Moody and the Beast

by Kristen Painter

  Where the cat had come from, he had no idea. He knew Shadowvale had a few strays, but this one looked well cared for. Although perhaps a bit thin. But then, what did he know about cats? Not much except that they were good climbers.

  He changed positions slightly to see the creature better. No wings, so not a meowl. Just a regular housecat. Except this one was watching him rather closely. Did cats do that? He wasn’t sure. He’d never had a pet of any kind.

  Elswood hmphed at the sight of the animal. “That won’t do.” He waved at the cat. “Get lost, you scrawny pest.”

  The cat hissed at Elswood, who then raised his hand further.

  “No,” Robin snapped. “Leave it be. It’s not a pest. I think it’s just hungry.”

  Elswood lowered his hand. “As you wish, Sire. But those creatures can carry disease.”

  Robin shot him a look. “The same can be said for any being. And this one isn’t hurting anything.” He thought for a second longer as he studied the creature’s slender frame. “Fetch a dish of salmon from Mrs. Applestock.”

  Elswood’s pinched expression said he clearly didn’t care for that request, but he nodded anyway. “Yes, Sire.”

  As he left, Robin moved to the end of the chaise. Slowly, so as not to startle the cat. “Hi there, puss. Are you hungry? Do you like fish? I do. But then, goblins tend to have an affinity for seafood.”

  The cat blinked once, then lifted a paw, licked it, and cleaned an ear.

  “I’m a goblin, by the way.” He snorted. “Used to be king of them, but I suppose that doesn’t matter one bit to you.”

  The cat changed paws and moved on to the other ear.

  “You’re very handsome. Or pretty. Whatever the case may be.” A pet might be nice. He’d never considered it, but he already felt less alone. “How did you get up here, hmm? You must be a very good climber.”

  The cat stopped cleaning and went back to staring at him. Then it meowed, a squeaky little sound that showed off nice white teeth and a little pink tongue. It jumped down, tail curving into the air, and took a few strides toward Robin before sitting down again.

  Robin thought he might not need a pet, but this little animal might need him.

  The cat looked around as if inspecting the place.

  Robin held back a laugh. “This is my house,” he explained. “You could live here if you want. I’ve never had a cat. Or any pet. But I can learn. I’m a fast study, too. I would take the best care of you, I promise.”

  He was bargaining with a cat. Had he lost his mind? Maybe. All things considered, he was okay with that. For a while, the cat just sat there, cleaning. Were all cats so fastidious? It was an admirable trait.

  Elswood announced his return by clearing his throat. He was carrying a second tray.

  Robin glanced up at him. “A whole tray for one dish?”

  Elswood frowned. “Mrs. Applestock insisted on sending an array of options in case salmon wasn’t the preferred choice.”

  Robin laughed. “Of course she did.”

  Elswood set the tray on the end of the chaise. “Besides the little dish of water, there’s raw diced salmon, cold salad shrimp, and a can of tuna. Packed in water, not oil. Mrs. Applestock thought it important that I tell you that. Also, I am to tell you she has a tin of sardines at the ready if required, but will not be sending milk or cream. She said that’s not good for cats. Upsets their stomachs, despite what you see on television.”

  “Is that so? Glad she knew that.” He checked out the tray. Mrs. Applestock had used the good china and had added a sprig of parsley to each food dish. He almost laughed. She was a treasure, that one. He gave Elswood a nod. “That’ll be all for the night, thank you.”

  “Very good, Sire.” Elswood bowed and left.

  Robin looked at the cat. Its little nose was sniffing the air, making its whiskers quiver. He smiled. “Something’s got your attention. Want to see if you like any of these?”

  He moved the tray to the floor, then pushed it toward the cat before sitting back to see what the creature would do.

  As the cat approached the tray, Robin kept talking to it. “Do you have a name? I feel like I should call you something, but I don’t know if you’re a boy or a girl. And I’m not sure I could tell even if I looked.”

  The cat glanced up at him suddenly.

