Amy's POV

Thursday and Friday went by quickly—odd since the days before breaks were usually the longest. Saturday was the trial. I wasn't prepared to go, but of course it was between my family and Blue. I had to go. I'd half-way decided that I'd confess. Saying the idea was my entire fault...maybe I'd lose rights or sh!t, but I wouldn't want Blue locked up for something that was created and began by me.

I sat in the courtroom, thirty minutes before the trial. There were a few people in the stands though. For reasons unknown.

"Hey," Kelly said, sitting next to me. I was behind the prosecuting stand as Lydia, Leticia, and Lily argued over something, not at all worried about the life they were about to lock up. "Do you think they could have no proof?"

"Who needs proof when you're higher in class," I scoffed. Lily could win all because she was higher in class than Blue. So it was really just like a lost case.

Two officers escorted Blue into the courtroom and an appointed lawyer sat next to him. Blue kept his head low, but then realized something and looked over to me. Our eyes nearly stayed locked during the entire trial.

"Blue Christopher, you are hereby convicted as guilty for theft from the Cantwell residence. You will serve a year in juvenile detainment before three in the correctional facility upon your eighteenth birthday, one hundred and fifty hours of community service, and—"

"I object!" someone yelled. The entire courtroom turned to see Prince Nikolai Tyree at the large doors, walking up with a paper in hand. He approached the judge's bench. They whispered and then Nik turned around to face the audience. "As it may seems, Blue Christopher is said to have stolen from the Cantwell/St. Claire residency, but—"

"Cantwell/St. Claire?" the judge asked. It was obvious that our house wasn't really registered to my family's name...Lily had changed it years back.

"Yes," Nik hissed. "The house—and everything in it was purchased in Nigel St. Claire's name. After being a widower and re-marrying, the house was commonly known as Cantwell because of his remarriage and following death. But, however, there is still a St. Claire residing there."

Nik gave me a look with his determined green eyes.

"What is your point, Prince Nikolai?" the judge asked.

"Maybe it isn't the Cantwell's word that should prosecute," Nik said. "Because according to my research, everything on that manor belongs to Miss Amy St. Claire."

"There was no will," Lily stated.

"Yes there was," Nikolai said. "And it was signed by you before his death."

What? Kelly grabbed my wrist.

"What are you insinuating, Prince?" the judge asked, interested. Nik turned to face the bench.

"Amy St. Claire is the heir to the St. Claire manor, everything in it, and anything purchased to her mother or father's name," he explained. "Therefore, Mr. Christopher cannot be convicted of any crime, if the owner did not accuse him."

"Well it's a shame that Amy does accuse him," Lily replied.

"I do not!" I denied, standing up. "I do not, under any circumstances, accuse Blue of any crime."

I should've added "to this day and time", but maybe that would insinuate his other crimes in the past.

"If you don't mind me asking, Prince Nikolai..." Lily started. "But where is the infamous will that you speak of?"

"In the hands of my father, King Tate," he answered. A few people gasped and there were whispers. The judge used his gavel for once.

"Settle down!" he ordered. "Under recent circumstances, this trial is released until further notice. Mr. Christopher, you're free to go."

A smile broke out on Blue's face as the bailiff unlocked his hand cuffs. He looked to me, but it was long after I had started to run and hug him around his neck. He picked me up and spun me twice.

"I'm so sorry. I never thought you'd get into this much trouble," I apologized to him.

"It was worth it," he shrugged. "You were free for at least a while, right?"

I bit my lip and shook my head.

"But I have a feeling that you will be now," he said. He looked over my head and I turned to see Prince Nikolai. Blue let go of my waist and walked away quietly. I stared up at Nik for a while and then started to walk around him. He still lied to me. About him transforming and his curse...I wouldn't have minded him turning or anything, just the fact that he never mentioned it to me.

"Amy. You can talk to me now," he said from behind me.

"No, she can't," Lily's voice said. "She's still grounded."

"Under what terms?" I asked her, pissed off. "Last time I checked, it's you that will be tried for inheritance fraud and disrespect toward a higher class!"

She narrowed her eyes.

"And Amy doesn't have to answer to you anymore," Nikolai added. "The will also mentioned that my father has custody when decided by Amy."

