I’m halfway up the steps when something hard and hot lands next to my foot.

Stunned by the shot, I turn around and wield my sword.

“Izzie?” My jaw drops as she struggles to reload a rifle. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Preventing you from getting in the way of what’s mine.” She glares at me. “Get the fuck out of the castle now and I won’t kill you.”

“You truly are an evil bitch…”

“Start walking away now, Belle.”

“Being a princess means that much to you?” I ask. “You’d be willing to kill your own sister?”

“A sister who hardly anyone even knows about,” She scoffs, inserting the gunpowder the wrong way. “There’s never been a record of you, and you know that.”

“Izzie—”

“And all these years of your life,” she says, aiming the barrel at my chest, “you’ve never done one thing to make Father consider writing you into the records. You’ve insisted on being difficult and regardless of what happens tonight, I refuse to—”

Sola hits her from behind with a rock, sending her to the ground.

“Run, Belle!” She screams, and I immediately resume climbing the stairs.

I take them all the way to the top, stopping to check rooms each time I hear a noise, but it’s never Gabriel and Beast.

Just random objects and soldiers fighting each other.

When I make it to the top level, I look down and see Izzie regaining consciousness.

Not wanting to waste time, I step outside into the rain.

Standing right in front of me is a wilting rose trapped under glass, with only one rose petal left.

I’m too late…

Before I can make a left, I hear Gabriel grunting around the corner on my right.

“Did you really think I would let you win?” A deep voice says, growling. “You’ve lost your fucking mind….”

“It doesn’t have to be this way.” Gabriel’s voice follows. “We’ve both been hurt by this fucking curse, Charlie.”

“One of us has been more hurt than the other…” Charlie hisses. “Look at me, and look at you.”

I round the corner, watching Beast glare at Gabriel with murder in his eyes. Unlike Gabriel’s alternate form, Beast doesn’t stand on two feet; He towers over everything on all fours, and his eyes don’t hold any warmth, only anger.

Gabriel holds up his hands in a slight surrender, a final plea.

“I don’t want to kill you, Charlie. I just want my life back.”Beast steps closer, and then he stops. “Okay…I’ll hear you out.”

“Do you mean that?”

“Fuck no.” He raises his furry fist and punches Gabriel in the face.”

He stumbles backward, falling onto the landing several feet below. Beast grabs onto the edge of a tower before jumping down to join him.

“Stop!” I yell. “Please don’t kill him!”

Without thinking, I rush down the stone steps—fully intending to get in the way.

“Don’t take this personally,” Beast says, standing over him with a stone. “I can’t live like this anymore… Goodbye, Gabriel.”