  “Yes, I suppose that would be rude of me as well. All right, then, what shall I call you?”

  The cat sniffed all three bowls and settled on the one in the middle. The salad shrimp.

  “Shrimp, hmm? I would have guessed the tuna first. Further proof I know nothing about cats.” He settled against the chaise and watched with great curiosity. The animal ate with more delicacy and grace than he’d expected. There was no gulping down of the food, but careful, dainty bites.

  “How about Pepper?” Robin asked. “You were rather spicy with my valet. Which is fine. He deserved it. For the record, I would have never let him hurt you.”

  The cat looked up, licking its chops.

  “Pepper is black, too.”

  The cat went back to the bowl, clearly less invested in the conversation than Robin.

  He didn’t mind. “And Pepper could be a girl name or a boy name.”

  The cat kept eating.

  “All right, Pepper it is. I’m going to assume you’re a boy. Unless you decide to tell me otherwise.”

  Pepper finished the shrimp, had a few bites of the salmon, then a few bites of the tuna, and finally jumped up onto the foot of the chaise, where he went to work washing his face. Again.

  Robin realized he’d been smiling the whole time he’d been watching the cat. “You might be just what I needed, little one. You and our new Theodora. But I think if you decide to live here, we’re going to have to get you a collar. That way, if you get lost, it’s clear where you belong.”

  Finally clean enough, Pepper yawned, walked up the chaise until he was across from Robin, then flopped down next to him. Not touching. But beside him all the same.

  “Do you live in the enchanted forest? I know there are meowls there, but they’re not exactly cats. Is that really a safe place for you to live? There are hellhounds in there. I just heard one last night.”

  Pepper let out a little sigh.

  “I suppose you’ve done all right protecting yourself.” Robin put his hands behind his head. “You look very soft. Can I pet you?”

  Pepper’s eyes were half shut. He seemed amenable. And maybe a little sleepy. A bird flew past the balcony, and he didn’t budge.

  Robin took the chance. Slowly, he moved one arm down and traced his fingers over the curve of Pepper’s head. “You are soft.”

  Pepper’s eyes closed all the way, and he started to rumble.

  Robin inhaled in surprise. “You’re purring, aren’t you? That means you like this. Or you’re happy right now. Either way, I know it’s a good thing.” He nodded. “I could totally have a cat.”

  Pepper put his head down, closed his eyes, and gave a big exhale as if the weight of the day had just been lifted off him.

  Robin stroked the animal’s back, pausing to feel the vibrations of joy filling his little body. The cat was thin, but not to the point of being worrisome. And Robin figured a few days of good eating would help that tremendously. If it didn’t, maybe a vet visit would be in order.

  He almost laughed. He was making plans for the animal, and he had no idea if the cat would even stick around. One day at a time.

  Before long, Pepper seemed sound asleep, and for the first time in a long time, Robin felt the pull of sleep himself. He closed his eyes, one hand resting on Pepper’s side, and drifted off.

  When he awoke, he was still on the chaise, but Pepper was gone, and someone had covered him with a throw.

  None of that surprised him so much as the fact that the sky was pink with dawn. He’d slept the entire night.

  That shocked him so much that he sat bolt upright and blinked at the sky in disbelief. Clouds were already rolling in to mute the
rising sun. “How is that possible?”

  He looked around for any sign of the cat, but Pepper had definitely left. Robin’s hot toddy and iced oatmeal cookies were still on the table beside the chaise, cold and untouched. But the dishes of tuna and salmon were now as empty as the dish of shrimp, proof that Pepper had been there.

  A few black hairs remained on the chaise cushion, too.

  Robin got up, expecting to be a little stiff from his unusual sleeping spot, but he felt fine. He stretched and walked to the balcony. No sign of Pepper in the garden below either.

  Robin frowned. Dark Acres was an especially dangerous part of the enchanted forest. Certainly no place for a stray cat. He hoped the little creature was all right. And that he would come back.

