The road to the castle seemed to go on forever.

Kat's heart went out to Lilygreen, her poor horse, but she couldn't afford to slow her maddening pace. Every second was precious. Fortunately, it was easy to follow the crowd, their many footsteps leaving a clear path on the forest floor.

Even if she could hear growling and howling in the distance, the wolves stayed out of her way, most likely warded off by the torches of the mob. And yet, she kept alert, waiting to hear the death rattle of a Cusith. Without the iron dagger on her, she felt vulnerable, a sure target.

But as luck would have it, the forest stayed Cusith-free. Maybe Cage had managed to slay the last one.

Soon enough, she could hear the rumbling of many voices above the sound of Lilygreen's hooves. And in the blink of an eye, the castle came into view. 

Kat pulled the rains on the horse to stop it, her eyes wide with fear as she took in the scene before her.

The courtyard of the castle was packed, people overrunning even the rose fountain. Most of the crowd was trying to take down the door using their combined bulk. But even so, she noticed the bodies on the ground, surrounded by blood, arrows sticking out of their arms or legs.

Kat raised her eyes to the ramparts of the castle to see Cage lifting what looked like a crossbow and taking aim again. He wasn't wearing his wolf mask, but it was probably for the best since it would impair his aim. Another arrow zoomed through the air and found its target in a man's shoulder. He dropped his torch with a yell of pain, and the flame disappeared in the snow.

Even through the panic, she realized he was trying no to kill anyone. Just as her mind made this basic connection, the crowd managed to tear the door down and filled into the castle. Cage put his crossbow away and disappeared from the rooftop as well.

What was he doing? Where was he going? Kat had to do something before they got to him.

She ran as fast as her legs allowed towards the armory from where she grabbed the nearest sword she could find, a dagger and a crossbow of her own. When she came out, some of the men were still in the courtyard. She fired the crossbow at the one closest to the door. The arrow hit its mark, shattering the man's kneecap, but she hadn't grabbed additional arrows.

Damn it! She had chosen poorly. And now all she had were a sword and a dagger, but they'd have to do. She couldn't fight her way through the crowd anyway, even armed with arrows. She'd have to use stealth.

Pulling the hood of her cloak over her head, she scurried towards the castle, trying to blend in with the enraged townsfolk. With her eyes half-covered, she almost stumbled into someone. The crowd had stopped in the entry hall, terrified whispers traveling between them.

Kat raised her eyes, and fear sneaked through her veins. She could remember too vividly how it felt to step inside this dark, cavernous hall, only to stumble upon pieces of broken furniture. This was the case now, and she wondered if Cage had done it on purpose to scare the villagers, or the beast had really come out after she had left, iron bracers and everything. All the portrait frames seemed to be empty.

"The women to the back," Donnie ordered from the front of the crowd. "Stay together. There's a violent monster in this castle and I wouldn't want him picking us apart."

Kat ignored his order and tried to sneak to the front. She had the home turf advantage and if only she could slip past them in the dark, she could go to Cage. All she had to do was go around Donnie who had his foot on the bottom step of the staircase, and hurry up to the tower.

"Come out, Beast!" Donnie yelled. "Come out, you cowardly monster! You owe us some explanations."

"Do I now?"

The sound of Cage's voice froze her in place. Why had he come down? Though deep inside, Kat knew it wasn't like him to hide in a corner, no matter how strategic it might have been. Though, in this case, she wasn't even sure it was.

The growling voice had a different effect on Donnie who jumped off the step and twisted in midair, almost falling over.

"I owe you nothing," Cage growled. "So you'd best leave my castle before I murder you all."

His words drenched the room in silence. Kat tiptoed towards the staircase, keeping her back against the wall, remaining in the cover of darkness. The crowd shifted, as if they wanted to head towards the exit, probably convinced by the threat in Cage's voice. Panicked whispers filled the hall.

"Show yourself, you cowardly beast," Donnie demanded, though his voice shook.

