"The best of us must sometimes eat our words." – J.K. Rowling

I searched high and low for Raff, but it was a tip from Freya that finally led me in the right direction. Starting on the stairs up to the attic, I realised that I'd never set foot in Raff's 'Recluse Rooms' before. They were named so, for it was where Raff had retreated when the curse became too much, and all hope had deserted him.

I supposed it had become his haven from everything, an escape and a place that not even the house staff dared to venture into. I was hesitant to even enter the rooms, not knowing if I'd be accepted or even if Raff was there at all. I knocked and waited. I didn't hear and words but could faintly hear someone shuffling around. Deciding to put caution to the wind, I entered before I lost my nerve.

Momentarily stunned by the room, I didn't even register the fact that I'd found Raff for the first few moments of entry. The room was an explosion of old and new culture. I hadn't even been aware that Raff was up to speed on the outside world, yet, on one side of the room stood a very sleek plasma television, an impressive sound system and even a MacBook Pro. What amazed me even more were the monitors hooked up to the wall on my left which showed a very detailed security and CCTV system that I hadn't even realised was installed. It certainly explained how Raff always knew so much about me and where to find me. The rest of the room was filled with mementos and furniture from the past.

Returning to the matter at hand, my attention turned to Raff who was sitting in a high back chair, brooding and not looking at me. I approached cautiously, much like I would if approaching an injured animal. Raff looked so vulnerable that it almost broke my heart and my eyes filled with tears before I could stop them. I knew then that he had the power to break me and though I would have to tread carefully, I knew I still needed him to understand my pov.

"Hi," I whispered.

He looked at me with an expression I never wanted to see again.

"I think we need to have a talk."

His wounded expression doubled tenfold.

"Why don't you listen while I talk then?"

He nodded.

"I'm sorry we had an argument and I'm sorry that you felt the need to hide away. My views of Victor Madden and his family are more than negative and truthfully, I know that Valarie's problems don't originate from the Madden family. It would be easier if they did but I believe that Valarie is scared of a unique and psychopathic person. My anger, and the reason I used Victor Madden to such an extent in our argument is because you wouldn't listen. In fact, I have found it increasingly hard to exist in the Castle in the last couple of weeks for everyone has their own designs for me and their own reasons for putting me in danger. I should have been stronger and not bowed to peer pressure. I shouldn't have forced a vision, nothing good comes from doing that. It is impossible for me to not absorb some of Valarie's traits, as I am connected to her through the visions but let me make this crystal clear. I am my own person. I know where Valarie ends, and Valera begins. However, it is clear to me that neither you or the others understand this or recognise that we are two separate people."

Raff opened his mouth to respond but I stalled him with a wave of my hand. Now I had started to talk, I couldn't find the power within me to stop.

"Don't defend a lie when we know I've spoken the truth. It's very easy to lay all the blame at my door, for I am the one prophesised to end the curse and it looks like I've been doing a far better job of those that came before me. The truth is that we're all to blame. I should have been stronger. You should have been more trusting. Maya shouldn't have acted to impress. Maggie shouldn't be jealous. Cora shouldn't have tried to manipulate events, and Ben, well, he shouldn't be so happy all of the time. The point is, that while we argue with each other, we lose sight of our common goal. I'm trying to end this curse and give you all the life that you deserve to live. I can't do that in an environment that makes me feel trapped and guilty."

"I'm sorry," said Raff.

"And I forgive you, just like I hope you forgive me."

He nodded and I noticed that some colour had returned to his face.

"I didn't mean for our argument to make you doubt your feelings for me. To be honest, I'm scared Raff. This relationship between us scares me. I'm so worried all the time that you'll disappear before my eyes or that I'll get pulled away from you. Worse, I worry that this is all a dream and that I'm about to wake up and find that none of this was real. I can't lose you Raff. I can't even entertain it as a possibility now that I've fallen in love with you."

"You love me?"

I gulped in the realisation that I'd said those tree important words out loud. I couldn't take them back now, not while Raff was looking at me so.

"Yes, I love you quite completely."

It seemed like the tension in the room rolled off Raff as I confirmed what I'd said.

"I love you too. I hadn't dared hope of ever hearing those words again. You don't know what this means to me."

Even now, I could sense how candid Raff was being and how vulnerable he still felt. I mentally cursed to the high heavens the damage Valarie had done to this wonderful man and vowed that I would never make the same mistakes.

"I promise I'm not Valarie and I will do everything in my power to prove that to you. I mean the words I say. I do love you and I'll love you forever."

It seemed the time for words was over as Raff swept me up from my kneeling position next to him and cradled me in his arms like I was his most treasured possession. His hands traced lines on my face and I purred in contentment. For a moment there, I seriously thought I had lost the man I loved and having my love returned had me floating so high I didn't think I'd ever come down.

He kissed me then, just when I was wishing him to, and it was filled with so much passion that I felt I might split in two from the intensity of it.

I wanted to stay in his arms forever, up in the attic where no one could find us and continue to live a life of fantasy, but life didn't work like that. The kiss was getting more heated but that didn't stop the scream from several floors below from reaching our ears.

Breaking apart reluctantly, Raff continued to hold me as we looked intently at one another. That was until a second scream was heard and I knew we'd have to leave this sanctuary and our new exclamations of love behind, to find out what had happened below.

We walked, hand in hand, from the attic to the Castle below. Our pace only quickened when a third and final scream was heard.