Moody and the Beast

by Kristen Painter

She smiled when she was able to breathe again. “Your shirt matches my dress.”

  “That’s why I picked it.” He shook his head as he looked at her. “You look stunning. I mean…I thought you were beautiful the first time I saw you. But if you polish stones as well as you polish up yourself, you’ll be a master stonecutter in no time.”

  She laughed, lightheaded from his compliments. “Thank you. You look very regal.” She swallowed down a knot of nerves. “And very handsome, too, if I might say so.”

  “You might. Thank you.”

  “No blade?” It was the only thing he seemed to be missing.

  He held his arms out. “None. Do you think I need one?”

  “No. I don’t have one either. Feels odd. But I suppose they’re not as required in the house.”

  “No.” With a little chuckle, he bowed and held out his arm. “Shall we?”

  “Yes. Be warned, though. I may hold on tighter as we go down the stairs. I can walk in heels all right, but it’s still a bit like being on stilts.”

  “Would you prefer we take the elevator?”

  “No, the stairs are fine.” There was something very dramatic about walking down an elegant staircase in a ball gown. And if she didn’t do it now, when would she ever get the chance again?

  “All right. Hang on to me, though. I’m here for you.” He smiled. “I mean that.”

  “Thank you.” She took his arm, wrapping her hand firmly around it. He was warm and solid, and she couldn’t imagine a more perfect moment.

  Well, perhaps if this was really her life, that would have been more perfect. If this was really her man and really her house. If this whole reality wasn’t going away in a year.

  They started for the stairs.

  Her life in Limbo had taught her that dreams often remained figments of the imagination, and it was best not to get too attached to them. That’s how a person ended up hurt and disappointed.

  Fortunately, she was long past the dreams of her youth. And she knew better than to get attached to something that wasn’t hers. At least she liked to think she did. She expected that no matter how hard she tried not to fall in love with this place or this way of life, it was still going to happen.

  A year’s time was a long stretch to get used to something. To think of it as yours.

  She glanced up at Robin. At his strong jaw and kind eyes and ready smile. It would be so much worse if she fell in love with…

  She wrenched her gaze away. That was not a thought she was going to have. Not a feeling she was going to entertain, not even for a second. Those words couldn’t be allowed in her head. It was the sort of youthful foolishness a schoolgirl might give into. But not an adult woman.

  He went carefully down the steps as if making sure she’d handled each one before moving on. That’s who he was. Gentle and considerate. Once again, not the monster Vesta painted him to be.

  How was she supposed to not fall for him?

  Theo needed a distraction. She squeezed his arm a little tighter and smiled with all the nerves and excitement inside her. “What’s for dinner?”

  “You know, I have no idea. I’m sure Mrs. Applestock has come up with something good.”

  “I’m sure she has. She’s a wonderful cook.”

  “She is. We’re lucky to have her.”

  We. As if Theo was somehow a part of this world.

  They reached the bottom of the stairs without incident. Thankfully.

  Robin turned them down a hall Theo hadn’t traveled yet. At the halfway point, he walked her through a set of open doors and into a charming little dining room. The table was set for two, although it could have easily held four.

  “How pretty,” she said as she looked around.

  The walls were pale rose above the chair rail and sand below. Gold and crystal fixtures finished out the space, but despite the chandelier, the room had a cozy feel to it. Maybe because of the brick fireplace on one wall. Or maybe because there wasn’t so much gilt and glitz in this room. It felt more like a home and less like it had been designed to impress visitors.

  Robin let go of her arm so he could pull out a chair for her. “This is the small dining room. Or the family dining room. That’s what I thought it would be used for. Family dinners.”

  Which meant he’d imagined having children with Vesta. He’d envisioned a future for them. A man who planned to betray his kingdom wouldn’t think that way. She put on a bright smile. Kind of interesting how easy it was to smile around him. “I love it. It’s much more intimate than the big dining room I saw. Although that space will be spectacular for the party tomorrow. This is just perfect for a casual dinner, though.”