"Are you sure you want that?" Cage replied. He sounded amused now, as if the tremble in Donnie's voice lightened the mood.

Donnie swallowed hard, but grabbed a torch from the nearest peasant and pointed it towards the stairs. A yell of terror followed his action as the light shone on the dead eyes of the Cusith head. Part of the crowd dropped their torches and pitchforks and rushed for the exit.

The weight on Kat's chest seemed to lift the tiniest bit. Maybe they could do this, scare them out without having to hurt anyone.

Donnie stumbled back too, the hand with the torch shaking violently, making the mask even more frightening to look at beneath the dancing shadows. Even she was a little shaken given it had been so long since Cage had worn the mask.

"Don't be frightened," Donnie called, though his voice indicated he was a second away from soiling himself. "It's just a mask. He doesn't really have a wolf head."

What the...? Kat felt like kicking herself. Of course Donnie knew. He'd read the letter she'd written to her father in which she mentioned it. She was such an idiot. All of this was her fault.

"But is it, though?" Cage asked, playing his creepy wolf-man part like a true professional. "Come closer to see if I have the bite to back up my bark."

With crazy bravery, Donnie pulled out his sword and pointed it at Cage. "No. Take it off. Now."

Cage was not impressed. "Oh, you're just begging for me to kill you right now."

The harshness in his voice had Kat's breath hitching in her throat. Something was wrong.

"I'd like to see you take me in fair combat, monster."

A low growl escaped Cage as he strode into the circle of light so Donnie could gauge the size of him. It was rare for Donald of Royce to see someone as tall as him, so the realization that he no longer had the size advantage had him stumbling away. He tripped over a fallen chair and toppled backwards. Right into Kat.

His bulk pressed her against the wall and knocked the breath out of her. Before she could pull herself together, Donnie's vice-like hand trapped her forearm and he pulled her against his chest. She elbowed him in the stomach, but her next attack was paralyzed by the feel of the steel blade of his sword against her neck. The idiot was pressing too hard, and the sting of the cut had her sucking air through her teeth.

"What do you know?" Donnie let out a shaky laugh. "It seems like I have your wife. This traitorous whore who jumps from man to... Well, I would say man, but you're nothing but a beast."

Cage didn't answer, but Kat noticed him stiffening. Please don't let the beast come out. They could solve this another way, without a blood bath. She gritted her teeth together, her heart thumping with unease, dreading the sound of breaking bones.

"Let her go," he said, his voice low. "You want to settle this like men? Let's."

"Real men don't wear masks. Take it off!"

"No, Cage don't."

Her plea had the blade digging deeper into her throat. She could feel blood trickling down her neck, into her dress. And even if she couldn't see his eyes, she was sure Cage was following the drops of blood.

"If you want me to take it off, let's go up stairs," he said. His voice was so strained, it was obviously he was fighting the beast with everything he had. "You and me, alone. And I'll show you what I'm made of."

Blazing hell, if Donnie listened, he was dead. Cage was letting the beast out on him. But apparently, Donnie was very fond of his life.

"Go alone? With you? So that your other devilish creatures may surround me? Oh, no. We're doing this right here, for everyone to see."

"You idiot, if I take the mask off, I'll kill half of your crowd," Cage growled.

"Yeah, right!" Donnie said with a huff.

"He's right, Donnie. Don't make him take off the mask," Kat pleaded.

"Shut it, you whore. You're only making me want it more. So here's the deal." Donnie tightened his hold around her waist. "You take that wolf mask off, or I'll decapitate her."

Kat wanted to plead some more, argue that one life was not worth tens, or however many women were in that crowd. Though maybe they were too scared to fixate on his beauty. Maybe the women were out of the castle or too far back to see.

The foreign energy inside her seemed to grow, but she forced it back, aware that one wrong move could be the end of her.

"Come on. Let's all see what you're hiding," Donnie insisted.

"This is on you, asshole," Cage said, putting his hands at the base of the mask.

