A/N: another long one, but I didn't want to spilt it because I'm headed to the beach next week (which is why you're getting this one a little early!)

Trigger Warning for this chapter. I don't want to spoil it, but if you're sensitive to certain themes, I'll leave the TW subject matter at the bottom of this chapter.

Tuesday and Wednesday pass just the same as Monday. Edward and I split to my field observation, where he and Garrett talk in private while I get set up for the day. Edward arrives to collect me as early as possible so he can show me Court 3 in all its beauty. We head home for dinner, where Jasper keeps to himself. I study in my room or sometimes with Alice, and then Edward and I spend the evening together.

On Tuesday, he took me hiking up to his favorite overlook spot above the ocean. A long rock juts out from the cliff, and when he sits there, I almost die of panic.

"I'm not going out there," I tell him, pointing to the place he's trusting to hold both our weights.

"You will be fine, I promise," he says softly, turning to glance at me, patting the spot right next to him.

"Edward—"

"Do you trust me, Belle?"

I roll my eyes and huff. How unfair of him to use that against me.

But Royals am I glad he did. The view exceeds my expectations in every possible way. It's nothing but ocean, waves, and starlight.

"I knew you would love this place," he tells me. "It is the same one you have seen in my memories. This is paradise," he whispers.

I recall the memory vividly. When I was in Court 5, reading in the quad, the memory of this place and Edward's words… it all comes back to me. Edward and I had no idea who we were to each other at the time, and now that we do… this is place becomes much more special.

"Incredible," I whisper, looking out at the view. Ocean waves hit the cliff below, spraying salt water against the rocks. We must be hundreds of feet high, and the realization has me white-knuckling the jagged rocks.

Edward notices and peels my fingers away, placing my right palm flat against his muscular thighs. I can't help but squeeze.

"You do not need to be afraid," he tells me quietly over the sound of nature surrounding us. "I will not let anything harm you."

His voice whispers so close to my ear that his breath tickles my neck. I give in to him, hoping he'll do anything—like kiss me or lick me or bite me for Royals sake—but he does not. Edward simply holds my palm against his thigh, enduring my fingernails sinking into his skin. When I've realized the marks I'm leaving, I pull my hand away. Edward places his palm atop my hand and holds me firmly to him.

We stay until the sun sets, until the red midnight sun sits in the sky like a movie playing just for us, until the galaxies light the night in swirls of pink and blue and yellow gases.

And then, upon returning home, Edward and I fall asleep in his bed, facing each other, whispering secrets and sharing memories.

On Wednesday, Edward shows me Agnes, the second mountain with a wonderful surprise. He says there's another hike, but it's not as treacherous as the previous two.

Snidely, I remark, "I'm beginning to see how you stay in such good shape."

Edward smiles so wickedly I nearly choke. "Do you like my body, Belle?" he teases, and it shoots so deeply through me, I can feel it pulse in my center.

Swallowing hard, not wanting him to win, I retort, "who wouldn't? You look like a Royal himself carved you from marble."

A loud, surprised laugh barks from his mouth, and it pulls an unwanted smile from me. Edward snaps me into yoga pants and a tight tank top, to which I roll my eyes.

"Something the matter?" he asks, starting the hike. He's right though, this has a much more gradual incline, so it's not as physically excruciating.

"You always pick this stuff for me to wear."

"And you do not like it?" he asks, brows furrowed. He continues walking beside me but waits for my response.

"It's not that… it's just so… tight," I say with a laugh, pulling the tank from my midsection.

"Oh," he says in understanding. "And the clothes… they are uncomfortable?"

I contemplate his question before realizing the issue. "No," I tell him honestly. "They're very comfortable. I am just not comfortable in them."

His brows furrow deeper this time. "I do not understand."

I huff in embarrassment. "They're just… I don't know, Edward. They're tight. I—"

He stops suddenly, placing his hand in front of my body to prevent me from continuing as well.

"You do not feel comfortable," he says, repeating what I just explained. Before I can agree, he continues, "you feel ashamed of your body. Why?"

A lump forms in my throat as I try to swallow. It's dry and emotion catches on it. "I just… do." It's all I can manage at this time. With my block up, I can't even form the confidence to talk to him in silence.

He doesn't speak about it anymore, and we continue our hike in comfortable silence as we take in the dense vegetation and wildlife around us.

We arrive twenty minutes later, and I note just how different this body of water is. In the middle sits a sand bar with a few trees arching over the water to provide a natural shade. The water isn't as clear, but the purple hue makes up for that. This lake has more people since its location is easier to get to. Small families wade around, splashing and laughing as the sun shines against them. A small kid swims around, the water leaving a purple tint against his skin.

Edward turns to me and snaps his fingers. This time, only he is in a swimsuit. Two dark lines across his chest sound like a siren. And then my eyes meet his.

Intense stares into nervousness.

"I will never force you into something you are uncomfortable with. I would love to swim with you here," he says, gesturing to the water, "but if you do not feel comfortable in a swimsuit in front of others, I will not—"

"It's okay," I say, cutting him off. "I want to. Just maybe no string bikinis." It's an attempt at a joke, but neither of us laughs.

"I apologize for any time I may have made you uncomfortable. I did not know—"

"Edward, it's fine. You haven't. I promise."

He steps forward and tucks tendrils behind my ear. "If you say so."

"This is all me," I warn him. "This is my insecurity and how I view myself."

"My wish is for you to see yourself the way that I do," he says with a kindness that settles like a Fall breeze around me before snapping his fingers to change me.

Now, I'm in a swimsuit that looks more like shorts and a tank top. I smile and nod my appreciation.

I don't wait for him to enter the water. This time, I walk down the slope, my toes gripping sand as I move, and wade out until I'm bobbing from foot to foot. I'm still not the best swimmer, but I'm slowly getting more comfortable.

Edward walks ahead of me and stops. "Get on my back. This is not the only thing I want to show you," he explains.

