me and I saw Kasper whisper something in his ear.

Come and dance Frozen. He offered and I hissed in anger at his smirk.

The loud clanking of heels surprised both me and Silas as we saw the old fairy walk in. How did she manage to walk on those atrocities even at such old age?

As if it was still my instinct to protect I got up from my seat and started staggering back. She did give me some delicious cookies.

"relax dear." She was blind and yet she could sense the panic in me.

"Your darkness is still not a match with my light. For that, your father here needs to die."

Kill me now, were the words in my head but what came out was different.

"How about I start with your grandson then?" I smirked to add in the effect.

But the old fairy just laughed filled with mirth.

"Can you Annalise?" Her eyes sparkled even though I know she was blind.

"Can't you sense the darkness in me?" I yelled at her for stupid words.

Silas seemed surprised for some reason.

"Oh, I can dear. Your body is plagued with it but your soul still remains pure." Don't tell me that, not now when all I want is to punish everyone who hurt me.

"In less than half an hour the clock strikes twelve and till then I will grant you light enough to walk down." She was giving me chance to bid goodbye to my friends or whatever they were.

"She will do no such thing," Silas commanded.

My mind went in an instant turmoil. They betrayed me, all of them. Should I even bid them a proper farewell? But I wanted too. I wanted to thank Kasper for protecting me and subduing his revenge rage for me when I know now that it is not easy.

I wanted to thank my parents for raising me like real parents even when they didn't have to. The care in their eyes was real even the insane me could see it. Thank Blade for the lessons with the blessed sword and even risking his life to help me lift it. But as much as I wanted to thank Jayden for turning out how he is even after being trained under my father, I wanted to grant him that dance he always wanted.

"Fine, fairy godmother, make me Cinderella sans the glass slippers please." I decided and saw the immediate disapproval on Silas' face.

Like I give a shit.

***

The loud gasp and scattering in the crowd didn't waver my resolve. I was used to this from an early age. I put up my ice princess mode and smiled scathingly at everyone. Their eyes looked ready to pop out of the socket and I could not help but feel the thrill.

Kasper was the first that came to me.

"I am sorry I couldn't protect you." He said and my ice image faltered.

"I am sorry you protected me too long enough to see me become a demon," I said without any emotions.

He looked up and I saw him wince slightly at my red eyes.

"Yeah, this comes with the curse."

"Still, that doesn't make you evil." He said in an adamant tone.

"Still, it does make me Silas' daughter and unforgiving."

"I love you." He speaks up suddenly in a nervous tone.

"Do you Kasper?" I asked in a softer tone.

He nodded thoughtfully.

I looked at his grandmother who looked sad but not for me, for her grandson.

"Will you call the wrath of hell if I said I don't love you?" I was not trying to be rude, I was trying to be something no one around me was, truthful.

The disappointment and the hurt on his face were evident.

"That's how I feel daily Kasper, for the people around me," I said letting him know how I was holding up.

"Nothing in my life is real besides those red eyes staring back at me."

His awestruck expression was enough for me to know that my work here was done. Somehow I couldn't describe but I put my complete trust in him from day one and his betrayal hurt me the most because Blade did what he did to protect him, family, he was weak and I hate him for that but Kasper had a personal vendetta towards, a hatred born in revenge.

I walked towards my parents avoiding Blade in the process, he was my childhood friend and I would like to leave this at that.

"Annalise." He called out but I just looked at him with a sense of pity.

"You are coward you know that, right?" Though I don't know what I would have done if someone threatened my family.

"Chop their heads off." The old fairy answered the question in my head.

"Can you read minds too?" I snapped annoyed for some reason.

"No, it was your expression and what do you mean by too?" Her eyes brows furrowed together.

"Well, someone can," I answered her in a dejected tone.

Before she could speak, my fake mother came closer and started sobbing into my chest. I went stiff at her touch, paranoia hitting me. I can never want her dead.

"I am so sorry." She muttered and I raised my hand in a gesture to stop everyone from saying this exasperating word.

Sorry.

"I wish I could forgive," I stated simply.

My "parents" did look pained. I avoided rest of the familiar faces of few teachers from school, Celine who looked like she wanted to say something.

And then I came to Jayden, who was smiling unlike the rest of them.

"Celine did have a vision of me burning you," I warned him as he stepped closer.

"I don't care."

I sighed and gave him a senile smile, "I look gorgeous, right? Green skin and red eyes."

"I don't care." He repeated his words as his eyes tried to mesmerize me.

"Is that your way of consoling yourself?" I asked uncertainly.

"It is my way of saying, I didn't care before and I don't care now. I love you." My sharp gasp of breath was audible to everyone, probably.

"And is that why you did nothing but lie to me?" I hit him with snide comeback.

He gave me small smile filled with guilt.

"Love, you say Jayden? It is built on trust." It felt good letting my feelings out.

"For that, I am willing to die Frozen." He just defined his level of guilt.

"Then why are you here?" I asked sharply.

"To at least die by your hands." He actually did have a death wish.

I still hate him, will not forgive him but I cannot kill him. It was just not in me.

"At first, I didn't know you were cursed when your father sent me...." He was telling me something but I just registered his words.

"You didn't know? Silas didn't tell you about my fatal touch?" My voice raised a decibel in surprise.

He shook his head in a slow no.

"Then why did you come?" I asked surprised at this piece of information.

"To protect you." He said and looked straight in my eyes not flinching away once, "And stop you from finding a true love."

Was he not there to make me darker or kill me?

"You know, through these veins run the same blood which wiped out your whole family."

I reminded him to hate me, I wanted him to hate me. The clock was ticking. That is why I was rude and blunt to all of them, I wanted everyone to hate me before I become what I will hate myself.

"And again I will say Frozen, I don't care." He meant it, he freaking meant it.

"Dance with me." He was begging for the punishment of his lies.

I stepped back suddenly unsure.

The ominous sound of clock struck twelve. The magic was over and I started running away from Jayden, from everyone. The door of the hall opened wide and an army marched in.

And before I knew, Silas was next to me. His hand touched mine and dread filled my mind. I knew it even before it happened yet I was too shocked to react. As his darkness flowed inside me, Silas, the serpent King evaporated in front of me.

I was nineteen now. I was filled with evil power and the people around me were my enemy.

"Attack." the King, Blade's father bellowed.

And I realize that everyone including the Silas' army was ready to attack me because who wanted another Silas in making.

Before I could succumb to the darkness in me, my eyes registered on the surrounding and I saw Kasper, Blade, Jayden, my parents fighting for me and not against me.

Where is this old hag of a fairy when you need her? She needs to kill me now till I am still sane.

...............................

Surprisingly , this chapter turned out to be long so there will be one more chapter for you beautiful people. And then an Epilogue.

Those who have guessed it, this chapter made it clear and dude the summary only mentioned Jayden..so, duh! He is her true love! 

But she is till cursed and all..so let's see how last chapters pans out.

Hope you guys like it. Even if you hate the three guys, if pull out a pointer sheet like i have in my writing notes, you will see how Jayden qualifies. Those who are not happy with the choice, grieve a little and move on xD that's what I do when I don't like the ending.

*Celine did see him being incinerated by the hands of Annalise* oops... this was just a friendly reminder ;)