  He smiled back as he joined her at the table. “I’m glad you think so.” He looked around. “At first, I used to eat in here every night, but then after a while it felt sad to eat here alone.”

  “So you moved to the kitchen.”

  He nodded. “Or sometimes I just ate in my quarters. On the balcony. I still do that a lot. Or I did until you. Although the balcony is really nice for that. In fact, we should have dinner out there some night. Unfortunately, it makes more work for Elswood.”

  She tipped her head. “In what way?”

  “Well, he’s got to carry the tray up and down the steps.”

  Her brow crinkled in amusement. “You know that besides the elevator there’s a dumbwaiter, too?”

  “Hmm….” He snorted. “I guess I forgot about that. But in my defense, when would I ever use it?”

  She laughed. “You really need to explore your own house some more.”

  He sighed and shook his head. “It’s a good thing you came.”

  A soft sound, like rubber wheels on marble, preceded Elswood’s entrance. “Good evening, sir, and…Theodora.”

  Theo nodded, but Robin greeted him. “Elswood. What’s on the menu?”

  Elswood clasped his hands behind his back. “Tonight’s dinner is a cold marinated vegetable salad followed by salmon with dill sauce, fingerling potatoes, summer corn cakes, sweet peas, and for dessert, pear and pistachio custard tarts with freshly whipped cream.”

  “Oh my,” Theo said. “That sounds delicious.”

  “It does,” Robin agreed. “And I’m suddenly hungrier than I realized. Bring it on.”

  Elswood bent forward slightly. “Wine, sir?”

  Robin looked at Theo. She shrugged. Wine wasn’t in her budget, so she never drank it. “I’ll try a glass.”

  “Excellent,” he answered before turning to Elswood. “Wine it is.”

  “Very good.” Elswood went back into the hall and returned with a bottle. Theo realized there must be a serving cart out there. He filled a glass with white for the both of them. Then he excused himself and came back with their salads.

  Definitely a serving cart.

  After that, they were left alone. At least until the next course.

  Theo looked at her forks. All three of them. Sometimes at home, because of how little time she had between jobs, she ate standing over the sink. Or while walking to work.

  “Start with the farthest one out and work your way in.” Robin winked at her. “That’s what Elswood taught me.”

  She glanced out the door. “Elswood taught you?”

  Robin nodded. “I told you I was common-born. My mother was a weaver, my father worked the mines. I was destined for them myself, I’m sure. Except then I caught the orc king, and the rest, as they say, is history.”

  She picked up the farthest fork. It was smaller than the middle one, which was the tallest of the three. “Do you ever wish you, I don’t know, didn’t catch him? Have your life take a different path?”

  Robin finished the piece of zucchini he was eating. “I used to. All the time. But after a while, even the strongest piece of rope frays.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Meaning I gave up on that. What’s the point of wishing for something that can’t ever happen? I can’t undo my past. Daydreaming about it wasn’t making me feel any better ei
ther. So I stopped.”

  “What about your parents? Are you able to keep in touch with them?”

  “They saw me crowned, but my father, Benmore, died shortly after in a mining accident. I suspect everything that happened with Vesta would have killed him anyway. The stress of it, I mean. My mother, Pryn, still lives in Limbo. She’s moved to the highlands.”

  That was an area in the hills, and because of its remoteness, the people who lived up there tended to be loners, loons, or artistic types who didn’t want the restrictions of a more urban setting. A number of well-known goblin musicians lived in the highlands. And a few notorious rebels, too. “That’s an interesting area.”

  “I guess I should take the move as a hint. She hasn’t talked to me since I was exiled. I write to her once a week. She’s never answered.”

  That cut Theo to the quick. She couldn’t imagine how that hurt Robin to be ignored by his mother. But she also couldn’t imagine how a mother could do that. “How do you know she’s moved if she hasn’t talked to you or answered your letters?”