I nod and do as he says. He helps me wrap my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck.

"Hold your breath and count to twenty," he says, "but keep your eyes open."

And then suddenly, we're underwater. Panic starts in my belly, but he calms me immediately.

Look around.

I do as he says while counting slowly. Edward swims quickly underwater, down towards the ground, over to the sandbar. I notice schools of fish shimmer as the sunlight streams into the water. They scurry between and over sharp rocks littered with holes. Collections of flowers and green plants wave in our wake.

For a moment, he swims so fast I nearly lose my grip on his shoulders. Fear strikes me, but I quickly settle after I hear his chuckle in my mind.

After he's done teasing, Edward swims behind the sandbar and into a hole made of sharp rock. My hands and legs squeeze tighter, pressing myself so tightly against him it's like we're made of the same skin.

Edward.

Almost there.

The water isn't as warm as yesterday, and the further we swim into this opening, the more colorful it becomes. Flowers bloom from solid rocks, and fish of different colors swim by leisurely. The white sand underneath catches my eye.

I curiously note that it is white and not the pink sand I'm so used to seeing in Court 3.

Just as my air supply becomes critically low, Edward and I pop out of the water. It takes a moment, and after a few gasps of air, it appears as though we're in our own, private lagoon. The water is a deeper purple and much colder. There's a large rock jutting out of the water to the side, and fish swim around us by the hundreds.

Large, tall rocks wall us in like we're at the bottom of a very wide well. Sunlight pours in overhead. A waterfall straight ahead gushes multiple streams of water at once. The roar of water smashing into water almost drowns out our thoughts.

"Where does that water come from?" I ask, following him to the large rock to our side. He climbs up before helping me, and we sit facing the waterfall.

He shrugs. "Absolutely no idea. One of my research friends showed me this last year. He has done many observations, trips, and experiments. His conclusion is confounding."

"Why?"

"What color is that water?" he asks.

I squint to look closer at the waterfall. "Blue."

He nods. "That water is blue; this water is purple. My friend's findings concluded that these two bodies of water are not the same. Want to know something even crazier, Belle?" He pauses to look over at me. Wonderment fills both of our eyes. "He cannot find which body of water that water comes from. It's as though it does not exist anywhere in this Court."

I raise my brows in surprise. "He has tested every body of water in Court 3 to be sure?"

Edward looks down at our legs and smiles, nodding. "He has."

"That is quite puzzling for sure."

"Indeed."

"Is it safe?"

"Safe?"

"If I wanted to swim under it, swim in it… the blue water… would it be safe?"

Edward nods. "Yes."

I smile and bump his shoulder with mine. "Then what are we waiting for?"

Edward and I hold hands as we jump from the rock into the water and swim over to the waterfall. It's louder over here as the water pounds from above into the lake, so we talk quietly to ourselves.

It feels different, I say. And it smells like fruit.

I thought the same thing, like oranges and lilacs.

Yes! Edward, this is… this is crazy.

Now you see my point. Where on this planet could this water be coming from?

Maybe not here, I tell him. Maybe not from this Court.

He glances over at me and smirks. My thoughts exactly, Belle.

What other Court has water like this?

Court 8.

He looks at me deeply, intensely, as if he's letting me in on a secret he never thought he would.

How do you know that?

He evades the question by swimming closer, closing the distance between us, throwing my arms over his shoulders as we hug in the water. His legs tangle with mine. His hands grip my hips, pulling me against his body. Our faces are so close I have to lean my head away to stop our lips from touching.

"I will spend every single day ensuring you understand and believe just how fucking stunning you are, Belle." A hand travels up my back to tangle in my smooth, wet hair. His swear sends my belly into somersaults. "And if I could, I would press my lips to yours right here, right now, and taste you for hours."

Swallowing hard, I ask him in the privacy of ourselves, why can't you?

Edward and I bob up and down with the motion of the water. His green eyes penetrate every part of my being.

It will destroy us both, and I am not ready to let you go yet, Belle. I hear you. I realize what you want, he says gruffly into my mind. And what you want… I want a million times more. I am asking that you trust me for your sake.

Relief floods through me. I feel it warm through my blood and settle softly in my stomach. I didn't know that's what I needed to hear, but after he said it… tears spring to my eyes.

I trust you.

He smiles gently, kisses just below my ear, and whispers, "you are beautiful," before releasing me and drowning himself under the spray of water.

For the next few hours, we swim and laugh and play in the water of Lake Agnes, recalling different rumors about the Lark sisters and how they're trapped inside these mountains. Edward equates it to a ghost story, but every now and then, I can feel it. Something more, something deeper, something truer.

And then, when the sun begins to dim, and our bellies roar in hunger, Edward snaps us back to his place.

"Jasper and Alice have made us dinner," he says, opening the front door for me. Then he stops and turns toward me, his face twisted in painful realization. "My sister tried her best," he says apologetically.

And boy, was he correct. The overcooked meat tires my jaw as I chew and chew and chew. Jasper tells her how good the dinner is, as does Edward, and then Alice looks at me.

Her eyes know the truth, and when she takes a bite and spits it back onto her plate, I can't help but laugh. And suddenly, the four of us share in a laugh so deep, so loud, so good it makes us all forget the true reason we're crowded around the table, in the same home, prisoners of one man: Royce.

Later that night, Edward and I fall asleep tangled in his sheets, glancing up above into the night sky as the stars watch us.

~!~

Thursday is Jasper's surgery day. Edward explains to him the process over breakfast.

"I know," Jasper says, eyes downcast. He and Edward still have not talked.

"You do not know," Edward says sternly. "The machine will take your arm and—"

"You told me," Jasper says, cutting him off.

Alice jumps in this time. "Just listen to him, Jas. He's trying to help."

Edward glances from Alice to Jasper and over at me as I eat quietly away from the three of them.

