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“No,” Rosalie said firmly, “it won’t. Because you’re going to leave.”

Dimitri frowned. He couldn’t dismiss her words as easily as he’d done earlier, but his reasons for staying still remained.

“I can’t do that,” he said slowly. “It’s not just that I have nowhere to go. There are things I still need to discover—about my mother and myself. About my history. And this manor is the only place I know to look.”

“And you’re willing to risk turning into a Beast to get your answers?” Rosalie demanded. “Remember just because the Legacy turns you into a Beast doesn’t mean it will ever turn you back into a prince again.”

Dimitri considered reminding her that he wasn’t a prince to start with but decided against the attempt.

“You said yourself that the Legacy isn’t that predictable,” he said. “So I’ll just have to take my chances. With my mother gone, I have nothing and no one else. I’m not leaving without answers.” He didn’t add that even once he had the answers, he might not leave. This place was his heritage. It was where his mother had grown up. He belonged here, even if it didn’t properly feel like it yet. His ancestors had managed to survive without all turning into Beasts. He would find a way, too.

“The problem,” Rosalie said, “is that the Legacy gets stronger the more closely the situation aligns with the original tale. That’s why Daphne said this garden could prove your royal blood. It transformed so quickly because the Legacy is pouring power into it. And it’s doing that because it has a young, handsome prince living alone in a castle.”

Despite himself, Dimitri’s mouth curved upward at hearing her call him handsome. From the glare she gave him, though, she knew exactly what he was thinking and was daring him to comment on it.

“There’s no point looking so pleased with yourself,” Daphne said, reminding him that he and Rosalie weren’t the only two there. “I think Rosalie would treat you more kindly if you were hideous.”

The two girls exchanged a look laden with meaning. While Dimitri now knew about the Legacy, there was clearly a great deal about Rosalie he still didn’t understand.

“I suppose the manor house has become more livable too.” Daphne gazed wistfully at the building at the end of the curved drive.

“Don’t even think about it, Daph.” Rosalie gave her a warning look. “We will not be going in just to rest our feet—or any other part of our persons. We’re staying right here on the road.”

Daphne gave her a pleading look, but she stood firm.

“In fact,” she added, “we’re not even going to stay here. We’re going back.”

“Already?” Dimitri asked before he could stop himself.

Rosalie gave him a quelling look. “Don’t you start too. You should go inside and do some more reading and then do some reflecting. It’s never too soon to start packing to go.”

Dimitri remained silent. She was right about the research, but he wouldn’t be leaving. Not now. Not yet.

Rosalie turned to leave before hesitating and turning back. Her eyes skimmed over him, coming to rest on his empty hands.

“You said you went into Thebarton to get supplies, but you followed us out before you had a chance to buy anything.” She hesitated again, clearly torn. “Will you be all right? Do you have what you need? You’re not short on food or anything?”

Dimitri blinked, thrown off guard by her question. Despite her antagonism toward him, and her constant entreaties for him to leave, she was worried about him.

He smiled. “I’m fine. I won’t be starving any time soon.”

“Of course he won’t be,” Daphne said. “He has an enchanted castle.”

Rosalie still hesitated for a moment before deciding that was a valid point.

“In that case,” she said, “just remember why there’s food appearing on your plate. Let it remind you why it’s a bad idea to stay.”

This time when she turned to leave, she didn’t pause or look back, and all too soon, she had disappeared from sight.

Dimitri roused himself to walk slowly down the drive toward his new home. It was just as lonely a prospect as he had anticipated, so he didn’t hurry. Instead, his thoughts remained full of Rosalie.

Daphne was right about her. For all Rosalie’s attempts to be prickly and defensive, she couldn’t help showing her true self. And her true self cared—she cared about what was happening around her, about her family, even about strangers she met on the road. Rosalie’s true self saw a problem and wanted to fix it, without thought of the cost to herself.

It was no wonder she was so fascinating to him. He had spent his whole life surrounded by people who had run away from their problems. And up until a few days ago, he had allowed himself to be one of them. In the mountains he had known his place and his role. His life had been simple, and he had been content with that. Once he had left childhood behind, he had never pressed his mother to tell him why she left Glandore and her people behind.

He told himself he was keeping the peace, but in truth, he hadn’t wanted to know. He hadn’t wanted to take her burden on his shoulders. He understood her situation a little better now, and his past actions filled him with shame. She had silently borne the unknown pain of leaving her birth kingdom, and she could only have done it because of a pain that was deeper still. What sort of son would let his mother carry that alone?

Ever since he had left the mountains and stepped into Glandore, the past seemed more dreamlike than real. It was hard to remember why everything had felt so heavy and burdensome that he couldn’t bear the thought of a further load.