King Alden's blood ran cold as the servant burst into his office without a knock or a call. He was on his feet instantly as he followed the servant out again. Kaizen, Aliyah, and Kaden were already in the hallway, having heard Rowan's anguished scream. Quinn rushed to join them, followed by Adeline.

       "There was a scream, and your daughter," the servant panted, seeming unable to complete the sentence. He halted in front of Rowan's room, and took a deep breath, thrusting it open with both hands.

       "No," Quinn choked, seeing her sister's body splayed across the bed, "No, this can't be happening!"

       King Alden fell onto his knees beside her bed, his hands shaking. His eyes closed tightly as he grated his head from side to side. He seemed to be in denial like Quinn, who had closed her eyes, falling against the wall.

       Kaden took Rowan's hand, checking her wrist for a pulse, "There's a pulse," he said, giving Rowan a small shake. She didn't stir.

         Aliyah shrank away, her eyes widening with fear, "I didn't really think... I mean I knew, but it..."

       "... it didn't seem real," Kaizen finished for her, his eyes on the ground as he stood stiffly. His shoulders were locked into place, and his hands were clenched tightly together into fists so that his nails cut into his palms. "I know."

       "This can't be it," Kaden said through gritted teeth, "There has to be a cure, an exception, a spell breaker-"

        "There was one thing," Alden's voice cracked as he spoke, "But it was a joke... M-Maleficent said only true love's kiss would wake the spell. But Adeline recommended keeping her in, away from all sources of dark magic out there. She didn't know anyone."

       "Where did she get the dark magic, then?" Adeline humphed, looking with disapproval at Rowan's body.

       "The book," Kaden cautiously picked up the little black book, "She had it on her on our trip. I caught her reading it when she thought everyone was asleep. Maybe she knew there was something odd about it."

        "If it is, then we need to be rid of it," Adeline snatched it from his grasp, tucking it into her pouch on her waist, "I'll burn it immediately."

        "True love's kiss," Kaizen said quietly, still staring at Rowan, "You said she never knew any men?"

        "No, we kept her away from everyone," Alden was shaking hard now, trying to blink tears from his clouding vision, "There was no one."

        "Kaizen," Aliyah said suddenly, "You love her right? Maybe she loves you too!"

        "We were friends, Aliyah," he replied softly, "I know she didn't feel for me the way I feel for her."

       "You should try," Quinn begged.

        "No," Adeline said stiffly, "She doesn't need people swarming her while she's asleep!! Just give it awhile, and-"

       "With all due respect," Kaizen said, and Aliyah noticed his fingers drumming in patterns on his thigh as he spoke, "Your Majesty, if you truly wish to hold off anyone from touching her, then how is she supposed to come back?"

       "Easy," Alden rested a hand on his shoulder. His hands were still shaking, and he licked his lips before speaking, "It's her way of mourning. There will be chance for that in a moment."

      Kaizen gave a stiff nod, "Yes." He turned for the door, and Kaden chased after him. He reached his brother in the hallway, "Hey! Kai!"

        Kaizen turned around, "What?"

        "You know she's just saying that so Rowan doesn't wake up, right?" Kaden crossed his arms, leaning against the wall, "There is definitely something fishy with her. She did threaten me so I would kill Rowan."

          "I know," Kaizen looked away, his gaze on the window that allowed moonlight flutter in through the curtains. "I know she's guilty of attempted murder. And she suspects I can awaken her. But how long will it take before she realizes she can't hold off forever?"

        "Yeah, that's what I'm worried about," Kaden sighed, then began to head back to the room, "I'm gonna go keep an eye on her, okay? As soon as she's gone, I'll get you."

        "That's good, but..." Kaizen trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck, "I don't think I can wake her."

      "Right now, you're the only hope we got," Kaden said, then vanished around the corner.

       Kaizen brushed his hair back with both hands, anxious now. He wanted to be the one to wake her. He really did. But she had never given him any reason to believe she liked him as much as he liked her.

        He ran his fingers on the staircase railing as he traipsed down the winding staircase. What could he do, if he couldn't wake her? According to the king, there was no other man she had come in contact with over her years. She had been set up to fall into this slumber forever by her stepmother, and Kaizen was certain. Maybe Maleficent could reverse the spell, waking Rowan up again.

       Kaizen recalled the black book in Kaden's hands. It seemed to have been a source for dark magic, but where had the princess gotten it? Maybe at a place on her quest to his kingdom, maybe not. It was growing impossible to tell.

      And Adeline had attempted to kill her twice. Once through Kaden, and again with catapults.

       Kaizen reached the last step, slipping down a hall to his left. He was heading outside, trying to get a breath of air to clear his mind. Fresh air had always calmed his turbulent thoughts, and he pushed his way out onto the balcony. Wind and moonlight washed over his face as he gripped the railing with his twitching hands. He barely realized his fingers were dancing across the cold steel until he looked down at them.

       He sighed, forcing his fingers to stand still. He rubbed his face, wondering what was left for him to do. If he couldn't wake Rowan, then he would stop her wicked stepmother from causing anymore harm to anyone. He owed that to her, at least.

       Kaizen clenched his wandering fingers into a fist, suddenly determined. He had saved his country by claiming the offered reward money. Now he would save hers from a tyrannous ruler. Adeline.

       He let out a deep sigh, then heard a whisper of a breath behind him, accompanied with a slight shuffle of footsteps. He whipped around in time to see a cloaked figure lunging at him, a silver dagger glinting in the moonlight.

        Kaizen ducked aside, and the knife glanced off the steel railing. "Who are you?" he shouted at the hooded figure, who aimed a punch at Kaizen's face. The blow landed across his nose, and he could feel the blood gushing down his lip.

        He leapt back, but found his lower back pressing against the steel railing as the figure advanced. The knife came down again, but Kaizen caught his attacker's wrist, pulling it into his knee as he brought it up into the figure's gut. The man doubled over, but his flailing hands caught hold of Kaizen's shoulder. He was thrown to the floor, but he rolled onto his back as his opponent leapt on top of him.

        Kaizen lodged his boots into the cloaked figure's chest, sending the attacker tumbling away. Kaizen was on his feet in an instant, but the figure was too. Blood dripped from Kaizen's nose, but he didn't have time to wipe it away.

       The attacker lunged at him, catching him by the shoulders and knocking him to the floor. Hands curled around Kaizen's neck, and he grabbed his attacker by the throat. Fabric tore, and he caught a glimpse of the golden crest of Irisanna glinting on the man's collarbones.

       Kaizen's hand found the knife on his belt, but the attacker saw his fingers reaching for it and threw the knife away. The moment's relaxation on Kaizen's throat had been exactly what the young king had been hoping for. Kaizen surged upwards, knocking the hooded figure flat on its back. His hands curled around the person's neck, but a foot caught him in the chest, winding him.

       Kaizen rolled off, finding himself again with the railing of the balcony against his back. The cloaked man surged forwards, but this time, Kaizen only side stepped. The attacker lost its balance, barely catching itself on the silver railing.

       It didn't take much effort for Kaizen to upset the shaky balance. With a scream, the hooded figure fell over the railing, plunging down towards the shadowy ground. It landed splayed on a bush and lied there stunned for a moment. Then a cough rose into the air as the figure stirred, stumbling out of the bush.

        "Hey!" Kaizen shouted, but the figure took off at a stumbling run, vanishing around one of the castle's turrets.