The jail cell in Darkwood was very unfitting for a king.

Kat knew that, even if she wasn't actively looking to make the king of Iride comfortable. And yet, he didn't belong there.

As her army took control of the town and occupied every available living quarter, she found herself wandering off. Even without stepping inside any of the buildings in town, she knew them. The inn where she used to work, the shops she visited for food, the library with the royal line of Iride displayed outside.

She remembered more than just the buildings. She knew the streets, the twists and turns among the shacks, the way to the cliff overlooking the sea and the port. As she stopped her horse on the edge of the bluffs and took in a lungful of salty air, something inside her shivered, as if a flood of thoughts and feelings was begging to come out, but couldn't surpass her defenses.

"Defenses from what?" she whispered to herself as the breeze played with the loose tendrils of her hair. "This shitty town filled with superstitious people?"

The wind didn't answer, and she was grateful that the voice inside her stayed silent as well. She had no idea what had happened on that battlefield, but she didn't want a redo of that. The feeling of no longer being in control of her own body, of her words, was still fresh in her mind, even if whatever hold had been on her had relinquished the moment Iride fully retreated.

And I could no longer ruin anything.

The magical safeguards were still there, higher and stronger than before. But for the first time, she could see them for what they really were. Means to control her.

Help me.

Control.

She shut her eyes tightly, trying to make a bit of sense of what was happening. The moment she'd come out from the crevice in which she'd been tossed by the voices, one thing became crystal clear. She was not safe inside her own mind. Her thoughts themselves could get her tossed to the side again. Imprisoned inside her own body.

But that means Jazz and Jinx were right. I am being manipulated. Controlled. Like a puppet.

There was a Kat that they knew in there. Was it her? This piece which panicked at the thought and sight of war. This piece who saw how wrong everything was? They'd succeeded and conquered the richest part of Iride.

But we cheated.

There was no honor in this. It wasn't fair. And now she had the king.

Cage.

A shiver ran down her spine and her heart started beating faster. With it came the fluttering of butterfly wings in her stomach. It frightened her, but it also made her feel more alive than she had ever since she'd become the ruler of Endir.

It was too much. The chill ran through her veins, quieting her traitorous heart. The fear melted into certainty and she could once again focus on her surroundings. This was nonsense. She had a duty to her people and she had come out victorious.

She turned away from the sea and her eyes landed on the fountain dominated by the statue of Cecille. Ah, yes, the High Fairy. It was the height of irony that her twisted games had brought them all here. With a grin, she reached out her hand and blasted the statue's head clear off.

In the distance, birds fled from the trees of the forest. A few turrets were visible among the tallest pines.

The castle. It was there where she needed to take Cage. She knew exactly what to do with him.

⚜⚜⚜

By the time Kat made it to the castle, Keith had already cleared out the servants and had settled the horses in the vast stables. Most of the royal guard had taken up the servants' quarters while the bulk of the army stayed in town.

The King of Iride arrived shortly after. She instructed the guards to bring his still unconscious body down to the dungeons and throw him in the first cell. Her back against the opposite wall, she watched as the men thrust him inside and closed the door. They muttered to themselves as they left, wondering if a meager cell was enough to hold him, especially since Kat had instructed that no guards were necessary.

Her men couldn't feel what she did, what Cage would once he woke up. The thinning air, the pressure against her chest as the iron worked to repel every bit of magic inside them. The cell was more than enough to keep everything dangerous about him contained.

"Welcome home, you bastard," she mumbled into the darkness, then headed up the stairs.

The castle was still in a flurry as her guards organized a war room and assessed the resources available to them. Kat's skin crawled as she took in the portrait gallery in the hall. Across from it, there was a tapestry of the royal lineage which was shredded. The memories of a raging, out of control beast made her shudder. A part of her knew that many things had happened in that castle, but that part was being smothered because she did not need the information. She had the building and she would use it to its fullest.

"Your Majesty." Keith stopped at the bottom of the staircase leading to the upper floors and knocked his heels together. "We find this place satisfactory for our base camp. It is very easy to guard and the rooms are much more luxurious than we could have hoped for."

