I groaned. The duke was never going to find him. And who knew what danger Cole would stir up? Every indication suggested he had been deep in his father’s plot to steal Jon’s father’s throne—a plot we had only just managed to foil. And his treachery against the duke was actually the smaller concern.
The darkness we had defeated in Marin, had started in Palinar. The locals assured us that a curse so large and so devastating could only be the result of a kingdom turning their backs on the godmothers and breaching the ancient laws.
Except no one knew what laws had been violated. Or even the exact nature of the curse. They had simply noticed one day that no one had been seen leaving Palinar in weeks. Weeks that became months. Travelers and merchants who attempted to enter turned back with tales of desolate wastelands roamed by wild animals. A new feature in the once prosperous kingdom.
The last group had turned back after rescuing a man who had been mauled by a bear. I had sought out the man after winning the Tourney, but the rumors had been true. While his physical injuries had been healed, his confusion of the mind remained. He raved about a curse and a beastly prince, but his words made little sense. Of the other royals, Prince Dominic’s parents and younger sister, he would say only that they were gone.
Palinar was cursed along with my betrothed. Emptied of people and full of wild beasts. Shrouded with darkness which had begun to infect the other kingdoms. Its power had even reached out through Prince Dominic and twisted the Tourney he had called, nearly destroying Marin.
And Cole and his family had originally come from Palinar, moving to Marin long before the curse had cut Palinar off from the other kingdoms. But Jon, Lily, and I believed they had not escaped the reaches of the curse. The pride and greed in their hearts had provided fertile ground for the darkness that had already spread so far out of Palinar.
So, if Cole had escaped, that meant the curse had another agent roaming free, spreading the seeds of destruction further afield.
Let me know how the search goes, I projected, desperately wishing I could be there with Lily and Jon instead of riding alone in a strange and magical carriage toward a strange and terrifying fate.
She agreed, but she sounded distracted, and I knew I wouldn’t be hearing any more of the story today. I wished I had been able to pack one or two books, but my saddlebags had been full to overflowing with basic necessities. There had been no room for such luxuries, and I hadn’t expected to have the opportunity to read. I didn’t know if a book would be enough to distract me right now, with yet another worry chasing around in my mind, but even the feel of one in my hand would have been comforting, like a little taste of home.
My sister-in-law, Alyssa, had been largely responsible for the education of Lily and me, and she had a never-ending love of books. Lily had never stopped grumbling about it—although I noted she spent a lot of time in the library studying between Tourney events—but I had come to share Alyssa’s love. Or at least her love of fairy tales. Stories were exciting, since you never knew what you might find, what answers they might hold. But, at the same time, books were also solid and dependable; once you found a favorite, it never changed.
Would my new home have books? It was hard to imagine the infamous Beast sitting down to an afternoon read. I just hoped whichever castle he had chosen for his lair had a garden. If I couldn’t have fairy tales, I hoped I could have roses. Since summer had only just started, the ones in Marin had still been in bloom, and I had been sorry to leave them. Books reminded me of the comfort of home, but roses filled me with an alluring sense of hope. For surely any wonder was possible in a world that could produce such beauty?
Which made it just as hard to picture the Beast surrounded by roses as books. Nothing but disappointment could be gained by hoping for the familiar comforts of home in the trial ahead of me. Better, by far, to prepare myself for the worst—almost a certainty given the situation. Especially since I had now spent two full days traveling through Palinar, and I couldn’t remember having seen a single flower.
Lily kept me updated but, unfortunately, she had no real news. The search continued, but they had found no sign of Cole. The hours dragged on, and I ate the last of my food for a midday meal. My water was running low, too, since I hadn’t dared to fill it at any of the streams we had encountered during our rest breaks. Chestnut apparently had no qualms slaking her thirst at the waterways, but I didn’t trust anything in this cursed place. I could only hope we arrived at our destination—wherever that was—soon.
