Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 44645 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 223(@200wpm)___ 179(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44645 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 223(@200wpm)___ 179(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
“Stop!” I yell. “Please, stop!”
Neither listens to me, and just as Beast is picking up a jagged spire and aiming it at Gabriel’s eye, a bolt of lightning strikes them both.
They fall to the ground at the same time, and the lightning strikes them again.
And again…
When it finally stops, they’re both lying lifeless on the ground and smoke is rising from their bodies.
No, no, no…
Isabelle is suddenly behind me, sobbing uncontrollably.
She rushes over to Beast in tears, burying her head against his chest.
Too stunned and heartbroken to speak, I peel off my drenched coat and press it against Gabriel’s head wounds.
Bright red blood soaks through the fabric, and his lips turn blue.
“Please don’t leave me here alone,” I whisper against his chest. “Please, Gabriel…”
His face pales, and I can no longer feel his heart beating. He doesn’t show a single sign of life.
“I love you,” I whisper. “Please…”
With every second that passes, my sadness evolves into anger as I overhear Izzie. I can’t help but think about how she had no issues with me dying, no problem sacrificing me to salvage her own fantasy of being a silly princess.
“I’ll be right back, okay?” She cries. “I’ll be right back…”
I grip the handle of my dagger and prepare to follow her inside so I can kill her, but Gabriel suddenly grabs my wrist.
“Don’t,” he whispers.
“Why not?”
“Because I’m not dead, Belle.” His lips curve into a faint smile.
I glance at the blood spewing from his stomach and hold back a sob. “You’re pretty damn close. Stop talking.”
“I love you, too,” he says. “I think I loved you when we were just writing each other in the books, long before I knew who you really were.”
“Please stop saying words.” I clasp his hand. “Just stop.”
“I love you, Belle…” He repeats anyway, and then his eyes roll to the back of his head.
I immediately burst into sobs and lay against his lifeless chest.
Someone touches my shoulder from behind, but I don’t make a move to look.
I can’t.
I tilt my head to give Gabriel a final goodbye kiss, but steaming raindrops start to fall from the sky. Each one stings my skin, and I’m forced to move away from him.
The moment I stand, his body is suddenly pulled backward and up into the air. Like someone is pulling his strings from above.
Beast’s body moves next, and they both spin in the air as the rain and clouds give way to a clearer, storm-less night.
The fur that covers Beast’s body slowly dissolves into human flesh, his overgrown talons and yellow fangs shrink into fingers and all-white teeth.
A golden crown descends from the skies, stopping above Gabriel before pressing itself atop Gabriel’s head.
They’re lowered to the ground together, and I stare ahead at them both in utter disbelief.
Are they alive?
Below, in the castle, I can hear shouting and loud music, and Sola suddenly grabs my hand from behind.
“I think it’s broken,” she says. “I think it’s over…”
“For everyone?” I ask, still not seeing signs of life in Gabriel. “Or just the others? Who wins?”
She doesn’t answer me. She walks over to Gabriel and presses her hand against his head.
His eyes immediately flutter open, and he smiles at her.
“You know,” he says, “I think I can finally forgive you for letting that stranger into the castle.”
“In that case, I won’t forgive you for being such a pig back then.”
“He was influenced by me, but I don’t forgive him either…” Beast says from behind, standing up. He reaches for Sola and pulls her into a long embrace.
Blinking, Gabriel stares at me for several moments before moving toward me.
“Belle…” He pulls me into his arms. “I meant what I said about loving you.”
“So, it’s broken now? How? Is she just…letting you both live?”
“I made an arrangement with her,” he says softly. “She didn’t accept it, so I’m guessing she had a change of heart…”
“What type of arrangement?”
He shakes his head. “It’s not important. I need to be honest with you about something.”
“I’m listening.”
“I’m not sure you’ll be okay with the terms that come with a life in this kingdom with me.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’d like to marry you,” he says. “But that means you’ll have to serve as my temporary princess, and ultimately my queen.”
I still.
“Just say yes, Belle,” he says. “For once, don’t make this more difficult than it has to be.”
I hesitate a few moments. “Yes.”
He presses a kiss on my forehead and grabs my hands before standing to his feet.
Beast, admiring his human hands against the stone, is staring at the celebrations below.
Gabriel clasps my hand and leads me over to him, waiting for him to look at us.
“Just because the spell is broken doesn’t mean we have to speak,” Beast says. “I’m still mad at you about—”
“I’m sorry.” Gabriel interrupts him. “I should’ve stopped your parties long ago, and I could’ve prevented you from being so cruel to strangers.”