"As I was saying, the machine will be strapped to your arm. I will make a small incision, line up the machine with the wound, and begin the surgery. Your bone looks to have set, but the machine will rebreak the bone and fuse together the shards. You will be hooked up to a monitor during this time, where an infusion of blood will be pooled in your arm, healing the broken bone and assessing any infection. The procedure lasts an hour, but the healing time is another two hours on top of that. By the time you walk out of the hospital, everything will be mended."

"Great," Jasper says tersely.

"Belle, this means you are not to leave your field observation building until I come to get you. Depending how late the surgery goes—"

"I can get her," Alice says.

"Absolutely not. She is to stay in the building with Garrett—"

"Edward, it's not a big deal—"

"It is a huge deal, Alice Marie." Both mine and Alice's eyes grow large at his tone. "Aro left very precise instructions, and they will be followed. Understood?"

"Royals," she says, rolling her eyes. "You are absolutely insufferable."

She kisses Jasper on the cheek and snaps her fingers, effectively leaving the area.

Edward and Jasper finish their conversation as I gather my belongings and wait for Edward by the door. Jasper stands, and the two sort of stare at each other. It's the first time I've seen them speak so much as two words to each other.

Jasper breaks first. With his eyes downcast, he nods in understanding. Edward wavers, waiting for something to happen. With Jasper's hunched form and head down, Edward towers over him by a few inches at least. The two are broken, and from where I stand, it's clear as day neither of them want the riff anymore.

He's trying, I tell Edward. It's full of the tenderness he needs.

As am I.

Embarrassed, I nod. Realization dawns on me. He isn't the only one who needs to forgive.

Yes. It comes out with a bite, but I know it's not meant to harm. He has stress rampaging his body so forcefully I can practically see it pouring from his skin.

Edward stalks over to me, his head high, shoulders back in perfect posture. There's no smile, but a lightness in his eyes shows me he's okay.

"Ready?" he asks.

His hand finds its spot on my lower back, pulling me into his body. Long fingers touch the fabric of my pencil skirt, dipping under until his fingertips touch a sliver of skin. And then he snaps his fingers, positioning us in front of Garrett.

"There you are," Garrett says with a smile, holding out a stack of papers.

"What's this?" I ask, nervously pulling down the edge of my way too tight skirt. I don't think I'll ever get comfortable with this form-fitting attire.

I could get used to it, Edward teases. He's leaning against Garrett's desk, calm and relaxed as ever, as if he weren't just Royally aggravated moments ago.

My pointed stare earns me a sly smile, and I decide two can play this game.

I think I quite like your attire from yesterday. Shorts and no shirt. Perhaps we can travel to the lake again soon.

His smile only grows larger. Whatever you wish, Lovely. But you must wear the same.

My face heats in a wild blush. He's far better at this game than I am, so I let him win.

"You're teaching today," Garrett says, pulling me from any thoughts of Edward.

"Uhm, what?"

Garrett looks from me to Edward and back to me. His eyebrow lifts, and then he shrugs.

"It's time. You know your stuff."

"Garrett, I don't think—"

But he shakes his head and walks away.

"Not a man of many words, that one," Edward says, pushing himself from the desk and righting his clothes. "Remember, Belle. Please stay put until I come for you."

"Yes, sir," I tease.

Now his cheeks are the ones to fill with heat, although I'm not sure why.

"I will see you later, Belle," he says softly, trailing the back of his finger down my cheek.

"Good luck today, Edward."

He nods while smiling gently, his eyes so fiercely green as they take me in before disappearing in a snap.

~!~

Garrett makes me teach four lessons, each one getting better than the last. At first, I was so nervous the students asked if I was okay. By the end of the day, I was walking around, helping them with questions, reading in small groups, and encouraging better responses.

"You went too easy on them," he says, cleaning up the classroom after the students leave.

"How so?"

"These are children born into privilege, Belle. Their parents don't want them getting half of an answer correct. If what is on their paper is not what's written in the answer booklet, it gets marked as wrong. No feelings involved, no deliberation. It is what it is."

His statement strikes me as odd, cold, and harsh.

"But what if they're on the right track and just need a little push? They know the answer, but they need help formulating it," I counter.

"It's wrong. The thought must be solely theirs. No help. No push. No encouragement."

"But… why?"

He stops and turns. Soft eyes but a hardened face greet me.

"That is how Court 3 works. You test in. You test out."

I return his stare with a baffled look. "Test out? Like—"

"Exactly like that. If you don't fit the qualifications for Court 3, you find yourself attending a university in another Court. That's how privilege works here," Garrett bites out. It's the first time he's shown any real inkling of dislike for Royal policy.

"Are you ready, Belle?" Edward asks from behind me, appearing literally out of thin air.

"Oh, uhm, yeah, I guess."

"Great, Jasper needs one additional surgery, and it's starting in seven minutes," he says, glancing at his watch. "We must hurry."

"Why?"

He grabs my hand and pulls me to him. This time, his lips at my ear whisper, "of all the days we've known one another, today is the day I missed you most of all."

Without another chance to think or say goodbye to Garrett, Edward sends us to Alice and Jasper's room.

"Finally!" she complains. "What happened?"

Edward breathes deeply before explaining, "we found an old break in one of the small bones in his other hand. If we do not fix the break, it will impede his mobility as he ages. The surgery won't take nearly as long, and seeing how he did so well the first time, I anticipation the second time will be no different."

He sounds as professional as they come, and it actually makes me smile. His intelligence adds such a complexity that attracts me more every day.

He smirks at my thought.

"Fine. Whatever," Alice says, rolling her eyes.

With a final look toward me, Edward snaps, and he's gone.

"Are you doing okay?" I ask Alice, sitting with her on the bed. My arm rests against her shoulders, and she slumps into my body.

She nods slowly. "Yeah. I just miss him. Something doesn't feel right. I don't know."

"Want to go swimming? Maybe that'll take your mind off of it."