Of course. A proper castle for the Duke of the Southern Lands. For someone who needed to be kept silent. A myriad of images and thoughts had her wincing.

"Your Majesty?"

This game of hide the madness from Keith was getting old fast. She massaged her temples.

"I'm just wary after the battle, General." Which was true. "Settle in. I want the upper floor left empty. No need for our soldiers to trample expensive carpeting."

Keith faltered for a moment. "What about you, your Majesty?"

"I'll take a room for myself up there, of course."

"What about, um... Jinx?"

Oh, right. There was still Jinx. Jinx who she'd rammed into a tree with the force of her magic without outright meaning to. Jinx who could switch loyalties now that her precious Cage was within reach.

"She can stay with the army like the good soldier that she is." She did not miss her general's reticence. "You're afraid for my safety? You saw my power."

"You can still be murdered in your sleep," Keith muttered,

Kat let out a humorless laugh. "How is that possible with my guards at the entrances?"

This appeased Keith, so she was free to wander to the higher floors and choose the most decadent room for herself. It took her mere moments to identify the room that must have been the king's. It was specious and lavish, sporting a fireplace, multiple sofas, and a giant four-poster bed. Her eyes narrowed at the empty frame above the mantle as a memory fought towards the surface. With an annoyed huff, she dismissed it and hurried out of that room. She didn't want to be there.

Instead, she headed for the western wing and found a room draped in blue wallpaper that she adored. Everything was to her liking, from the furniture to the mattress on the bed.

That's because he made sure it was perfect for you. It was yours.

The new voices were not the raspy magical ones that pushed her memories to the back of her being. Fear grabbed on to Kat and she forced herself to focus on what she was seeing rather than memories. Why she was doing that, she wasn't certain. All she knew was that she mustn't overthink things, give in to her need to remember. Fight the cold and the clear head.

Because if I do, she'll lock me up again.

"Shhh." Even if she was alone, she felt the need to shush herself. "I'm truly going insane."

And as she looked into the mirror, she could see herself twirling in a light blue ball gown, everything around her in flames.

⚜⚜⚜

Kat had fallen asleep easily that evening, her body and mind exhausted after the battle. Even so, she found herself staring at the ceiling, eyes wide open, without any memory of waking. The cold light of the late autumn moon flitted through her window, falling on the carpet at the foot of her bed. Dust danced in the light, reminding her of diamonds.

She'd seen this dance before, except then, they were rubies.

Blood. So much blood.

Cage with his chest torn open lying in the portrait hall of this very castle. Her stomach tightened at the image, but it was gone before she could fully process it.

It was in the past. And yet, she could almost see herself falling out of bed and in the arms of a beast with a giant wolf's head.

Cusith.

She was safe. She had a friend within these walls. Except... She could barely remember anything. Flashes of memories danced just out of her reach, leaving her feeling cold, which was strange. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt cold.

It's not the cold. It's the loneliness.

Was it? She was definitely not alone in that castle.

And still...

Her feet touched the floor and she found herself standing. Then, her footsteps carried her to the window and she looked out into the grounds. She could see the stables and so many winter roses.

Grow the perfect rose with thorns strong enough to kill the beast.

She was not the rose. She'd never been the rose. Cage was.

Cage.

Her mind was blurry from the effort of organizing her memories. But it was all in vain. She couldn't break through whatever barrier Lucille had placed in her mind. In the dead of night, however, it felt like a good idea to try. Not by force, since that might rouse the magic inside her, but by bathing herself in a familiar setting. And for some reason, she believed the dungeon would be most familiar.

The corridors were empty. After all, she had prohibited anyone from climbing to the higher stories. When she reached the top of the grand staircase, she was pleased to see that no guards waited at the bottom. After all, why would they? There was nothing to guard inside the castle. The king of Iride was contained and would have to get past the outside guards to escape.

The king... He shouldn't be the king. Why was he?

She lingered next to the torn tapestry. Even if there was no wind within the walls, it seemed to move, as if the beast had just withdrawn its clothes from it.

I can't even have your name here.

She'd never learned his name. It was in shreds. In tatters, just like his army and his legacy.

