Kat couldn't stand being waited on.

Yes, she was aware she was now a future duchess. She was actually aware that she was, or could be much more than that. A rouge queen. The co-head of a rebellion.

None of that made having a handmaiden any easier. Her entire life, she'd fended for herself, done the lowliest of jobs just to secure enough food for her and her father. Nothing had ever been easy, at least not in recent memory.

And now she was the lady of a palace, a great number of servants at her disposal. And she was supposed to give them tasks, be their leader, an example of good manners and poise.

She was nothing but a lowly peasant girl.

It had seemed so easy, so natural to accept Cage's proposal when it was just the two of them inside the castle, forced into solitude by the curse that turned her betrothed into a killer beast. It was just a fight for survival then. No social implications, no chance for her to have to learn and adjust to the true life of a duchess, outside of books and their pretend balls.

I can't be missing the curse. Resenting people. After all, she had her father and Keliegh with her now. And the people in the castle were to be trusted to keep their secrets. Because if word got out about their curse, about how Cage could actually wield magic, they were all dead.

But no one knew except for the very few people they could truly trust. And there was no need for anyone else to be in on it. After all, their curse didn't show.

And still, as she glanced into her mirror, Kat couldn't help but look for signs of magic. What was she even expecting to see? A glow? A murky aura?

All she could see was herself, draped in a great deal of pastel pink fabric. The color reminded her of fondant.

"It looks good on you," Keleigh noticed from her seat by the door.

Kat only hummed as the seamstress stuck needles in the hem of the dress to toy with the length. She didn't know why she needed a new dress, but it was apparently required of her to be fitted at least once a week.

All that wasted material. She would not be attending royal balls when most of the kingdom believed Cage to be dead. Why all this then? She was sure he had ordered it, but why? To keep her busy? Distracted? Did he really think it would work, that it would divert her from the emptiness inside her chest?

It had begun the day he had left and with every passing day, the smothering sensation inside her seemed to grow. It reminded her of being locked in the dungeon, trapped by iron crossbars that drained her mysterious magic.

Her magic... What did it even do except plant annoying voices inside her head.

You are destined for greatness. To burn this world.

And all of a sudden, the image inside her mirror caught fire. The fabric of her dress, the wallpaper and tapestries... And there she stood, wrapped in flames and laughing.

The image faded in the blink of an eye, leaving Kat's heart pounding, her body drenched in cold sweat. And with reality came a pain so powerful inside her, she couldn't help but double over, clutching at herself for release.

You need him, his magic, his power.

"Kat?" Keleighs voice was like a distant whisper in the wind. "Leave us!"

In a matter of moments, soft hands led her off her stool and on her bed with Keleigh sitting beside her.

"Are you alright?" the other woman asked. "You just turned pale like death."

Kat didn't know how to answer. Half of her could still see the flames and fear scampered through ther veins even quicker than the rushing blood.

It's not real. It's all in my head. She was the one who had control. Those voices couldn't make her do anything. They didn't even try. All they did was be annoying.

"I'm okay," she said. Her voice came out weak. It made her cringe.

"Are you sure?" Keleigh's eyes moved to Kat's arms which were still wrapped around herself. "Kat, are you with child?"

"What?" The question was so ludicrous, it snapped all the fear and confusion out of her. "Of course not. Why would you even..." Her words trailed away and heat rose to her cheeks. Since Keleigh had almost caught her and Cage having a try on the dining room table, of course she would think that. "Cage and I never actually... Well, you know."

It hadn't really been possible with the beast always one breath away. He'd almost killed her once for kissing him too hard. But now with the beast gone, it was surprisingly even less likely to happen. And it annoyed her to no end for some reason.

"Ah," was Keleigh's entire input on the matter. It also sounded incredibly odd and maybe a little... disappointed?

"What?" Kat wasn't sure why, but she felt the need to justify herself. "That's what is socially appropriate."

Keleigh huffed. "Socially acceptable. If I'd have let that rule my life, Joey and I... Well, he did die before we could get married, didn't he?" There was bitterness in Keleigh's tone now.

Kat's heart tightened in pain. She hated to remember the cruel fate of Joey and Keleigh, of how their romance was brutally ended before it had the chance to truly take off. "I'm not judging you, Keleigh. And I am truly sorry."

"I know, I know. It's just..." Keleigh's eyes drifted towards the wall as if searching for the picture frame which now held her dead fiancé. "It's just something you and Cage should remember. Especially given where you're going and why."

Kat didn't really know what she meant, but she most certainly didn't want to discuss this subject with anyone, not even the woman who had become her best friend over the past few months.

So she stood again and walked to the mirror. Her surrounding stayed blissfully flame free. Her chest, however, continued to stay hollow, the absence of Cage drawing her energy and her strength.

This is ridiculous. I can fend for myself. Thrive alone. She'd done it for so long. Had even survived inside the castle alone.