The carriage jolted and bumped, as the wheels hit a new surface. Peering out the window, I could see nothing but the endless plain, so I climbed onto the other seat to look out the front window. The road stretched ahead of us, its surface rougher than the smooth path through the flat wastelands.
We seemed to be slowly climbing uphill and, in the distance, I could see a line of trees. They disappeared into darkness, so I could only assume it was the start of a forest. I sighed. On the one hand, a change of scenery would be nice, providing a sense of progress that had eluded me in the constant plains. But on the other hand…I didn’t like the idea of trees pressing in close to the side of the road. I would have no line of sight, and the memory of the wolves still lingered in my mind.
Given how far away the trees looked, we seemed to approach them impossibly fast. Soon the path was indeed cutting its way through a forest, thick and dark. To make it worse, the temperature had started to drop, despite the season, and I heard the distant howl of wolves.
The carriage raced through the trees, and I shivered as the air continued to grow colder. Rummaging through my bags, I put on a cloak. I had no sooner fastened the garment, than I saw a snowflake drift past the window. Soon it was joined by another, and then another, and then a larger flurry.
Within minutes it was snowing constantly, patches of white building between the trees. Yet another sign of the disease infecting this kingdom. Marin had been bright and sunny and full of flowers when I left, as summer should be. But apparently in this forest it was perpetually winter. My last hope of any flowers dissipated.
Before long I started to worry that the carriage would become bogged in the snow. And the howls of the wolves sounded closer, unless that was just my anxiety fooling my mind. Our pace slowed, although the snowfall did not, and I peered out the back at Chestnut. She looked uneasy for the first time since I had tied her to the vehicle. Was it the wolves or the increasing snow? Possibly both.
I reached out to Lily, wanting to update her on my situation but also looking for comfort. She was asleep, however. Napping, presumably, after her disrupted night. I didn’t try again, not wanting to disturb her rest.
The snow built up on the road until I felt sure we would be forced to stop. But just before the drifts became too deep for passage, the carriage swerved. I nearly lost my balance, sliding across the seat, and had to scramble back into position. I wanted to see our new path.
I hadn’t noticed a branch in the road, but then I had been considerably distracted. The new path appeared better tended than the main one, and the snow seemed to be lightening. Mounds of white heaped beside the path, but none had settled on the road itself, yet another marvel in this unpleasant place.
It occurred to me that I might be finally nearing my destination. In a flurry of movement, I collected all my escaped belongings and squeezed them into the saddlebags, not worrying about what I was crushing in the process. For a moment, I considered trying to change into a fresh dress, but I quickly abandoned the idea. The rattling carriage would make a poor dressing room, and I didn’t like the idea of being caught half way through the process. I regretted the lost opportunity, though. I would have liked to impress my new fiancé and demonstrate that a princess of Arcadia was a person of significance.
I was coming alone into his home, but I didn’t want him to think me weak and defenseless. I hoped his letters—calling the Tourney and then summoning me to him—were proof that whatever beast-like qualities he possessed, he retained
his mental faculties. Surely, he wouldn’t risk bringing further harm to himself by violating the covenant of the Princess Tourney, not to mention antagonizing a new kingdom of whose strength he knew nothing?
The carriage turned again, and I gasped. The rest of the forest dropped away as we rolled through an aisle of orange trees. Despite the snow heaped on the ground, the branches of the trees bore both fruit and blossoms—an even more impossible feat than snow in summer.
A shiver ran through me at the beautiful and chilling sight. Welcome to my new home.
Chapter 3
As we approached the end of the aisle of trees, I glimpsed visions of a garden spread to either side. Greenery blossomed from the snow with bright colors splashing against the white. My earlier desire for flowers passed through my mind, and I shuddered. How could I ever enjoy such eerie, enchanted blooms?
The carriage drove out from the trees and came to a stop in front of a large castle. A wide, shallow staircase of gray stone led up to vast wooden doors. The building branched off in both directions, huge, imposing, and dark, full of twisted stone and dim shadows.