You did this. He asked for peace.

What peace is there when my people are starving?

Because that she was certain of. The people of Endir were her people, and it was up to her to make a better life for them.

A better life... Her steps carried her down to the dungeon and she stopped in front of the door leading to the only cell. She could feel the force of the iron crossbars on the door, how it made it a little harder to breathe. Inside, it was a lot worse. She'd felt it herself back when she didn't even know she was touched by magic.

With shaky steps, she approached the door and looked in through the tiny barred window on the top side.

The king of Iride sat with his back against the wall, his eyes closed, his mouth set into a determined line. She knew he wasn't sleeping, and it was confirmed when he opened his eyes.

For some reason, she expected them to be golden and filled with hunger. The dark blue unsettled her. His expression didn't change. He didn't show recognition or annoyance, just glanced through her. It hurt for some reason.

"How are you fairing?" she whispered into the stretching silence.

"As well as can be expected, your Majesty," he answered. "I believe you remember the properties of this room."

"You don't seem to be suffering its effects."

A smile flitted on his lips. "Oh, I've been locked up in this cage far more often than you would think."

"The beast," she whispered.

This seemed to get his attention since he straightened against the wall. "Yes, the beast. I'm a little shocked you remembered."

"Me too." The honesty of those two small words hung between them.

"Kat..." His voice sounded tired, and she assumed he was. After all, the dungeon was suffocating. She could feel it even from the other side of the door.

"Don't." She had no idea what she didn't want him to do.

He didn't listen. He pushed himself off the wall and onto his feet. With shaky steps, he walked to the door and stopped in front of it.

He was so tall, so broad. He could crush her with his bare hands, and yet, she was the one standing in the hall, looking at him through bars.

"This iron has a strange effect," he whispered.

"Does it hurt?" she whispered back.

The corners of his mouth lifted into the smallest of smiles. "Like a bitch. But I'm used to pain." He wrapped one hand around the iron bars separating them. His skin sizzled as the metal burned under his touch.

She took a step back. "What are you doing?" Her heartbeat pounded in her chest as a memory fought to reach the surface.

Cage with his back against the door, the iron burning into him.

"I will hurt you. Even now, after you let me go."

"I will never let you go."

Those had been her words while he was fighting to keep the beast inside him from tearing her to shreds. What had they gone through? Like a flash, she could feel the touch of his lips on her own.

I love you, Kat.

"No..." She took a step back, clutching her chest. It hurt. Physically, even if no one was touching her. But it felt as if something was growing in the emptiness she'd gotten so used to.

"You kissed me."

"That I did. And it drained all my self control."

Beauty is the least impressive thing about her.

Tears clouded her vision and she let them fall as a myriad of images paraded in front of her eyes. She still couldn't hang on to them, but for the first time they filled her with feelings. It was an overwhelming avalanche that threatened to bury her completely under the weight of everything she had lived through. Everything she had forgotten.

"Kat?" The king of Iride sounded worried.

Cage. He was not the king of Iride. He was her captor, her bane. Her friend. They'd written to each other in magical notebooks long before they got to meet in person.

K. She remembered him and how his letters brought her solace on her darkest days, She'd been enamored with him and what he represented. That until she found out who he really was. Except, she couldn't remember that. Just more flashes.

"What's happening to me?" Her voice came out as a whimper.

"I think it's the iron. It's affecting the magic placed upon us to get us to forget each other."

She raised her gaze to him. He'd fortunately taken his hand off the bars. His eyes were filled with concern.

"The magic that..." She couldn't repeat that. The words got stuck in her throat. Everything was much too overwhelming and she was drowning in it.

"Kat?"

She couldn't answer. The tears were too much. They smothered her together with the memories that still refused to let her grasp them.

"Kat, let me out. I can help you."

"No!" The voice that spoke was not her own and she placed her hands over her mouth, pressing hard.

Cage stepped away from the bars, his brow now furrowed. He should be scared, maybe hateful, but he still only looked worried. For her.

Before the force inside her could intervene, she rushed to the door. The key was on a hook on the right side of it, where she knew it would be. She shoved it in the keyhole and turned. With a heavy groan, the lock turned and he was free.