She shrugs. "Okay."

Her fingers lift to snap, but I cover them with my hand. "No," I laugh. "I think I'll pick my own swimsuit. Last time—"

"You looked good!" she defends.

"You could practically see my nipples!" I whisper-hiss, standing to exit the room as Alice howls in the background. I think briefly about that ridiculous bathing suit before rolling my eyes.

Sounds intriguing. I might like to see that one someday soon.

Intense butterflies flutter around inside. Shouldn't you be in surgery or something?

But I am.

Then shouldn't your thoughts be focused on Jasper?

My thoughts are always on you, Belle.

A slow smile spreads across my face. The words echoing in my head… they're things I've longed to hear for months now.

You're making me blush.

And just how far down does that blush travel, Belle?

Saliva pools in my mouth as I make it to my bedroom. There's an excited pit in my stomach, a familiar burning in my center, and the need to touch myself hits me full force.

Edward, I whisper, back pressed against the door, chest rising and falling quickly with need. A hand presses against my heart to calm the rattling as it beats excitedly against its cage.

He doesn't respond, though, and I'm glad for that. He should be focused on Jasper, fixing his breaks and wounds, seeing to it that he gets better for Alice's sake.

I undress, looking for the plain, black swimsuit I know I'm comfortable wearing. It takes a few minutes, but I find it. As I dress, a glimpse of my half naked body catches my eye in the reflection of the dresser mirror. Curvy hips, large breasts, slender waist. I've always been so self-conscious about my body, but for what? Because I'm not a twig like Jessica? Because a girl called me fat in grade six?

I shake my head at the thought. How ridiculous am I? For the first time in a very long time, I look at my body for what it is and realize it's rather… pleasing.

A small smile plays at my lips. Before placing my arms in the swimsuit and pulling it over my body, I take a good, long look at what I've tried to avoid for so long because other people said it wasn't good enough.

Perky breasts, rosy nipples, the tinniest birthmark in the shape of a triangle just underneath my left breast. Milky-white skin that hasn't seen the sun. A dainty belly button that serves no purpose but has always been something I hated.

And for what?

With the gentlest smile, a power overcomes me. Confidence radiates from my short being. Too long I've spent denying myself a life I could be enjoying just because I care too much about what others think.

Sure, my thighs touch when I walk, but is it really that big of a deal? Decidedly no, I turn from the mirror after dressing fully, and make my exit.

But not before the sound of a very familiar, very elegant voice pours like a waterfall inside me.

You are the most exquisite creature I have ever witnessed.

The smile that spreads across my face lights like a candle that burns for hours. I say nothing in return, and I don't need to. My heart clenches and yearns for him, to feel his skin against mine, to fall asleep in his arms, talking about everything and nothing, exchanging ideas, tangling our feet, enjoying the intimacy of our private moments alone where no one can hear us.

I can't wait for that tonight.

~!~

Alice and I swim around the pool for hours. The sky opens, the sun shines heavily above, and we laze around on floats taking turns saying things like, "this is the life," and, "I could get used to this."

Alice paddles her way over to me and asks, "so, really, Belle… you're going to pick Court 3, aren't you?"

I can't but laugh. "I have no idea," I tell her honestly.

"Well, we know you definitely won't pick Court 7. What about Court 6? Are you going to go back there?"

I shake my head at the thought of the being around Mike and Jessica, Jake and his Mate… I can't. I won't. I don't fit in there anymore.

"No," I tell her honestly. "And while Court 5 is pretty, it's not for me."

"So, you're thinking Court 3 or 4?"

I shrug before asking, "who lives in Court 2?"

"Jasper says crooks live there. The people who make a living on the misfortune of others," she explains before glancing over. "But no one really knows what goes on in Court 2. No one's invited there. Citizens have to write a letter asking to become part of that Court."

"Why would anyone want to do that if they don't know what's there?"

Alice shrugs. "Once you go in, there's no coming out. Often it's the family of those who go in."

"Weird," I tell her, perplexed. I don't believe everything she says, but this… this I don't know about.

"Are you ever going to date again?" Alice asks.

"Uhm," I start, unsure how to answer. "I don't really have time. I mean the last few weeks, we've been doing field observations. How could I—"

"When we get back, Belle. We only have another week here, and then we're back to U5."

I nod; a longing sadness pulls at my organs. What does that mean for us? Before I can define us, Edward appears in a lounge chair to my left.

"Bathing beauties," he greets with a smile. "Jasper's second and final surgery went well. He is in recovery for the time being. I cannot stay long, I just wanted to stop by and deliver the news." It's as if he's only talking to me, his eyes never leave mine.

"You could've just called," Alice says.

"I did, and you did not answer, Alice." That shuts her up. "I will be at the hospital for the remainder of the evening. If you could, please ensure the doors are locked and the pool is covered. A storm is heading our way. And Alice?"

"Yeah?"

"Jasper cannot receive calls until after eight. Please do not bombard the hospital with call after call like earlier."

She rolls her eyes which earns a giggle from me. Edward smirks, his eyes taking in my body. My dry throat contracts around the involuntary swallow. He's checking me out so blatantly, but I think… I think I like it.

His green eyes travel back up my body, over my breasts, past my chin and lips, to my eyes. He winks, and he's gone.

Another round of butterfly wings. Another sizzle of blood in my veins.

"I see now," she says, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Huh?"

"I see why you won't date. You're in love with him."

The words send my brows sky high.

"What? Alice, don't be ridiculous."

A long, slow smile spreads across her face as she figures it out. "You do, Belle."

I shake my head at the thought. "I don't—" but I cut myself off. I go to say I don't even know him, but what a lie that would be. Edward's been a force in my life for quite some time now. He's saved me, helped me, guided me in figuring out who I am. He brought on my magic. He encouraged me when I needed it. He's been a constant state of delight and desire since the moment we met at that party in Court 5. Since the gold band. Since we could hear each other. Since—

"You can't kiss him," she whispers, tears stinging her eyes. "You will—Belle, you'll—" but she can't get the words out, her head shaking. "I'm not being a bitch, Belle, I promise. It's not like that anymore. I don't care what you two do, but you can't kiss him." Alice practically falls off her float as she begs me.