I could see no sign of anyone. The snow had ceased to fall, but the chill in the air remained, and I had no desire to remain in the carriage after my long voyage. And yet still I lingered, trying to convince my legs to move and carry me into this strange unknown.
The door of the carriage swung open of its own accord, the message loud and clear. I reminded myself I hadn’t come this far to lose courage now and hauled my saddlebags out into the snow, unwilling to leave them in an enchanted vehicle that might disappear at any moment.
Once I stood beside them, I hesitated, however. My rumpled dress and travel stained face presented enough of an undignified appearance without tottering under the weight of heavy bags. Finally, I decided to leave them in the snow, next to Chestnut, who I untied from the carriage and secured to one of the stone balustrades. Surely I would find some servants inside the castle and could request them to care for my mount and possessions.
Taking a deep breath, I climbed the stairs, my stiff legs protesting the sudden exertion. As I approached the doors, I wondered if I would have the strength to push them open. I needn’t have worried, however. When I reached them, they swung open of their own accord, just as the carriage door had done.
I peered into the cavernous entryway revealed by the open doors. Would my betrothed now appear? Had he been the one to grant me access to his castle?
But, once again, I could see no one. I walked inside, trying not to let my trembling legs disrupt my steps. I had never encountered a royal residence that felt so…empty. Where were all the people of Palinar?
The doors closed behind me with a thunderous crash, and I jumped. Whirling around I tried to control my dread. For now, my future lay within this castle, it mattered not if the door were open or closed—I was effectively trapped here either way. Still, I felt an unreasonable relief when I discovered a small, normal-sized door within one of the larger ones and found it unlocked. If I couldn’t find any servants, I would need to tend to Chestnut myself—which was, of course, the sole source of my relief.
With the doors now closed, the air temperature inside the castle felt significantly warmer than outside. Without conscious thought, my feet led me to a fire burning in a large fireplace against one wall. Would Lily be awake by now? I decided I didn’t care. The situation was simply too strange not to share with her.
Lily? You won’t believe where I’ve ended up.
The emptiness around me reverberated in my mind. I froze and called out again. Lily? Lily!
Still nothing. My heart, which had already been beating fast, sped up. For a moment panic overwhelmed me, and I screamed her name over and over again in my mind. Lily! Lily! Lily!
Horrible possibilities streamed through my mind. She had fallen from her horse and been killed. Cole had found and murdered her in an act of revenge.
I tried to stem the panic. My twin could not have died without my sensing it. We were too connected for that, I felt sure of it. You couldn’t lose half of yourself without knowing about it.
Perhaps she was simply busy, and unable to respond. But that thought brought no comfort. If Lily were distracted or asleep, she might not answer, but I would still sense her presence at the end of my projection, as I had done earlier. I could even wake her, if I needed, as she had done to me in the carriage. I tried to remember the last time I had spoken to her and couldn’t pinpoint it.
We had never found a physical limitation to our communication, but we had never been so far apart before. Perhaps the distance was simply too vast. I tried again, more calmly this time, paying attention to my projection. My silent words flew out, projecting away from me in a way my ordinary thoughts did not.
I expected them to fade out, overwhelmed by distance, but the sensation more closely resembled slamming into a wall. I had been too shocked and panicked to notice it earlier, but it felt unmistakable now. My knees gave out, and I sank into a soft armchair pulled up to the fire.
I was on my own. Truly on my own. Uncontrollable shivers shook me. Lily and I had been connected since before I could remember. I had never really been alone before. Fear rushed over me, roiling in my belly and clouding my mind.
My connection to the outside world was gone, along with my main source of companionship. What if something did happen to Lily? Would I sense it behind this strange mental wall? I had found courage to face the Beast because I knew I would carry my sister with me. But he had stripped even that away from me.
Anger and hatred welled inside me, burning back some of the fear. Was there anything I was not expected to sacrifice?