Kat wished she could turn away and not have to see this, but her eyes just wouldn't close. As it was, she wanted to see his face maybe one last time before Donnie's shaking hand cut her head off.

The reaction was what she'd expected. The crowd let out a collective gasp once they realized that the mask hid no horror behind it. Just an abnormally handsome young man.

There was a sigh, then a blood-chilling sound, like stones cracking before an avalanche. Cage had a look on his face like he was about to throw up, but it did nothing to lessen his charm, the shock of seeing him from the first time. When he raised his eyes, they swirled between gold and dark blue.

"What's going on?" Donnie asked, his voice drenched in panic. "What's that sound?"

"Turn around and look, you moron," Cage said, his voice barely discernable.

Kat wished he wouldn't, but Donnie spun on the spot, swinging her around, so she got to watch first hand how the features of the women behind her turned to stone. Prudence and Mia with dreamy expressions, others with their mouths open in surprise. Kat had never imagined Cage could have that effect on people.

As soon as the sound of crackling stone died down, the men started yelling. The few women untouched by the curse were pushed out of the castle in a chorus of screams. The crowd thinned, but it didn't matter. The damage had been done. And a mad laugh bubbled out of Cage.

Donnie turned back to him, the sword dropping slightly from Kat's neck. She really didn't want to see this either, but the sharpness of Cage's features showed that the beast was seconds from coming out. Her gaze drifted to his wrists but the bracers were hidden by the sleeves of his tunic.

"Turn them back!" Donnie ordered, his voice shaky.

"Turn them back?" Cage picked up a chair off the floor. "I warned you." He flung the chair at his head.

Donnie threw himself out of the way, taking Kat with him. He landed on top of her, his bulk knocking the wind out of her.

"Now let her go before I break you," Cage growled, his sword out and ready.

Donnie twisted and held his own sword forward, even if his hand was shaking.

"Stay away!" He ordered, taking a dagger out of his boot and placing it against her stomach. "Or I will stab her."

Cage faltered, the beast apparently not powerful enough to make him endanger her. And she hated it. This position, being weak and used against him. But the blade of Donnie's dagger rested against her stomach and the thin silk of her corset would not protect her. She was sure that if she made any sudden movements, he'd make good on his threat.

"That's right," Donnie said, getting back on shaky feet and pulling her after him. "I have her. So here's what's going to happen. You're going to drop your weapon and kneel before me, or I'm cutting her open right now."

There was a murmur of disapproval from the crowd at this cruel exchange, but he ignored it, his hands now steadier.

Cage hesitated, and Kat wished he'd just run Donnie through with the sword. His face was still open, after all. But the Cage she loved would never kill someone like that, not even Donnie.

A growl rose out of his chest and the crowd shifted further towards the door. Cage took another step forward, but threw his sword to the side.

"I will drop my weapon," he said, his voice strong and carrying. "But I kneel before no one. Especially a corrupted simpleton like you."

There was a moment of silence. Then Donnie loosened the pressure of the knife against her and Kat knew the traitorous act that would follow.

Like in a dream, she sidestepped out of his hold and twisted, placing herself in front of Cage. Donnie's blade went through her stomach.

White hot pain tore through her. Her knees buckled and she crashed to the floor, her vision hazy. Maybe she was imagining it, but she tasted blood.

"No!"

Cage's voice tore through her, the despair and defeat in it. She forced her vision to focus and she realized he'd knelt next to her.

"You shouldn't kneel for anyone." At least that's what she tried to say. She wasn't sure anything had come out.

Cage put his hand over her stomach, touching her wound. She let out a hiss. It hurt. He needed to get away.

He was trying to heal her again. It wasn't working.

Donnie's yell had her entire body shaking. He loomed upon them and dove his sword towards Cage's head. He lifted his arm to block it and metal hit metal.

One of Cage's bracers hit the floor with an echoing clang. Even through her own pain, Kat took in the scars on his wrist, the burnt skin.

So much pain, so much misery.