"It's okay, Alice," I say, trying to calm her. "Edward doesn't want to kiss me anyway. It's not—" I pause, choking on my words. "It's not going to happen."

A dawning overcomes her as the realization hits. She sits up on her float before diving off and swimming to the steps at the front of the pool. When she pops up, her face glistens with water, but the tears in her eyes… they take me by surprise.

"Alice—"

"I'm hungry. You want to make some dinner?"

Paddling my way back to the shallow end, I hop off the float and grab her hand as we exit the pool. She acts as though the conversation never happened, as though she didn't run away, as though she didn't fall into the pool to hide her tears.

"Okay."

~!~

I let Alice snap me into a new outfit; a flowy summer dress that hits mid-thigh and a pair of flats. My hair is also perfectly done—sleek and straight and not a drop of moisture from moments ago. Her magic is too cool.

We push around food in the kitchen trying to decide what to make. She can't cook, and honestly, I don't want to.

"Should we just pick up a pizza or something?" she asks.

"Edward said we shouldn't leave."

"I'll go, you can stay here just to be safe."

"That's probably not a good idea," I tell her. "What if something happens to you?"

"I've been taking the Woodrose, Belle. It'll be okay. Besides, I can just split there and split back in a few seconds."

I think about what she's saying, and it doesn't seem like a horrible idea, so I nod. "Okay, but I want to come with you. You know, just in case."

"Belle—"

"We both go, or no one goes," I tell her. If something were to happen to her, it would kill me. Alice has very quickly, over the last year and some months, become part of my family.

She nods her head. "Okay."

Alice calls for the pizza, and we wait around for twenty minutes before it's ready. Alice locks every door and window as Edward asked, and I press a button outside, so the cover rolls over the pool. Dark, angry clouds gather in the sky, just as they did a few nights ago, and a familiar thunder rumbles above.

"Isn't it gorgeous?" Alice asks, meeting me at the floor to ceiling window-doors that separate the indoor living space from outside.

"It's magical," I agree.

"Okay, you ready?" she asks, holding my hand.

I smile at her and nod.

~!~

In a second, we're in the restaurant overflowing with people. She holds my hand as she relays the name of the order.

"Two minutes," the guy says, and we nod.

Two minutes feels like a ticking time bomb. I don't know why, but I feel safer when Edward's with me; he can hear the thoughts of others and anticipate movements. But he's not here. I look around as the waiting area clears out. There's an older couple and a family left as we all wait for our dinner orders. The old man offers a friendly smile, so I return it.

Alice's phone rings.

"It's Jasper!" she says, letting go of my hand. "Do you mind?"

I shake my head. "Of course not."

She greets him happily on the phone, then presses a finger against her free ear, trying to hear better. She tells him there's bad service and blames it on the storm. Alice walks away to a quieter part of the room and smiles. She must be able to hear him better from there.

I take a seat on a bench near the door and wait patiently.

There's a subtle silence just before the worst happens.

Alice's frenzied scream echoes in the room. I glance up and take note she's running for me the same moment Edward appear. He reaches out, a stunned look of horror coloring his handsome face, but then darkness takes over before he can get to me. It's an emptiness I've never experienced.

Cold and wet, strong chemicals, and nothingness.

~!~

I wake what feels like seconds later in the same dress as earlier, but this room is different. White tile floors and walls are the only things in this huge room. My body shivers from nerves, the cold floor, and unexpected dread.

Footfalls behind me echo in this room, and when I turn to see who it is, fear turns my blood to sludge.

Royce King stalks over to me.

"You have made this so fun," he teases.

Sallow skin, gray eyes, and a menacing sneer decorate his face.

It's the hunt. He wants excitement. Don't give it to him.

Edward! I scream. Help!

But as I yell for him, I'm blocked with the same static I got in Court 7. Covering my ears, I place my head below my knees to block it out until I hear Royce.

He laughs at my pain.

Scurrying to my feet, I back away at the same pace he walks toward me. There's no escaping, not in this room, but I can try to leave gaps of space between us.

"Weeks and weeks I've tracked your delicious scent. Even mixed with that awful powder, you certainly smelled delectable. And when that Royal showed up, I thought you had won. I guess he wants to watch you suffer as much as I do.

He gets in my head despite everything. I question the Royals—is this what they wanted all along? Why me?

"They want you weak," Royce explains as I continue my path backward. "They want you powerless, just as I do. I chased you through the Courts, watching your every move until you were alone and I could strike. I'm surprised, though," he says, "that Edward would be so dumb to allow his sister to care for you while Jasper recovers. She knows nothing of my power—"

"If you touch her—" I interrupt, my back now hitting a wall.

"I have no use for Alice. Why would I waste my time on her when I could have you?" His sinister smile scares me as he steps closer and closer. Where is there to go? Where can I run?

And then a door opens behind me, a cloth is placed against my mouth, and there's darkness again.

~!~

The next time I wake up, Royce stands above me, but I'm strapped to a bed and unable to move.

Screaming and thrashing would only give him what he wants, so I sit motionless save for the beat of my heart and the terrified flare of my nostrils.

Royce pulls out a short, thin blade from his pocket and presses the dull edge against the thickness of my thigh. It doesn't hurt as he trails it down my leg to my ankle.

The same ankle connected to Edward's magic. Glancing down, it appears normal. No gold, no heat, no sign of anything.

But inside, the moment his blade touches the spot of our connection, a blistering heat swells. And for a moment, so brief it's over in a flash, power rages through me. It's not quick enough to do anything, but it's there. The power grows with every touch of the blade as he trails up and down my leg. Finally, Royce knicks my leg, and red oozes from underneath my skin.