A soft sound from the other side of the entryway made me leap to my feet. The light of the fire beside me faded into dimness on the other side of the room, but enough light remained for me to glimpse movement.
I drew back, the fear returning to the fore. Then I stiffened my spine and fed the anger, driving back the terror. “Who’s there?” I called loudly. “Show yourself.”
The dark figure hesitated and then stepped forward toward me.
I gasped and moved to place the armchair between us. Prince Dominic, for surely it must be he, towered above me. He wore no circlet or crown, but he carried himself like someone used to wielding power and authority.
His broad shoulders barely fit into his jacket, the material bunching strangely around their unnatural shape. His light brown hair reached to his shoulders, matted and wild, and the backs of his hands, the only bit of skin I could see other than his face, looked abnormally hairy.
His mouth and jaw seemed to sit oddly, but otherwise his face looked surprisingly human, more so than I had expected and feared. The relief soothed some of my initial shock. Perhaps I had been unnecessarily apprehensive, the strangeness of the castle and his furtive arrival exacerbating my nerves.
I tried to focus on his eyes, which were a strangely piercing blue, and were the most normal looking part of him. In fact, I thought I detected hesitation and uncertainty in them. And if he felt nervous, even a little, it meant I had some power in this situation, too.
I forced myself to step around the armchair again and drop into a curtsey. I waited for him to speak, but he said nothing, simply measuring me with those bright eyes. Anger, fear, frustration, and resentment swirled through me in such a confused mess that I began to feel numb to all of them. He had brought me all this way alone; did he truly have nothing to say?
I broke the silence. “Greetings. I am Princess Sophia of Arcadia. I assume you are Prince Dominic, my betrothed.”
He inclined his upper body slightly in acknowledgment but still said nothing, too haughty or sullen to speak. I reached out to Lily in my mind, knowing she would share my outrage. The emptiness in my mind hit me again, and I nearly collapsed. A single tear managed to escape my eye.
I glanced back at my betrothed, and saw that his gaze had fixed on my face where the drop of moisture still rolled down my cheek. How dare he s
tand there and judge me. I snapped.
“They call you the Beast, but I had hoped some part of the royal prince remained,” I spat at him. “I see now that I was wrong. They told me your kingdom was once the largest and most magnificent in these lands. How far noble Palinar has fallen.”
An expression that I couldn’t read passed across his face. And then he opened his mouth, and I saw why his jaw looked misshapen. Inside he had a row of fangs instead of normal teeth. They glistened in the firelight as a low menacing growl rippled through the room.
I stumbled backwards and hit the chair, my own mouth dropping open in horror. He stepped toward me, and I rushed to put the piece of furniture between us again. I couldn’t imagine the chair would prove much of an impediment to him, but something about my action angered him. He threw back his head and roared.
The deafening sound filled the entryway, and the last of my courage disappeared. I turned and fled, pushing through the first door I found. I ran through stone passageways, noticing nothing of my surroundings, all my attention focused on listening for sounds of pursuit.
Candle sconces sprang into flame ahead of me, lighting a passage through the castle. I considered fleetingly that the lights might be leading me into a trap, but I couldn’t face any of the dark, unlit corridors. My legs protested the exertion after so long immobile in the carriage, but my terror kept me moving forward.
Ahead of me the lights stopped, but I had time for only a single pang of apprehension before a wooden door in the corridor wall swung open. The warm glow of a fire poured out to fill the darkness. I pivoted and threw myself into the room, slamming the door closed behind me.
I leaned against it, my heart pounding and my breath rasping through my throat, while I surveyed the room. The large bedchamber was lavishly appointed in green and gold, the furniture solid and elegant. The four-poster bed looked soft and a small fire burned cheerfully. Best of all, the room looked completely empty.
Beyond the Four Kingdoms Box Set 1: Three Fairytale Retellings (Four Kingdoms and Beyond Box Sets Book 3) Page 32