  “I got a change-of-address card not long after I arrived here. To be honest, I think it was sent by whoever moved into our old house.”

  That was kind of them. “I don’t mean to imply anything or place blame on anyone, but are you sure she’s getting the letters?”

  He shrugged one shoulder. “I have no reason to think otherwise. I should probably stop sending them. Obviously, she doesn’t want to hear from me.”

  Theo didn’t want to believe that. She pushed a slice of carrot around with her fork. “Just because she doesn’t write back doesn’t mean she’s not reading them.”

  “True. But then, why doesn’t she answer?”

  Theo looked up at him as a hard truth hit her. “Maybe she does.”

  The furrows in his brow matched his frown. “What do you mean?”

  She shook her head. “I mean maybe Vesta is interfering with the mail.” With a sigh, she continued. “Being here has opened my eyes to some things. I believe Vesta is controlling so much more than what the people of Limbo know or understand, from our history to our news. Why couldn’t she be stopping your mother’s letters from getting to you? Or yours getting to her?”

  His chest rose and fell, and darkness filled his eyes. “Of course she could be. I just didn’t want to think Vesta could be that cruel. Dumb of me, I know, but you’re right.” He dropped his fork and stared out the windows onto the garden.

  Anger practically rose off him in waves.

  Theo felt terrible. Especially because the interference with the mail might be happening in his own home. Now was not the time to add that possibility to the mix, however. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

  He shook his head but didn’t stop gazing at the garden. “No, you were right to take the scales from my eyes. I’ve always suspected, but I didn’t want to believe it. Now, hearing you say it, I know that has to be what’s happening.”

  She set her fork down, her appetite gone.

  He was practically seething. “That wretched fairy. I should have known better than to trust her. Or any of my advisors who pushed me into that cursed marriage. Limbo should have remained its own separate kingdom. There’s a reason we kept our distance from the fae for so long. They can’t be trusted, that’s why.”

  Theo stayed silent, wondering once again what he’d do if he knew she was half fae. Now was clearly not the time to come clean about that. In fact, the only thing she could think to do was change the subject. “Would you like to go out for a walk? Maybe a little fresh air would help.”

  After a moment, he nodded. “That’s not a bad idea. I seem to have lost my appetite anyway.”

  “Me, too.” Impulsively, she stood. “Maybe it would come back after a walk, though.”

  He finally looked at her, a hint of calm penetrating the anger in his eyes. “Maybe.” He tossed his napkin on the table and stood. “Elswood.”

  The man appeared so quickly that Theo knew he’d been close enough to overhear their conversation. “Yes, sir?”

  “Dinner is postponed. Give Mrs. Applestock my apologies.”

  “Yes, sir.” Elswood gave Theo a quick slant of his eyes that she couldn’t quite read.

  She knew it hadn’t been full of warm fuzzies. Elswood didn’t like her, and she wasn’t sure if it was because of her change in station or he was just protective of the exiled king. She hoped it was the latter.

  Robin held his hand out. “Come.”

  She took it and let herself be led, praying that nothing else happened to upset him.

  Chapter Twenty

  Robin was aware of how foul his mood was. It hadn’t turned this dark in a very long time. But what else could be expected when the reality of his life was once again laid bare? Nearly twenty years gone, and Vesta was still finding ways to torment him. He stood at the edge of the patio. The sprite moss that clung to the pavilion’s arches gave the whole thing a soft glow. He stared beyond it and into the forest.

  Theo remained patiently at his side. She was tense, her brow bent with worry. Because of him.

  He did his best to soften the tone of his voice. “I’m not angry at you or what you said. I’m angry at myself. For once again being a fool. For Vesta continuing to make my life a misery and my being unable, again, to do anything about it.”

  His hands clenched as new rage swelled in him. “She should not be able to keep my mother from me.”

  “No,” Theo said with quiet strength. “She should not.”