Captivated, he collects the warm droplets in his fingers and spreads my blood in two thin lines on his cheeks.

He closes his eyes and inhales, tasting my flesh, the blood that flows, my fear. A growl so loud it rattles my organs echoes through the room. It takes me a moment to realize it's Royce. His eyes turn black as death, and his skin begins to sweat.

In a split second, he's consumed by the hunt. The blade makes a longer cut, deeper this time, and the pain radiates inside. But I don't let him see.

Don't make it easy on him, I tell myself. Don't give into him.

He busies his hands by painting my blood on his skin. His face and neck are covered. When he's finished, I look him directly in his eyes, and he's completely unrecognizable. Consumed by the scent of his prey, my blood against his skin, warm red under his fingers, he takes the knife and starts at my knee, cutting deeper this time.

When he gets to my ankle, I anticipate the power and break free of the restraints. Pain doesn't course through me as deeply as expected, but I don't give it time to sink in. I'm up and moving, falling from the bed, limping away from him. I'm not thinking rationally. He wants this—he wants the hunt.

I stop myself the moment my ankle heats to a roaring boil.

Edward, I whisper, tears starting to brim my lids.

Nothing.

No Edward. No static. Just nothingness.

Royce stalks after me, the prey drive kicking in fully. He hunts me down in this stark white room. Streaks of my blood cover his face, the bed, the white tile floor.

My ankle burns hotter and hotter. So much so that I have to triple-check it isn't actually on fire. I cry from the fear of Royce, the burning pain of my ankle, and the inevitability of my death. Slow static, almost in the tone of his voice, filter through my mind as the burn radiates.

My back hits the wall as soon as Royce closes the distance. He bends to collect more coppery-blood leaking from my leg.

The second he stands, I force my fist into a ball and hit his face as hard as I can.

Bone hits bone, and I never imagined what the pain of punching someone might feel like it, but this surpasses any thought I might have had. Cradling my fist to my chest, I square my shoulders to put on a brave stance.

Royce doesn't look hurt in the slightest. He's smirking, squinting his eyes, throwing his head back, howling with laughter at my feeble attempt to harm him. As if the prey could ever hurt the hunter.

Just as Royce steps forward to close the distance between us, he raises the blood-caked knife to eye level, and then a door to our left opens.

In walks a masked man dressed head to toe in black.

"Royce!" he yells to capture his attention.

Edward please help—

Belle! he screams back, and relief floods through every square inch of my body.

Edward, I cry, please—

Open your eyes. Look around. Show me everything. He sounds panicked as he rushes out his words.

I'm scared, I tell him, eyes on Royce and the masked man. Both are talking just feet in front of me.

Be strong, Belle. I will get you home. Now hurry before—

I don't let him finish. Instead, I send him every memory I have since I woke up in this place. Bright walls. White floors. Royce is a mess. I've never seen this man before. There's a door to my left that's open, should I—

No. Running encourages the hunt. Staying put slows him down. You have been gone six hours, so you must still be somewhere in Court 3. This man… he must be the doctor. Any markings?

My eyes adjust to the darkness in this white room. Black boots, black pants, black shirt, black mask.

Get him to look over here.

Edward—

I need to see his face.

Nervously I stand and move to them. Both men turn to face me. We say nothing as I take him in.

Tan skin from too much sun. Brown eyes. My eyes try and pierce through the mask covering his face. The only skin showing is under his eyes and the bridge of his nose.

Crooked nose looks like from a break. I will check hospital records. Any scars?

No.

The man looks to Royce again, shakes his head, and leaves, closing the door behind him.

He's taller than Royce by a few inches. No other markings that I could see.

It's silent again.

No words or images or voices to tell me everything will be fine.

Nothing but Royce and me in this large room.

"Lucky for you, he needs you. I don't, though. Keep that in mind the next time you want to try anything."

Royce exits the room immediately after, and I'm not sure which is worse—being alone with my thoughts or being alone with Royce.

~!~

I stay in this exact position until he returns.

But the he I anticipate is different.

The masked man walks in and shuts the door quickly. He places a tall glass of clear liquid on a metal tray and rolls it over to me.

"Drink."

"No."

With a heavy sigh, he rearranges the mask, and a dark mole pops out above his lip.

Edward! I shout but get nothing in return.

"It's medicine. It will heal your wounds," he says, pointing to my cuts as he bends to clean my dried blood off the floor.

"What's the point? It's just delaying the inevitable."

He shakes his head. "Royce isn't going to kill you."

"Why? He's a hunter. It's what they do."

"I have other plans that do not include your death."

"What do they include?"

He looks up. I try and take note of what shade of brown his eyes are, but I can't. They're unremarkable.

"A hefty sum from the Royals."

I shake my head. "You're mistaken. The Royals won't pay you anything—"

He laughs now. Up until this point, he's been courteous. Now, he's condescending. "There's already a bond out for you. Two-hundred and fifty thousand dollars. I anticipate in another few days, it will be even higher."

"And Royce is okay with you—"

"Don't be an idiot. Of course, he's not okay with it."

"So, you're going to kill Royce?"

"Eventually, yes. Then I'll turn you in for my reward."

"If you're a doctor, don't you already have a lot of money?"

"That's enough questions for today," he says snidely.

"When you turn me in for the reward, I'm going to find out who you are," I tell him. "Why go through all the trouble with the mask?"

The man smiles, and I take note of his crooked front tooth. So many markers and no way of contacting Edward.

"I'm aware of the Bond you have with Edward Cullen."

"How do you know Edward?" I ask.

The man stands suddenly and stalks over to me. My back presses against the cold wall as he holds the clear liquid in one hand and my jaw open with the other. He drowns me with the medicine, forcing me to swallow by slamming my mouth shut.