Donnie had no idea what he'd done. The rage surrounding Cage was almost palpable.  With a cry of anger and frustration, he reached out his hand and thrust it forward. Even if it didn't make contact with Donnie, he flew backwards and his body crumpled against the wall.

There was a huge intake of breath from the crowd.

"Witch!" someone yelled, the fear in their voice obvious. The cry was picked up, but it became fuzzy in Kat's ears.

Then his hand was on her stomach again, only this time it burned and she felt her blood boiling and her skin pulling as the wound closed.

In a matter of seconds, the haziness disappeared, leaving room to confusion. She didn't have time to take in what had happened before Cage stepped over her. The sound of breaking bones filled the hall together with that of tearing fabric.

Terrified screams followed. Kat sat up so fast, she nearly vomited. But there was no time. The beast was out with all those unsuspecting people around. It wasn't their fault that they believed the kingdom policy, that they feared magic. It was frightening and dangerous after all.

"What is going on?" Donnie asked, making himself the obvious target.

No! She couldn't let this go on. The statues littering the hall, the blood on the floor. This wasn't who he was. And he was living through every nerve wrecking second of this, probably screaming insider his own head to stop, because he was above this.

And she knew he would rather die than do this.

There was no other choice. She needed to break the curse and she needed to break it now. So she picked up the head of a fallen statue and tossed it at the beast to get its attention before it eviscerated Danny.

"Hey, over here."

The creature turned towards her, and Kat's breath caught in her throat. The color in its eyes was swirling at a maddening pace, and even if it had talons, it was obvious that the transformation had stopped before being completed, most likely due to the remaining bracer.

It growled at her, showing its fangs. And that was when Kat knew she had to run. So she turned and darted up the stairs, towards the tower. She wasn't sure what she'd do once she got there, but she was satisfied to hear its pounding footsteps right behind her.

Maybe she'd somehow manage to lock it inside the tower. Or lock both of them in there, because it seemed like her life choices had been reduced to death by beast or death by angry mob. Or maybe she'd manage to pull Cage out.

She entered the tower. A flash of lightning from an incoming storm reflected off the faces of the statues, making the blade of the iron dagger glint on the small circular table. At least it was there, which meant she had a shot. She dove for it just as the beast entered the room as well.

Her fingers wrapped around the hilt of the dagger a second before the claws of the beast dug into her back. They both toppled over the small table, breaking it on impact.

Kat rolled out from under it and held the blade up, inches from the beast's throat. It faltered, growling, but watching her with wary eyes. They hadn't settled on gold, the color in them still swirling.

Kat's eyes filled with tears. She could do this. Plunged forward and sink the iron blade through the beast's neck. For some reason, it wasn't backing off, wasn't trying to disarm her, save itself.

Cage. What are you doing? What do you want?

The creature stayed still and silent, waiting. And her hand shook, her body was sore, her breathing shallow. Tears blurred her vision. She'd been wrong. She wasn't the rose. She wasn't strong enough to kill the beast.

"I love you so much," she whispered. "And I always will, no matter what you do."

The beast bared its fangs, but it only lasted a moment before it winced, as though in pain. Still holding the dagger in place, she lifted her other hand slowly. The beast shifted, but didn't pull away. Her palm touched its cheek.

It was still Cage. Even in the animalistic rage, it was his skin, so familiar under her palm. The way he'd kissed her that night, touched her, whispered that he loved her. Nothing could get in the way of that. Not even this curse.

Without sparing a moment to consider what a bad idea it was, she leaned forward and kissed him. Claws presses against her back, but not to hurt her, but rather to hold her. In a minute, he was kissing her back and she could feel the fangs receding, heard his bones rearranging once again.

Pain. So much pain. She wished she could heal him again, give her some of her energy and make it better. He seemed to melt under her touch, kissing her more fiercely until she was sure she had him back.

He pulled away, panting, his eyes closed. "Kat," he whispered.

"Cage?" It was hard to believe when tenderness usually brought the beast out, not push it back in.

