Hearts of Stone

24. The Beast Victorious

Kat stumbled inside her house, looking left and right wildly, trying to find anything that would draw her attention from the tragedy she'd left behind.

It smelled musty and old, but it was unexpectedly clean given that her father had been living alone for the past two months. She'd half-expected to find his body on the floor, despite Cage's many assurances that he was fine.

"Papa!" she called.

With a scraping of chair legs on stone floors, her father charged into the hall. His hair was grayer, his gut leaner, but his eyes were more alert than she'd seen them in years.

"Katherine? My Kathy!" He charged at her and caught her in a bone crushing hug. "I can't believe you're home!"

Kat laughed and cried at the same time, hugging her father back. "I can't believe it either!"

He pulled back to look at her and for a moment she wondered what he saw.

"You look amazing," he said, his voice filled with disbelief. "Well fed and rested. I never thought I'd see you again. How did you escape?"

"I didn't. He let me go." And took care of her when she always thought she was the one taking care of him. Maybe they took care of each other.

"The beast let you go?" Joshua asked, rightfully confused.

"Yes, he's not that bad. Actually, he's not a beast at all. He's..." The man she was in love with and who she'd left behind because he turned out to be human. She winced, overcome by a wave of longing and guilt.

Joshua waited, but she didn't know what else to say, so she looked around the run-down house. Her father had done alright for himself, kept it clean and operational.

"What have you been eating?"

"The potatoes are still good. And the chickens have been laying. I also managed to find work in the stables at the inn."

Kat couldn't believe it. "That's great." She hugged him again, amazed by how her absence had made him more responsible. Everyone had been right. Her father could take care of himself.

"I've missed you so much," he muttered.

"I've missed you, too." But that was all she'd missed. Not the house, not her life, not her future chores. She'd wanted to see her father, but he honestly seemed better off without her. And once she'd made sure of that, she realized she didn't want to stay.

"Tell me more about this beast," Joshua said, releasing her from his arms. He sounded rightfully fascinated.

Where would she even begin? "He's not exactly a beast. The wolf face was a mask."

"Really now?"

Kat nodded. "He's been treating me well, letting me explore the castle, cook, read..." Told me his deepest, darkest secrets and I turned him away. She couldn't do this. So she took her father's hand and pulled him towards the door. "Come."

They both stepped outside into the cold winter wind, and she looked towards the forest. There was no way to tell if he was still there, but she dragged her father in that direction, her heart beating with hope.

"Cage?" she called.

Birds flew out of the nearest tree. A horse blew out a gust of air nearby and her heart swelled with joy. It took Cage a few seconds to step out, but he stayed in the shadow of the trees.

"Great, you brought the old man," he growled.

"Just quit acting like a petulant child and come out here," Kat said, rolling her eyes.