My mind is still foggy and I flinch as the tube opens and the man peers inside. His eyes widen as he looks at me.

"You're alive?" He questions.

He doesn't move for a second as he studies me. My body feels to heavy to move so I just lay there looking at him.

Finally he moves and picks me up from under my arms and lifts me up. My head falls back as it's to heavy to hold up. He sits me up and puts a hand on the back of my neck and lifts my head.

"The medicine will wear off in a few minutes." He states gently. He then gently continues to lift me out of the tube. He then lays me down on his lap on the floor. He picks my head back up. He wipes the tears away and gives me a sad smile. Slowly I start to get feeling back in my body.

"Are you okay?" He asks worriedly.

My body burns and is starting to sting like I was just fried as I get the feeling back in my body.

"I'm fine." I whisper.

He raises a brow as he glances over my body. "You don't look fine."

I give him a glare as I harshly whisper, "then don't look at me." I hear him chuckle as I start to get more feeling and the burning sensation starts to fade.

I blink a couple times and try to stand, the man helps me up and hangs on to me as I wobble until I find my balance.

I look at him. His brown hair is shaggy an curly. He looks like a peasant. What I used to be. His brown eyes check my body for any thing that wasn't supposed to happen. He smiles at me when he is finished.

"There were some...changes." The man says hesitantly.

I raise a brow.

"Oh and my name is Elk." He adds with a crooked smile.

My eyes widen "What do you mean changes?" I whisper. I then look down at my skin and gasp. I stare at my skin in disbelief.

White. My skin is white like a ghost. I see a mirror against the wall and rush quickly to it.

A scream leaves my mouth and my hands cover my mouth. A sob racks through my body at my sickly white skin. My lips are a pale pink, like freckles, scales are scattered around my face, my body. My dark eyes seem even blacker as if it were possible. I bare my teeth and see they are sharper, looking down at my hands my fingernails were pointed and longer, like claws. I look like a nightmare.

I turn to Elk, tears streaming down my face. "Why!" I scream.

I see elk scramble for words, his eyes starting to water. "I-I told him- I told the king it wasn't ready. I told him that-that I needed more time but he wouldn't listen and and I'm I'm I'm I'm so sorry."

It seems as though the world stopped. He knew. He knew. He knew what this  would do to me.

"Where is he!" I growl anger taking over my body.

Elk starts to shake "He-He is -He is is is in is in his office." He stutters. Another sob racks my body as I fumble to the door. I open the door and walk out and make my way to the hallway.

I smell my way to August. I open the door to his office and his head snaps up as I enter. He growls as he stands up.

I breath heavily as he stalks to me, eyes glaring down at me.

"I want to go away." I say raising my voice for the first time since I've been here.

The back of his hand collides with my cheek throwing me to the floor.
He growls and I cower before him.

"Why are you so mean to me! I am your mate!" I desperately shout.

He chuckles darkly as he walks to me slowly.

"All you have done is act like a monster." I shout crawling away from him.

"I am a monster just like you are my dear." A wicked smirk is plastered on his face.

My d black eyes widen as I shake my head looking into his Icy blue eyes. "No I am not a monster." I whisper.

"You are a monster, a pathetic monster but still a monster." He states calmly as he kicks at my feet.

I look up at him "Why? Why are you like this. "

"Runt, I am a king of beast. King of dragons and you wonder why I am cold? My very power is ice."

He grabs hold of my shoulders and lifts me up as his face nears mine.

"And I am going to enjoy freezing your heart."

Tears stream down my face.

"Get dressed the ball starts soon. People are going to." He pauses as he studies my body with a chuckle. "Love your body."

A sob racks through my body as I rush out of the room. The door slams behind me an I run into Jeremy. His eyes widen, "Ittsy, what happened to you."

I shake my head not being able to say anything. Jeremy picks me up and rushes me to my room.

He sits us on my bed and rocks me.

"He experimented on me. Did something to me to make me a better fighter." I whisper. Jeremy growls in response.

"You need to leave." He states. I look up at him, "No! August said things were happening, he said he did it so I could protect Atta." I stand up as he runs a hand through his hair.

"I can protect her." Jeremy states.

I shake my head "Your Job is not Atta, it's August." To which Jeremy shakes his head.

"Well you need to hurry up and get dressed." Jeremy sighs as he stands. "Atta's ball starts in a few minutes and you are supposed to sing at her birthday ball with her." He then walks out with a concerned look on his face. I turn and see a dress hanging up with a note on it.