Fear scampered over her skin, turning it clammy and she stepped back until her back hit the opposite wall. What had she done?

But the door opened and he stayed in the threshold, watching her with wonder. Once it was obvious that he wouldn't approach, her breathing and pulse both slowed and she lowered her hands from her chest.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Kat," he said into the booming silence. "Not now, not ever."

Before she could think on how wise such a decision would be, she launched at him. He still didn't move, but once her body slammed into his, he wrapped his arms around her to steady her.

"What is happening to us?" she asked between tears.

"We're just pawns," he said, his voice much too kind. "We're doing our best."

"I can't remember anything! Every time I try, the ice inside me takes over."

"This is not your fault."

"Yes it is!" She pushed away from him and dragged the back of her hand under her eyes to brush away the tears. "You're not like this. You're still you."

"Do you even know me anymore?"

Did she? The question had her analyzing him properly. The rugged edge of his jaw, the vivid dark blue of his eyes, the way the black hair fell across his forehead. With a will of its own, her hand raised and touched his cheek. The gesture was so familiar, as was the feel of his skin. Slowly, the ice inside her seemed to melt.

He took her hand, but held her there. The gesture was familiar as well and it sent a shudder through her body. When he reached out and caressed her cheek, she trembled under his touch.

He's the enemy! Your prisoner!

But the voice was more like an afterthought. He stepped back inside the cell and she followed. Air seemed to escape her lungs, but she didn't care, because it seemed to take the cold away. The pain and the confusion.

"Do you remember?" he whispered.

She shook her head, even if it was a lie. She didn't remember things, but she remembered the touch of his skin. As if sensing this, he stepped closer to her until she could feel the heat of his body.

"How about now?" he asked, leaning over her.

He was so close. If she raised a mere inch, their lips would touch. She remembered this. Being this close to him, wanting him so much that it hurt. She took his face in her hands. He drew in a sharp breath.

"Kat." His voice was like wildfire. "Remember me. Remember us."

The words, even if spoken tenderly, sounded like a command. She wanted to appease him, wanted to remember.

"Oh, sweetheart...."

It was the end of her. She tightened her hold on her face and drew him down. When her lips touched his, it felt as if some damn inside her broke and she felt whole again. Like she used to before she was the ice queen of Endir.

You're still the queen!

It was nothing but a distant rumble. All she wanted, all she needed was right in front of her. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly against him as he deepened the kiss. How had she gone so long without this? How could she ever forget it?

"I've missed you so much," he muttered as he pulled away and stuck his forehead to hers.

"I..." She had no idea what to say. She hadn't missed him. Hadn't missed this, but only because she wasn't aware it was possible.

"Do you--?"

"Don't push me!" She couldn't stand it if he asked her if she could remember him again. Because while her memory was faulty, feeling was finally returning to her bones.

"I won't push you. I'm your prisoner, Kat."

Her prisoner. Which meant that she could do with him as she saw fit.

Kat stepped away from the man who was driving her insane and took his hand. Then, she pulled him out of the prison cell and up the stairs. The castle was silent and felt empty as they tiptoed up the marble steps leading to the upper storey. When they reached the landing, his arms were around her waist again and he let them fall against the wall.

She gasped, but most of it was swallowed when he leaned over and kissed her. It was so easy to forget everything and fall into it, her hands trailing along the muscles of his back. Tension and desire built inside her so fast it was a wonder she wasn't exploding right there and then. His hands strained as well, moving up her back, to her shoulders, then back down, touching the sides of her breasts. It made her whimper into his mouth.

"Gods, how have I been so long without you?" he breathed into her hair.

She could ask the very same thing, but for different reasons. It was like the feel of his touch was burned into her skin. She remembered it all. His body, the way he kissed her, how he touched her. She too had gone too long without.

Before she could take his hand to lead him again, he hooked an arm behind her knees and hoisted her up into his arms. In a matter of moments, he turned towards her room and headed that way, as if he knew what she'd chosen. How could he? He'd been locked up all this time.

It didn't matter. Not when his smoldering gaze stayed on her the entire time, not when he closed the door behind him, leaving them alone in her bedchamber.