And yet... Air was scarce and her bones felt numb. Was it her just missing him, withering without him, or was it more? Had Cecile's curse meant more than just tying their physical lives together?

The sound of commotion from outside snapped her out of her reverie. Like a breath of blessed air had finally become available, her lungs seemed to fill appropriately for the first time in months. And with it, came a surge of excitement and energy. Then, she knew.

Her heart singing with happiness, she whipped around and rushed out of the room. Without stopping to answer any calls in her wake, she skipped down the stairs, past the portrait hall, and out into the grounds.

There he was! Cage had truly arrived and was dismounting Stormblack by the rose fountain, seeming just as antsy at her.

"Cage!"

When his gaze landed on her, his face brightened. It was like seeing him again for the first time and being shocked by just how gorgeous he could be. The way the winter sun sent blue highlights in his black hair, how his dark blue eyes twinkled with happiness and love only for her. How she'd missed him! Everything about him.

And unlike when she'd first caught sight of him on a stormy night in the tallest tower, now she had no fear. He would not turn her to stone because he loved her. He would not turn into a beast intent on murdering her because he'd had the courage to end the beast at the risk of ending himself.

Now, she could run down the stairs towards him and throw herself in his arms. He caught her against him, his hands hooking her knees to hold her up. And when their bodies touched, the cold of winter disappeared. He was there and she could breathe again.

"I missed you, too, sweetheart," he said with a grin.

"Shut up and kiss me." She didn't even wait for him to agree and crashed her lips over his.

He answered at once, returning her affection with so much passion, she would've fallen over if he wasn't already holding her up. Gods, how she'd missed him, the taste and feel of him! How could she go on for so long without this and think that it was fine?

Someone cleared their throat and Kat just wanted to end them. It made Cage pull away, a meek grin on his face.

"Maybe we shouldn't be doing this in the courtyard for everyone to see," he said. He made to put her down but stopped. "What are you wearing?"

"Oh." She'd forgotten she was basically wearing half a dress. "I was getting fitted into this giant macaroon when you arrived."

Cage let out a laugh, but halted abruptly. "Are you barefooted?" Her face caught fire again as he rolled his eyes. "There's snow on the ground, Kat."

"Yes, I know that."

Obviously, she shouldn't have run out like that. She hadn't even felt the snow, but now that he mentioned it, it was very cold. As if someone had flipped on a switch, her entire body began to tremble.

"Honestly," he mumbled, draping as much of his cloak as he could around her, and making his way inside, taking the stairs two steps at a time. "I couldn't wait to see you either, but that doesn't mean you have to get pneumonia."

"I'm sorry." Now that he mentioned it, her actions sounded so childish.

"Don't apologize. It's just..." He reached the portrait hall and glanced at the wall. "Anything urgent?"

Sir William glanced from him to Kat, then bowed his head. "It can wait until you properly greet Kat."

Cage gave a curt nod, then entered his study. Fortunately, the fire was dancing merrily in the hearth and it warmed her up to the core. He put her down on her feet on the plush rug, then leaned over and gave her another kiss. It was softer this time, a lot more appropriate than what had transpired in the courtyard. Even if she enjoyed it, it still annoyed her that he wasn't doing more. When he pulled back, she had to fight the impulse to grab his cloak and pull him against her again.

He frowned the tiniest bit and narrowed his eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Now that you're here, I am. I really thought you'd run off for a while."

Her affirmation drew a smirk out of him and she just wanted to kiss him more.

"How about when I was not here?"

"What? Are you fishing for compliments?" The moment the question was out, Kat realized he wasn't joking. And it was clear what he meant. "You felt it, too, then?"

"The suffocating sensation and the emptiness in my chest?" He took the cloak off his shoulders and sat behind his desk, rubbing his forehead. Only then did Kat realize how tired he looked. "Yes, I've felt it. Like being away from you made me physically ill."

"Me, too." Not knowing what to do with herself, Kat sat on the chair in front of his desk. The air between them was suddenly awkward and she hated it. "Do you think it's the magic between us?"

"I'm sure it is. I mean, don't get me wrong, I feel like I would've definitely missed you even without the magic, but this is... Troubling."

His words stirred the voices inside her in a cacophony of angry protests. Kat clenched her fists and silenced them. "Troubling how?"

"Kat, you do realize that even if we love each other, we do still need our autonomy, don't you? We need to be able to be apart."

"I don't want to be apart from you." She bit her lower lip, hating how that had escaped her mouth before she could control it.

"It would be ideal." He leaned over and took her chin between his index finger and thumb. "But it's less than practical."

"I know, I know..." She took in a deep breath and held it in, trying to tame what she was sure were the effects of the magic on her.

"But?"

He knew her so well, of course he sensed the but. And she'd be damned if she wouldn't be completely honest with him.

"But I wish you wouldn't be so cerebral about it. I don't like feeling like I'm imposing on you."