The man moves away from me now. My eyes squeeze tightly to avoid looking at him any longer. I have no idea when mine and Edward's communication is blocked or not, so I repeat the same thing over and over and over…

Upper lip mole. Brown eyes. Crooked front tooth. Knows you. Gave me medicine. Wants ransom.

Upper lip mole. Brown eyes. Crooked front tooth. Knows you. Gave me medicine. Wants ransom.

Upper lip mole. Brown eyes. Crooked front tooth. Knows you. Gave me medicine. Wants ransom.

Upper lip mole. Brown eyes. Crooked front tooth. Knows you. Gave me medicine. Wants ransom.

The man opens the door to leave and turns to me…

Upper lip mole. Brown eyes. Crooked front tooth. Knows you. Gave me medicine. Wants ransom.

"Don't be a dumb bitch," he barks as I hear Edward's voice.

I hear you, Belle.

"Take the medicine, do what I ask, and you'll get home safe and sound."

He leaves then, and just as the door shuts, I scream, it's the door!

Hoping he heard me, hoping he puts two and two together like I just did, I run to the door that seems to be the key to my escape and to Edward.

Cold, metal, and windowless greet me. It nearly blends in with the wall; it's so indistinguishable. There's no handle on my side, so I couldn't escape even if the door were unlocked.

With a sad, heavy sigh, I make my way to the wall and slide down. Blood stains the bed further down the room, and while the floor chills my skin, there's no way I'll get back into it.

~!~

Hours later, I'm awoken by the opening and closing of the door to my left. It's too quick to call out to Edward, and when I see Royce before me, I'm too scared to even think correctly. My blood still decorates his skin like war paint; the knife is back in his right hand as he bends next to me.

"Bleed for me," he whispers, pushing the knife into the skin of my forearm.

I don't know how long he sits next to me, but I count nine cuts across my arm and up to my bicep. The blood that trickles down my bare arm warms my chilled skin.

Royce stops at the sound of an alarm. My body freezes at the siren, back pressed tightly against the wall in dread.

"What's that?" I ask.

"The Doc says that's enough," he mocks, standing.

"Doc?" Royce ignores me, but I ask again. "Who's the Doc?"

"Doc J," he says before leaving.

I anticipate it this time.

I'm only able to get out what I need to as Royce pulls open the door and slams it shut.

Doc J!

I pray to the Royals that Edward hears.

Surely this is enough to go off of.

I know he can't hear me, but I speak to him anyway.

Please help me, Edward. I'm so scared. Please, please, please.

~!~

Later, the Doc slips into the room so quietly I don't notice. He sets another glass of clear liquid before me.

"Don't make me force you to drink this one, too," he warns, bending to assess the cuts.

They're not deep, and the blood has long since stopped flowing, but it cakes onto my dress and the floor around me.

The liquid he forced me to drink earlier actually worked; the cuts on my leg are barely visible anymore, so I slowly sip on it on my own this time. After two or three swallows, he leaves just as quickly as he came in.

Nothing from Edward.

Fear settles in my stomach again.

What if this is a lie? Why should I believe this man I've never met? He could be setting me up.

I decide next time he comes into this room will be his last.

~!~

I'm alone for much longer this time, but after a while, Royce comes back.

He's much handsier this time as he tries to open my legs, touch my inner thigh, and grab my breast. I swat at him, kick him away, and push myself away from him.

He roars in anger before reaching back and slapping my face with such force it pushes me over.

Instantly, the Doc is standing before him, gripping his arm, pulling him away. Royce spits at him, lunges for him, and growls as the Doc walks toward me. It's a game for him. Another animal wants his prey, and Royce won't allow that.

Royce scratches the Doc, still wearing a mask, and the Doc screams at him. He fumbles for something in his pocket and pulls it out. It's a small needle that he slyly uncaps, waiting for a moment when Royce is distracted. Royce doesn't see it, but I do.

Move! Edward screams in my mind. I take note of the door wide open and run for it before Edward yells again, the back wall!

Just then, the ceiling above crumbles, falling toward us. Heavy pieces of brick tumble down, cracking as it lands with a thud against the hard floor. The weight of the ceiling crushes the open door and knocks out Royce and the Doc. In the back of the room, I slide to my bottom and hug my knees to my chest, trying to make myself as small as possible to avoid the destruction.

Thunderous cracks and dust swarms the air, creating a cloud of white so opaque I can barely see my knees in front of me.

A hand pulls me up, and then I'm crushed to a body… one so familiar that just by scent, I could pick him out of every other man on this planet. And maybe other galaxies, too.

"Belle," he whispers, face tangled in my hair, hands pressing my back against his chest.

Fear overcomes me.

"Get me out of here," I whisper, crying into his neck.

Edward looks around as I take in the sight and sounds.

Pounding of flesh on flesh, the ripping of skin, a smell of copper so rich it brings me to my knees.

"Breathe through your mouth," Edward says, falling to his knees with me.

His hands hold my neck, forcing my face up to his.

"I can't—" I choke, unable to stop the panic.

He breathes with me, for me. I watch his chest rise and fall. Mint and orange mix together as his breaths cover my face.

A loud roar behind him captures my attention.

"Eyes on me, Belle," he whispers softly, fingers holding my neck so I can't lean over to view.

We breathe together over and over, and my heart slows from flying to barely racing. The guttural sound of war around us and the thinning dust behind him allows me to make out shapes and figures.

He captures my attention again. "Did you miss me, Lovely?" he asks, trying to distract me. My breaths come in soft gasps. I want to answer. I want to scream at him. I want to throw my arms around his neck and bury myself in his skin for days. He pulls me closer, tucking my head under his chin tightly. "Because I missed you so fucking much."

Drowning out the sounds and stench is hard, but I listen to Edward speak into my mind about everything I've missed. The Royal Court at Edward's house, Alice's strike for disobeying direct orders, Jasper's track coming to an end behind us.

Once the dust settles and my knees begin to ache, Edward stands us on our feet as if we're one being.