The girls and Lily scoffed before turning up their noses and walking off. Nik received another look from me and I nearly said 'thank you'.

"Prince Nikolai," the judge called. He turned. "I trust you'll see the evidence is returned to its rightful owner?"

"I'll supervise until the last bead and charm is restored..." Nikolai promised. I made my way away from him and found my own way home with Blue.

Nik's POV

After all of that, she still didn't thank me...or speak to me. I had saved both her and Blue and she didn't have the decency to speak to me. Maybe I did do something to her.

The next day, I watched from outside the castle as they hauled the St. Claire stuff into the police cars before departing. They left to drop them off at Amy's and I made my way back to the castle. I noticed that there was a box dropped and left in the path of their route from cellar to cars. I bent down and picked it up, only to feel that it was unbalanced. I opened the lid and it revealed a single high heel...a familiar high heel with silver beading and white fabric beneath it. Was this also Amy's? Or was it from the library in my father's attempt to forget that this ever happened? I made a commute to the library to place the shoe back on the stand, where it was before. I had placed it there in memory after finding it from the ball.

But when I reached that part of the library, I found that there was a shoe there...the matching shoe. Wait...if one was here and the other was with Amy's stuff then...she was the girl from the ball.

She had lied. She'd known me this entire time. Acted as if she hated me at first when I met her at school and learned her life. All the time, she was the girl who was lucky enough to even receive a dress—probably by secret—and then attend the ball...probably for the first time in her life in her last year of school. I dropped the box containing one shoe in anger and then started to go back to my room.

"Son," my father called when I passed his office before the stairs.

"Look. I'm really not in the mood to deal with anything involving Amy, or Blue, or inheritance, so can you just please not remind me of any of that?" I said, plainly.

"Fine," he allowed. "Have you thought about the upcoming ball?"

UGH.

"No," I answered, honestly.

"Well, you must. Time's ticking," he said.

"I'll say. I don't even know if I'll stay alive till Wednesday!" I expressed. Who knows how oddly timed a magical plant could die? Not me! But that wasn't the purpose of the ball.

"Yes you will," he assured. "So, have you thought about it?"

"No. I've been busy with this Godforsaken curse, a girl who won't give me a chance, and stupid people of this land," I answered. He gave me a look to calm down. So I sighed.

I know what he meant. It was my eighteenth birthday on winter solstice and this was my "coming out" ball, since now I was an adult. But that also meant I'd have to choose one specific girl in mind that I'd introduce to the land as a potential Mrs. Nikolai Alexander Tyree-Christophe, but of course she had to be of noble class and a good choice for a future queen in case anything happened to Logan. He had the same ball a few months ago, before the annual private school formal. But the girl he had chosen left him without word. He still gets grief about his choice from councilmen.

I didn't want that. I wanted to be sure about the girl. I thought I currently was, but Amy proved otherwise. I'd done everything I could for her, but I started to think of my father. He'd tried to give everything to Sandra, but she chose someone that complimented her well and maybe that was Blue. It was custom to introduce a girl, whether in a relationship or not. I feared that it would have to result in Candace, or some random maiden of class—since everyone in the town and high class would attend. It took me until now that I'd never seen Amy there.

"Can't I just skip it?" I asked.

"Your eighteenth birthday party?" he asked, repulsed.

"That's not what I meant," I droned. "And plus, it's Emmett's birthday coming up as well...can't I just have him take over everything?"

"Emmett isn't in the running for king one day," he replied. I sighed and started to walk off. "Well?"

"I'll make something up by the time of the ball," I promised as I kept walking.

I was entering a state of depression. I thought of it from the one girl I loved was slipping into the arms of a true peasant while she shunned me, but then I looked to the plant and saw that maybe that was the cause. Who know? Maybe I wouldn't have to stay at the ball for long because it was not a Friday and it was not the last Friday, even if postponed until then. I'd transform for sure. Maybe I could escape from the ball after all...but was it worth it to risk my curse? Because it'd be in front of the entire land and no one would accept me then. I'd surely die as a beast...a lonely beast.

Maybe I'd just skip the formal overall.

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