  Maybe he’d tell Mrs. Applestock to add proper cat food to the grocery list. Some cans of that fancy stuff. They could put a dish of it outside in the garden. Just in case. And he’d say something to Henry about keeping an eye out. In fact, maybe Henry already knew about the cat.

  Or Fenwick. If anyone had seen Pepper before, it was Fenwick. The man spent his days caring for the grounds.

  With new urgency, Robin jumped into the shower and got ready for the day. There was no trip to the mine today, so he could look for Pepper all he wanted. Or at least, as much as the confines of his curse allowed.

  He threw on track pants and a T-shirt. If he was going to be out hunting for Pepper in the woods, there was no point in wearing anything fancy, although this had generally become his daily uniform. What was the point of a suit when he was no longer king and not entertaining anyone?

  He ran down to the kitchen.

  Lolly was polishing silver, but she got up, gave him a little bow, then went to get him coffee, like she always did. He didn’t really need it after the amazing sleep he’d had, but he’d drink it anyway. For one thing, it was delicious. For another, Lolly was going to the effort.

  Mrs. Applestock came in with a sack of flour. “Good morning, Your Lordship. How was your night? Biscuits aren’t quite ready yet.”

  “Outstanding. And no worries about the biscuits, I’m up earlier than usual. Thank you for the food you sent up last night, by the way. I don’t know what Elswood told you, but a little black cat showed up on my balcony. He ate every bit of the food you prepared.”

  “How wonderful. Cats are such smart creatures. They don’t like just anyone, you know. They’re picky. They only like people worth their time.” She smiled. “Is he still around?”

  “No, Pepper was gone this morning, but I’m hoping he comes back.”

  “Pepper?” Her brows lifted.

  He laughed. “I had to call him something. And he was a little spicy. Will you get some real cat food next time you’re at the store?”

  “I’m going today. I’ll make sure I add it to the list. What kind?”

  “I have no idea. Whatever looks good. Get a bunch. Canned, the good stuff. And some dry.”

  Lolly was grinning as she set a mug of coffee and a little pitcher of cream next to him.

  He fixed his coffee with cream and added some sugar. “Have you seen a little black cat around here?”

  She shook her head. “No, Sire. But I’ll keep an eye out.”

  “Good. Thank you. It would be nice to have a cat around here, don’t you think?”

  Her grin got a little bigger. “It would be.”

  He drank a good bit of the coffee, then got up, ready to head out and speak with Henry and Fenwick. “All right, I have to go. I’ll be back later to eat.”

  Mrs. Applestock shook her head. “You certainly seem chipper this morning.”

  “I slept well. Amazing what that can do for you.”

  She nodded. “Indeed. What would you like for breakfast?”

  “Eggs and bacon. Biscuits, of course. Maybe some hash browns. Sugar beans. Buttered mushrooms, too. The whole thing.”

  She laughed. “I’ll get to work.”

  “Oh, one more thing.”

  “Yes?”

  “Do you know where I can find Theodora?”

  Chapter Nine

  The sky had still been dark when Theo had tugged on her Gallow House livery and reported to Mrs. Baton’s office.

  Why on earth such an early start was required, she had no idea. None of the tasks Mrs. Baton had sent her to do yesterday after lunch with Robin had really needed doing. Theo had polished some very pretty crystal stemware that looked as if it had never been used, then she’d organized the walk-in linen closet, which contained more linens than she’d seen in one place in her life.

  The linens had already been pretty organized, but Mrs. Baton had insisted each piece be taken out, shaken out, inspected for tears or stains, then if in good repair, refolded and stacked neatly.

  Theo was no fool. It was all grunt work designed to keep her busy.

  The end of the day had had Theo questioning her ability to keep such nonsense up for a year, but she had a feeling this was Mrs. Baton’s way of testing her.

  And Theo wasn’t going to fail. Not with all that was at stake.

  At least this morning she’d been able to join the rest of the staff in the downstairs gathering room for breakfast. Biscuits, cod sausages, scrambled eggs, and thankfully, lots of coffee. Good coffee, too. Goblin spiced coffee.