Can't wait to sing with you. -Atta.

I smile an quickly put the dress on.

I quickly walk out the door avoiding the mirror and walk down the hallway. I walk quickly and turn the corner stopping quickly as I see Atta. She gasp at me and I want to cry all over again.

"You look amazing. How did you get your skin to do that? No one is gonna come near me with how powerful and dangerous you look. I wonder why August is so worried." I raise a brow at Attas words. He told her she was in danger?

"Wait August to-" she cuts me off nodding her head.

"Yeah, he doesn't like people being in the dark when it comes to their life." Atta states calmly.

"Now come on it's time to sing." Atta grabs my arm and hurriedly walks me down the halls. We come through a door and walk on stage with everyone's eyes on us.

She puts me at a microphone and walks to one beside me.

"Hey everyone! Everyone having a good time!" A bunch of cheers go through the crowd.

"My friend Ittzy and I are gonna sing my favorite song!" A lot of hoots and hollers go through the crowd. The crowd is made up of people Attas age. The older ones are in the back rolling their eyes though some look like they are actually having a good time.

I hear a beat starting as Atta starts to sing."You say you want me. You say you need me." She looks at me and smiles.

My shaky hand grabs the mic as my voice joins hers. "You hit me and make me bleed. Don't you see what you do to me!"

"I just want you to love me baby I just want you to hold on baby."
Atta then stops as I sing "Treat me like the queen I'm supposed to be."
Atta then joins in on the chorus. "Tell me something I want to hear. Something that will keep me here. Tell me your love lies. Something so I won't break these ties."
We both look at each other and smile.

"Look at what you do to mee! Look at how breakage is easy!"

"LIE TO ME." Atta belts out. "BEAT ME! HATE ME. "

"But don't leave me---e."

Atta backs away from the mic nodding her head as I take over.

"I'm mentally ill. I'm mentally ill. I'm physically ill with out you. I'm physically ill. With you." Atta then comes back joining me. "I'm confused. Should I stay. Or baby should I just walk away!"

"But I can't this bond keeps bringing me back. It keeps bringing me back."

Atta sings the chorus again as I back her up on the vocals. We both sing the chorus again together and the song comes to an end.

The crowd cheers and Atta takes a bow. "Now Ittzy will sing a song." My eyes widen at Attas words and I look at her with a panic expression she leans in and whisper "You got this just sing from the heart. Plus the original band isn't quite ready yet so I'm using you as entertainment." She gives me a wink and runs off the stage. Everyones eyes are on me.

Fine she wants me to sing from the heart I'll sing from the fuckin heart. I grab the mic as a beat starts.

"Momma was ah whore." I draw out letting my peasant accent show. "Daddy just wanted a little something more."

I hear a lot of gasps come from the audience. "Few kids later daddy's Heart was still sore. Momma still wanted money as Daddy wanted a little something like hone-ey."

I grab the mic as my fingers tap to keep the beat. "So can you blame the kids they have, and can you blame my mind set." The beat slows down then quickly gets back up for the chorus.

"If I shall die bury me where the river flows if I shall die bury me where the river goes. Destroy this flame with the river." I pause as I catch Jeremy's eyes. "But don't believe the rumors they will whisper."

I catch August eyes and hold them as I start the next verse. "My lover didn't like my heat. It was something his cold heart didn't ne-ed."

August eyes stare into mine neither of us looking away as I continue. "But I wasn't a fool. Only insane people think fire is beautifu—ul."

I finally look away and sing the chorus again. The crowd sings the chorus with me the second time and the applaud as the beat slows down to a stop. I bow and walk off the stage as the real band goes up and starts to play.

Atta comes up to me. "Wow you really know how to sing from the heart don't you." She beams.

I roll my eyes at her "Singing isn't my thing so it won't happen again."

Atta chuckles at my response putting a short strand of hair behind he ear.
Atta is probably the only royal I've ever seen with shoulder length hair. Royal girls weren't known to cut there hair.

My hair isn't short but it isn't long either, it stops at my mid back.

"Have you found your mate."  I Ask her. She shakes her head.

"I haven't seen Jeremy either." She says and I see her look past me and freeze, her eyes glazed over and lips parted.

"Atta?" I ask as I snap my fingers in her face.

****