Rose, Wilted: Book 1

Chapter 24 - The Seventh Sunset

 My week passed too quickly.

It sped by as I found myself engrossed in cleaning the house, caring for my father, and keeping the rest of the family occupied. After I'd slapped Blair, neither of my sisters had called me Beauty. It was an odd thing, when they first started talking to me civilly. Blair's glare softened by a few degrees and Ilsa was friendly. Aaron and Thomas were always polite, but on occasion I could see the disdain in their eyes. They were used to luxury. I was too after so long in the castle. The floor was not a pleasant place to sleep, even without my castle comparisons. But it was all worth it to see Father growing stronger. He could get up and walk around a bit by the fifth day of my stay and improved every day. It was wonderful to be home, even if the castle spires in the forest made me anxious.

And yet, though Jean's parents had been informed of his passing and all other business I'd had was settled, when the villagers tried to get me to talk about my time in the castle or with the Beast, I couldn't bring myself to answer. They wouldn't have understood it. They couldn't. And I knew they would never accept my answer. They were all - my father included - wholly against the Beast. They would never be any other way. Many of them thought I'd somehow killed the Beast, which was why there had been no more attacks since I'd left. Still others whispered behind my back about magic and sorcery.

More and more, home felt like a far off place in a storybook, one that I was anxious to get back to.

It was the evening of my last day in the village. I had left the things I had brought my family in the stables for them to find after I'd left and was on my knees packing my bags. I knew I had to go back. I'd figure out the enchantment, break it and run with whatever came. I was done with the things that kept the Beast and I apart. I was done with no answers. I was done with strange dreams.

I glanced out the upstairs window. The sun was already hanging low in the sky. I had to leave now. I should have left far earlier, but I'd had some final chores and things to do. And Blair and Ilsa had seemed so eager to make the most of our last day together.

I tucked a firestarter and torch into my bag. I grabbed my belt and cinched it around my waist, making sure my knife was safely tucked away inside it. I didn't know if I would meet up with Jayla or her wolves on the way back, but nothing was certain.

I glanced back at the sun. Jayla was out there. Avoln was out there. I hadn't seen either of them for the entire week and it was making me anxious. Where were they? What would I find when I got back to the castle?

But if I got back, what could I do? Really? What could I do? What progress had I ever made on the curse? I knew the Beast's time was short. What if I couldn't do it? What if I wasn't the right person? What if I failed him?

But who else would have gotten this far? No one else in the village would have given the Beast a second chance before trying to run him through. And who else who could have calmed him down, brought him back when he had turned? Maybe...maybe I was the only person who could do it. Maybe I was the only person in the world who could break the curse.

But even if I could see the future and found out I couldn't break the curse, that I'd failed, would I still go back? I watched the sun dip lower on the horizon.

Yes, I decided. Yes I would.

I had to leave tonight, go back, and set everything that was wrong to rights again.

I closed my bag, slung it over my shoulder and leapt down the stairs. There were still a few things I needed to take care of before I left.

I hurried into the kitchen where Mrs. C was making up another infusion for Father. She glanced at the bag over my shoulder and my blue working dress then resumed her work.