"Imposing?" He stood, rounded the desk and pulled her into his arms. "Do you have any idea the amount of self control I'm exercising right now? How hard it is for me not to pick you up, take you upstairs to my--" He halted and pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes shut tightly. "You see, Kat? I'm not better off. I'm just so much more proficient at controlling my urges because I've had seven years of practice keeping the beast in."

He was right and she hated the fact that his confession made her feel better. She also hated how appealing his inappropriate words sounded, but now the feeling was fanned by Keleigh's earlier affirmations. They were going on a dangerous quest. What if they would die? Then all the propriety would have been for nothing.

You need him. His magic and his strength.

She hated the voices inside her head, hated that after everything that had happened, she still couldn't bring herself to mention them to Cage.

"The thing is," Cage said, returning behind his desk, "I hate to think that our feelings for each other are tainted by magic. I just wish I could feel without that pull being involved."

She nodded even if she really didn't care. It earned her a tender smile which made her blush all over again.

"The macaroon looks good on you," he offered.

She laughed at this. "Why do I need dresses anyway? We are leaving soon, aren't we?"

"Indeed. I just... I guess I longed for a bit of normality."

"What did you find out?"

Cage's demeanor changed drastically, the playful fiancé replaced by the Admiral of the Royal Navy. "Fer was taken from the palace docks, so the pirates had some nerve on them. Everyone in the Grand Palace believes if was Wolfbane, even if they will not openly admit it. I also found out that Fherras decided to break tradition and wed Fer to the daughter of his favorite General rather than the designated Annorian princess."

The news about the pirates was not surprising, Malcom had confirmed that much. The engagement however threw Kat off. "Did it have to be a designated Annorian princess?"

"Well, yes." Cage hesitated for a moment. "It's not a written rule, but it has been that way for generations. So much so that the houses of Annora chose a common princess for every prince of Iride."

"Oh, I see."

She was not an Annorian princess and she was technically marrying the rightful king of Iride. Couldn't Cage see the irony in it? Apparently not, since he made no comment on it but instead kept mumbling about Fherras breaking tradition just to please one of his generals.

"What does this mean for our quest?" she asked, trying to keep her voice even.

"Not much, really. This is not new or overly relevant information. We will need to find a ship and more information on Wolfbane's wheabouts."

"Wait, wasn't this why you left in the first place?"

Cage gave her a bitter smile. "I visited Edmund and Fer's betrothed. These are not people who can tell me where pirates are or why I can find a clandestine ship willing to harbor a presumed-dead Duke and his lovely future bride. That sort of information comes from much seedier people."

She knew the type he meant. After all, her own town serves a fairly important port and the men down by the docks were less than pleasant. But she didn't see how that would stop Cage. "Then why didn't you...?"

"Because, sweetheart, those people are a lot more likely to recognize me than palace guards. And I want to stay dead."

Yes, of course. But that brought a much larger problem to light. "Then how is this even going to work?"

He leaned back in his seat, joining his hands behind his head. "I'm still working on it."

"How? And when? Didn't you say we're leaving?"

"It shouldn't take more than a day."

His words sounded like madness. "How are you going to fix this in a day?"

"I'm not. But I know someone who might." He stood. "I think you should go change. I need to get the report from the men and give the necessary instructions. You should start packing."

"But, Cage--"

He silenced her with a strained smile. "Trust me on this. Just go back up, pack, and say your goodbyes." He raised his eyes to the frame above the fireplace. "Joey, get everyone here. It's going to be short and brutal."

Kat jumped and turned to the portrait as well. It was unusual for Joey to make his appearance unannounced and stay quiet. This time, he just nodded nodded to Cage, a grave air about him.

"I'll go change my clothes and be down in a few minutes," Cage announced and with another fleeting smile to her, left the study.

Kay turned to Joey, her insides twisting with uncertainty. "What's going on?"

"What do you mean?" Joey asked, but his tone wasn't exactly lighthearted, though it tried to appear so.

"Where is he going? How is he fixing things?"

Joey dropped all pretense and sighed. "He didn't tell me anything, Kat."

She clenched her fists, smothering the impulse to smash something. Why was he hiding things from her?

"But," Joey continued, drawing her attention back to him, "he might go where he always has when things seemed hopless."

Kat raised her eyebrows, waiting for the answer. Joey took his sweet time, as if trying to draw out the suspense.

"She's the one who got him into this mess, so she might as well get him out," he finally said. "I'm not sure, but I think he's going to see Cecile."

The words fell on Kat like an axe. She'd never hoped so strongly that Joey was wrong.

Finally! Another chapter. Excuse the piss poor editing. I might go back to it and fix if. But I wanted to get this out there. This story needs to move.

Kat is not having a great time, but she believes going on the adventure will help. She does get another thing to doubt herself about. She is, after all, not an Annorian princess 😅

Could Joey be right? Is Cage going to Cecile? And if he is, what is he going to find there?

Stay tuned and find out!