Jasper walks over, eyes as wild as ever, and bows his head.

He grips my wrist to pull me from Edward, but he growls at Jasper's attempt. Strong arms keep me under his arm, cradled into his side.

Edward, my friend, is overly protective in the best way. His scent and the warmth of his body console me enough to bring me back to the present. Everything catches up with me.

"Royce?" I ask Jasper. "He's… he's dead?"

Jasper nods as I slump into Edward's side. He's the one I choose to rejoice with first. He's the man I celebrate with.

And then Jasper.

I throw my arms around his neck and cry.

"Thank you," I say between sobs.

"I'm sorry it took so long. I…" he starts before trailing off. "I'm disappointed in myself."

I shake my head. "It's over with—"

"You were harmed. You were taken," Jasper fights.

"They worked together… Royce and whoever that doctor was. He told me all about his plan."

Above us float down two more people I've seen before.

Aro and Jane slowly walk around the room, taking in the wreckage. A large fire a few yards away from where I watched Jasper toss Royce's body parts grows hotter with each moment.

Aro finds me and stalks over. Just as I go to bow, he takes my hand in both of his, red eyes more serious than I've ever seen, and he kneels.

For a moment, I'm stunned. Jasper looks just as surprised as I am, but Edward holds it better. Resentment colors his face.

Aro stays on his knee until I move to pull my hand from his. He doesn't seek extra information; he doesn't force his magic on me.

"How did you find me?" My voice wavers as the gravity of the situation finally settles around me.

Aro snaps his head up. "On behalf of the Royal Court, please accept our sincerest apologies. This—" he starts but stops abruptly.

"I told them," Jane says, one hand on her hip behind her uncle. "Royce was sniffing you out the moment you stepped foot inside my classroom."

"And yet you did nothing to stop it," Edward seethes.

"I didn't know, Edward, that she was being hunted," Jane sneers back.

"Can we… talk about this somewhere else?" I ask. "I don't want to be here anymore."

The heat of the fire, the scent of charred flesh, and the room where I've been trapped haunt me.

"I will take her back to my place," Edward says. "Please meet us there when you are ready to talk."

Edward pulls me in, his arms like protection around my back, and we're gone in a second.

"I have not told my sister we are back. I did not think you would be up to seeing her just yet," he explains.

I nod, noticing we're in his room.

"Not yet," I admit.

"Would you rather be in your room?" he asks softly, his palm cupping my cheek.

With a shake of my head, I burrow myself in his arms and allow him to consume me. He holds me against his body until the fear rolls all the way out, and he proves I am indeed safe. He guides me to his piano, and we share the bench. His fingers find the keys as he plays the familiar melody I've heard so many times before.

"Every moment you have been gone, I have been right here waiting to hear your voice. It has been a very grueling twenty-nine hours, Belle," he says over the softness of his song. "Before you, my life was calculated. I would attend U3, stay on track, and do whatever I could to free myself of the chains. After you…" he trails off, letting the music speak the words he can't. Loud, loving melodies fill his room.

"After me what, Edward?" I ask after some time.

He finishes the song and turns to me. His forehead so close that his hairs tickle my skin.

"After you…," he trails off again with the thought. "There is no after you, Belle. There is only you."

It's such a soft realization. The tenderness of his declaration tingles and burrows into my skin. He pushes the bench back, stands slowly, and pulls me to him.

"There's only you, too," I whisper with the same tenderness, elongating my neck to look into the kindness of his eyes.

He bends to kiss my cheek, my jaw, the skin of my neck. He presses a single, hot, heavy kiss to my throat before pulling away.

He won't kiss me, I know he won't, but I don't even care at this moment. I am alive, I am here with him, and I am solely his.

~!~

After a few, long moments of holding each other tightly, Edward wordlessly separates us. His large hands grip the edge of my dress and pulls it overhead. He could snap his fingers to change me into anything, we both know that, but I don't stop him.

I don't stop this.

I follow him as he leads us to his bathroom, where a hot bath awaits me. Soft flower petals and bubbles cover the top of the water.

"Bathe with me?" I ask him.

He pulls his shirt from his body and then kicks off his pants. I don't ogle him, nor do I heat with embarrassment. Edward wordlessly gets in the bathtub large enough for two. Once he's settled, I can't help but laugh.

"Are you still in your boxers?"

He nods with a smile, holding out his hand for me to join him. A pink lace bra and a pair of gray underwear cover my private areas, and I try to think of them as a bathing suit. Edward pulls me in between his legs and hugs me against his chest. His chin rests atop my head, and we both sigh at the pleasure of it just being us two.

"I can never make this up to you," he whispers.

"There's no need to."

"You were—" he pauses, shaking his head. "You were petrified."

I nod in agreement, lulling my head to the side so I can look up at him. "Wouldn't you be?"

He smirks pitifully and shakes his head. "I could have taken Royce."

My smile barely meets my eyes.

"You are exhausted," he says. "Sleep, Belle."

"In the bath?" I hum, closing my eyes.

He bends down, lips tickling my ears, "lucky for you, I have magic." Edward snaps us to a cozy, warm bed with a giant blanket pulled over our bodies. With closed eyes, I can tell we're dry as a bone as our legs tangle together.

I shake my head, thinking back so many months ago when Edward and I had this very conversation under such different circumstances.

I smile sleepily as I sigh, "you are magic."

TW: violence, abuse, weapon (knife) usage, abduction

a/n: thank you to those who read and review. The reviews literally give me life. I cannot believe we've surpassed 700 reviews already... I wonder if the chapter could push us to 750!

*I'll be honest, when I first started writing this story, the climax was Royce and that's it... He's definitely a key a player, but just he's a small percent of the storyline now. You all have great questions, and they WILL be answered throughout the story. Any ideas what might be next?!

Eepwrites at instagram- follow me there for inspo pics, teasers, and more!