  A deep, guttural sigh went through him. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” Talking about it wasn’t going to make either of them feel better.

  “Okay. What would you like to do?”

  He kept his eyes on the moonlit forest. When he was a child, the woods had been his safe place. “Walk.” He made himself smile, even though he knew it was a weak effort and probably looked more like a grimace.

  “Sure.” She held out her hand.

  He hesitated, then took it. “Thank you. I know I’m not the best company right now.”

  “Would you rather be alone?”

  That turned his head around. “No. Please, stay with me.”

  She nodded. “Of course.”

  In the moon’s silver gleam, she looked very much like a goblin queen. It was easy to imagine her wearing a crown. She was ethereally beautiful. The tips of her ears sparkled in the evening light, and her eyes seemed as large and luminous as starstones.

  His desire for her became unbearable. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. She felt like the only safe place in his life. The only thing he could trust. “Theodora,” he breathed her name against her lips.

  “Yes?” she whispered back.

  “I adore you. I am so glad you’re here with me.” If he’d still had a kingdom, he would have given it to her.

  He felt her smile. “I’m glad I’m here with you, too.”

  He pulled her tighter, kissed her harder, held her closer, and it still wasn’t enough. When he ended the kiss, he kept her in his arms, his forehead pressed to hers. Not even the wine they’d left behind in the dining room was this intoxicating. “I already cannot stand the thought of you leaving me.”

  She stayed quiet for a moment. “I’ll have to go back. I have no choice.”

  He nodded. “I know. Your father.” Her loyalty was part of what made her so good. He pulled back so he could see her face. “I wouldn’t want you to leave him. That’s why I think you should bring him here. Stay with me. Both of you. You could continue your schooling. And I promise he will get the best care possible.”

  Her eyes widened, but he wasn’t sure what that meant. Had he overwhelmed her? Of course he had. Another forced smile bent his mouth. “Don’t answer now. I know you need to think it over and talk to him about it. I understand. But will you at least consider it?”

  She nodded. “I will. I’ll write him another letter first thing tomorrow.”

  That was all he could a
sk. “Thank you.” He took her hand again. “Let’s walk and not worry about conversation for a while.”

  “Okay.”

  He squeezed her hand. “We can have our dessert when we get back.”

  That made her smile. “Those tarts did sound nice.” She held up her finger. “But first…” Still holding his hand, she reached down with the other to slip off her shoes. She set them upright on the patio. “These aren’t meant for forest walks.”

  “Will you be all right in bare feet?”

  She grinned a little brighter. “I’m a goblin, aren’t I?”

  He laughed. “Indeed you are. And so am I.” He let go of her hand and pulled off his shoes and socks. He shucked his jacket and tossed it on a nearby chair, then rolled up his sleeves. “There. Much better.”

  She smirked at him, like she was trying not to laugh.

  “What? You don’t agree?”

  She looked him over from his feet up. “No, I agree. You look a little less royal now. I like it. I liked the way you looked before, too, but I like this just as well. Maybe more.”

  “Good. Because this feels a lot more like me.” He grabbed her and pulled her in for another kiss. “I like the way you look, too. Barefoot in a ball gown. Makes you seem like some kind of wild, untamable creature who’s just escaped the clutches of a terrible monster.”

  With a laugh, she twisted out of his grasp and danced a few steps into the garden. “Maybe I have. Maybe that terrible monster ought to see if he can keep up with me.”

  He frowned in mock protest. “I’m the monster?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. Are you?”

  With another laugh, she hiked up her skirts and took off under the pavilion.

  He shook his head and let out a whoop of sudden excitement as he took off after her. “I’m not only going to keep up with you, I’m going to catch you,” he called. And then he was going to kiss her again. A lot.

  “Maybe.” She called back with a light, teasing tone that only spurred him on. “But maybe not.”

  The subtle glowing sprite moss in the pavilion caught the sequins on her dress and made them sparkle like distant fireflies as she ran past the fountain.