"What have I done?" he asked.

"It doesn't matter now. We have to--"

"Yes, it does." He stood, frowning at the curse, reading it again as if it would present some answer. "I can't let anything like this happen again. I can't hurt anyone anymore."

The door to the room burst open and Donnie came charging in. Blood dripped down his chin, a look of rage burning in his eyes. He had a sword in one hand and a crossbow in the other. He fired it as soon as his eyes took in the room. The arrow lodged itself in Cage's shoulder, but he didn't even flinch.

"Stop, what are you doing?" Kat got to her feet, the dagger still held tightly in her hands.

"What am I doing? Saving you, you ungrateful strumpet!"

Cage whipped around and growled at him. Donnie stumbled against the wall, panic in his eyes, raising his blade with shaky hands. But Cage didn't charge at him. Just yanked the arrow from his shoulder and tossed it to the ground. The wound closed almost immediately.

"You're too late," he said, his eyes returning to the curse.

"Um, what?" Donnie lowered his weapon and that was when Kat noticed he wasn't alone.

The strange hooded figure from the town square stood in the doorway, her eyes still glowing that eerie shade of blue.

"The beast is gone," Cage said. "And it will never be back again."

"Cage, what are you doing?" Kat got to her feet as well, but had no idea what to do with herself.

He looked to her with a sad smile, then at Donnie and his companion. "Nice to see you again, Cecile. Here to witness your handy work?"

Kat's mouth dropped open. Donnie scrambled further from the figure beside him, dragging his ass against the wall.

The woman smiled and lowered the hood of her cloak. Midnight black waves settled over her shoulders and her eyes looked like a raging see. The smile on her face was amused, highlighting her surreal beauty. Her eyes glowed as if she relished in the pain she had caused.

"I'm actually curious what you're planning," she said, her voice musical, like wind chimes. "You've always been so resourceful." Her eyes flickered to Kat for a moment, but otherwise the fae didn't acknowledge her.

"I'm planning to break the curse." His eyes turned to Kat and he reached out his hand. She took it and let him pull her closer. "Because I finally understand. I needed you Kat. I couldn't have done this without you. Until you entered my life, I drowned in my bitterness, didn't realize my own strength. You showed me I'm much more. That I can be so much better." He threw Donnie a fleeting glance. "Funny that he would be here to witness this."

Hope blossomed inside Kat's chest. Had he actually figured it out? Would he break free from the curse after eight long years?

"For the longest time, I thought you were the rose," he said. "But I was wrong. As much as I love you, as capable as you are, you are not. Neither was Keleigh. Joey."

Kat jumped when the picture frame at Cage's feet suddenly held his best friend.

"Cage, what are you doing?" he asked, his voice strangled by panic.

"Tell everyone that Kat is my successor. You and William can fill her in on everything and continue what we started."

"Wha--?" She didn't get to finish before he took her other hand as well.

"You are a part of something big. Something important. And I know you can handle it."

"I don't understand." Her heart thumped so loudly, with confusion and dread.

He smiled again, but it was heartbreaking. "Don't you see, Kat? I am the rose. And I'm finally strong enough to kill the beast."

And without further ado, he took the iron dagger from her hand and plunged it into his heart.

Kaboom. The climax is here and mostly over, as is the book. Most important question: Did you see it coming? Was it a twist or were you like meh?

So yes, Kat was very important to Cage, but she wasn't his salvation. He was. Thanks to her, he grew enough to sacrifice his own life to protect others. And not just her, but Donnie the moron and the villagers. So yes, sacrificing himself for people he doesn't like.

Of course, knowing me, this could now go two way: either I follow the story line and you know what happens next, or screw with you and really kill Cage.

I guess you'll have to find out next time. Hit the star and since this is the last major twist in the story (okay, I guess there's the answer to whether I kill him or not, too), I really want your opinion. Yes, you too silent readers or lovelies who usually just vote. Help a writer out.

I'll be back.