  She’d nabbed a small apple and tucked it away in her room. Not that there wouldn’t be food later, but old habits died hard, and having something just in case always seemed wise.

  Now, she was headed to the library with her basket of cleaning supplies and the specific instructions that each book was to be wiped down, checked for signs of damage, and carefully reshelved. It was the linen closet all over again.

  Mrs. Baton must think that cleaning books was some kind of grueling task. Theo smiled. Being in a library, even if she was just cleaning it, would never be tedious or difficult or grueling.

  Ever since her mother had died and Theo had been forced to leave the academy for regular school, books had become her refuge. Each book felt like a prize she’d won. She cherished them. She’d even carried one of her favorites on this trip with her, just in case there were none available.

  The thought of being without a book to escape into just didn’t set well, and she’d had no idea if King Robin was a reader. Even if he was, there was no telling if she’d be allowed to borrow any of his books.

  So she’d done the only logical thing. She’d brought one.

  Now, she was about to see just what kind of a reader he was. His library would either be filled with books that were just for show or filled with books that were much loved and well read. She was curious to see which.

  She followed the directions Mrs. Baton had given her, going up to the second floor of the house, down a long hall and counting off the doors until she came to the fifth one. They were double doors, actually, which she didn’t remember Mrs. Baton mentioning, so hopefully she’d found the right location.

  She opened the one on the right.

  And sucked in a breath. This was definitely the library. It might be the only library a person would ever need.

  Slowly, she entered the space as if it were holy ground. She’d never seen a library this grand. Not even at the academy. The first floor was open in the middle to a second floor that was just as packed with bookshelves, and each shelf housed more books than she could count.

  It would take her days to clean and inspect each tome in this amazing room. She sighed, and a broad grin spread across her face. Spending days in here was just fine with her. Especially if she could sneak in some reading.

  She closed the door behind her and inhaled. Was there anything better than the perfume of books? Old paper, well loved. Leather bindings, worn from reading. All that ink, slightly metallic and earthy.

  She walked in a few more steps. Small reading spots were set up throughout the space. A big chair with an ottoman. A long leather couch. A rolled-arm chaise. Each had a table nearby with a lamp that would provide the right amount of light, althou
gh the tall windows that looked out over the garden did a pretty adequate job of that already.

  In the very center of the room was a glass case. She couldn’t quite see what was inside, so she went over, feather duster in hand so she’d look like she was working.

  As she approached the case, the contents became visible, and her heart clenched a little. A large, hand-drawn map of Limbo and Livion. Beside the map, King Robin’s royal wax seal rested on a little purple velvet cushion. Above that, the official announcement of his coronation. The gold ink had tarnished a little, and the paper yellowed slightly, but the words were still very clear.

  How bittersweet. Had he done this to honor what had been? As a beacon of what he hoped to regain? Or as a reminder that his treachery had cost him everything?

  She frowned. She struggled with the last thought. There was nothing about the man that seemed treacherous. And yet, she knew what the history books said. What was taught. He was a terrible man. An enemy to his kingdom.

  But if that’s what he truly was, why make something like this? This display felt like a loving memorial to what had been lost. Not a remembrance of a kingdom and a throne he’d purposefully betrayed.

  She shook her head, trying to clear the conflicting thoughts and emotions. It didn’t matter. None of it did. One year, and she was done. One year, and all of this would be behind her.

  But…if he was innocent, it did matter, didn’t it? The answer to that was a resounding yes. Because his innocence would mean Queen Vesta was the traitor. But how was she, Theo, supposed to change anything? She was a peasant. A commoner. The daughter of a man who owed more than he owned.

  She was powerless. She always had been. Her fingers wrapped a little tighter around the feather duster. There was no point in even thinking about such things. She took a step back from the display.

  And ran into a hard wall of warm body.

  She gasped and spun around, thinking she’d been caught by Elswood. “I’m sorry, I—”

  His Lordship stood behind her. He was in black track pants and a T-shirt, looking very casual. Still very handsome, unfortunately. And he smelled even better than the library, which was quite a feat.