The Beast and his Princess

one

IT'S THE INVITATION that first seals her fate.

Dressed in their finest, Aelin's family appear in front of the town's council with only dread, following the orders of their summoning.

Only hours before, Aelin had rejected the hand of the council leader's son. And now she's going to pay for it.

"You should have accepted him," her sister murmurs, so low only Aelin can hear. "Then we wouldn't be in this situation." Astrid shakes her head scornfully, her halo of soft, straw-blonde hair rippling down her back.

"I couldn't stomach the idea of marrying someone like Connor," Aelin says back, melodious voice trembling as they stand in the center of the room. She resists the urge to flinch as Connor appears next to his father, the most important man in town.

The leader in question stares down at Aelin, as though to take in her dark, silky hair and porcelain skin—a complete opposite of her sister, Astrid, who looks like the sun personified with her fair skin, dusted freckles, and bright hair.

"Thank you for meeting us despite the unreasonable hour," the leader begins courteously. Aelin glances out the small window at dark sky—a reminder that it is, currently, the middle of the night.

"Of course," her father murmurs from behind her. As though they had a choice other than submitting to the council's demands.

The leader nods in acknowledgement to her father's response. "As you may have heard of, this town has a history of performing sacrificial rituals in order to keep the beasts beyond the woods at bay."

Aelin's blood runs cold. Next to her father, trembling, her mother stifles a gasp.

"What are you saying?" Astrid breathes.

"The beasts are getting restless again. They demand blood." The leader keeps his face impassive, but colors of entitlement surge in his eyes.

His son next to him stares smugly at Aelin, wordlessly communicating, this is what you deserve for your rejection.

"Unfortunately, they require of another sacrifice to appease their ghastly appetite." The leader signals for Aelin to step forward. She does so on trembling limbs, fighting to control the hysteria rising inside of her.

This cannot be happening.

"To ensure our safety, council members have thoroughly examined town members to determine person of interest for sacrifice." The leader pauses, his cold gaze raking over her slight, trembling form.

"Stop," Astrid says, "stop this madness—"

"To be blunt, your youngest child here possesses exquisite beauty. Beauty fit for a king, at the very least. We believe that her beauty has been granted to us in favor of our goodwill the past decade, and will only be wasted if she continues to reside in our community. It is within our best interest to send Ivy into the woods this year."

Her father lets out an anguished, broken cry. "My daughter," he says. "My daughter, please—"

"It has been decided," the leader says , emotionless, with a flick of his wrist. "Come, child. You will spend the night in the council's jail so we can monitor you up until the sacrifice."

"Take me, I'm older," her sister says, grasping Aelin's arm. "I'm useless to this town, you'd best be rid of me, please, please, please, spare her—"

"Enough. Come, child." The leader beckons Aelin over like a puppy, and haltingly, she follows.

"Ivy, say something." Astrid attempts to make eye contact. "Stop this. Make them stop."

Aelin opens her mouth to say something, to say anything, but her whole body is cold and numb and shaky with the idea that come morning, she'd be dead and torn apart by the beasts, that there is nothing she can do about it—

"Aelin," Astrid begs, the first glint of tears running down her face.

Aelin looks at the leader, and his face hardens. He flicks his gaze towards the guards stationed at the doorway. A silent warning of harm that would come to her family with her disobedience.

Swallowing her silence and feeling sick to her stomach, she allows the guards to take her arms and march her towards the opposite doorway.

"I'm sorry," she says, voice tiny, addressing her parents. "I should have accepted the marriage."

"Well, it is too late now," the leader smoothly intervenes. He flicks his wrist again, and guards begin to drag her family out of the room, in disregard of their pained cries and blind panic.

"Wait," Aelin chokes out, glimmering tears running down her smooth skin. "Wait."

She glances back desperately at her family, at her mother's pale face and her father's contorted anger. At her sister's furious kicking and screams.

That is the very last time Aelin sees her family.

She'll be dead the following morning.