No! This is inappropriate!

But hadn't the same voices longed for his body previously? She knew they did. She knew a lot more than she did before she first kissed him.

Cage laid her on the bed and made to rise. She grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him down, kissing him with everything she had. A groan escaped his lips and it only heated her up further.

She shouldn't be doing this. In the back of his mind she knew that. There were further reasons than the magical voices tormenting her. She knew it was wrong. But with his arms around her, she couldn't remember why.

"Kat," he breathed into her ear. "We shouldn't be doing this."

He knew it, too, and his voice was more convincing than her own inner workings.

"I know we shouldn't. We definitely shouldn't." And yet, she couldn't let him go.

He didn't try to pull away either, just watching her with those gorgeous eyes. Had he always been this handsome?

"Your eyes," he whispered. "They're the right shade of blue again."

She had no idea what he meant at that moment, but she loved the sound of his voice. Her mind was even fuzzier, but the hollowness inside her was almost gone. She just needed a little more. It terrified her, how much she needed him.

"You are so beautiful," she said. She raised her hand and caressed his cheek.

His jaw tightened, and she could feel that he was fighting himself. Even if unaware of his inner conflict, she wanted him to lose.

"Would this help?" The question was obviously not directed at her.

"I don't care if it helps."

"That's the wrong answer."

She let out a bitter laugh. "Does anything about this feel right?"

"That's the thing. It feels right to me. But you... You're all wrong."

The words pierced her soul, a pain she no longer believed she could feel. It was both frightening and refreshing. But it was enough to have her pulling away from him and scurrying against the headboard. He remained where he was, his knees on the bed, watching her like a wolf about to pounce on a clueless deer.

"Kat..."

Every time he used her name, it felt as if he was calling her to him. Weaving his magic around her until she had no choice but to obey.

It's a trap. He's controlling you.

Ironic, coming from voices that took away her will. But now, she had no idea what to do. All she knew was that it was very cold without him near and the ice was sipping back into her core.

"I..." He scooted a bit closer.

"Stay with me," she whispered.

"I don't know if I should."

"Then what? You'll go back to the dungeon? You're not getting out of this castle alive."

A smirk made him look even more enticing. "Don't underestimate me, your Majesty."

"What point is there to being queen if I can't have what I want?"

He drew closer. "You want me?"

"You have no idea." The words escaped before Kat could filter them.

For a moment, he was silent, then the smirk returned. "Oh, but I think I do." And he leaned over to kiss her again.

She ran her fingers through his hair, clenching them to stop him from pulling away. He didn't, instead slithering an arm around her waist and pulling her against him. There was no way this was wrong. Her entire being hummed with heat as she struggled to unbutton his shirt.

The feel of his skin under her fingertips was new and familiar at the same time, and when he slid the straps of her nightgown over her shoulders, she made no move to stop him. His kisses trailed from her mouth, down her jaw and then her neck.

This felt right. Touching him, feeling his skin, pushing him to the mattress and getting on top of him. She took her shift off herself, letting her naked body be bathed in the light of the moon.

His eyes shone in the dim light and seemed to catch a golden swirl, as if the color of his irises couldn't decide. It didn't matter, not when his hands slid over her skin, not when she undressed him as well and he made no move to stop her.

He let her stay on top, set the place, do with him whatever she wanted, and she used him to the fullest, bringing them both to the edge of unimaginable pleasure. And when he rolled over her and took the lead, she was convinced that her heart would explode.

It didn't. Instead she got to feel more like herself than ever.

It terrified her. It elated her. It made her feel like a monster. It made her feel like the salvation they all needed.

⚜⚜⚜

After two chapters of bonus PoVs, we're FINALLY back to our main guys and with a huge chapter to boot. And would you look at that? Iron repels magic? And it makes our people horny. 

I have to say this was the first scene I pictured when writing this book. In my earlier plans, VoS was supposed to end with Cage getting captured and this would have been one of the first chapters of CoB. But then all the previous details would have been lost. Hope this is better.

I hope you're still enjoying the story! And a Happy New Year to us all!