Sure enough, Jon moved forward into view and snaked an arm around her, pulling her against his chest. “I’ve only just managed to get away from the meetings. I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.” He smiled down at her, and I couldn’t help smiling myself. I loved the way he looked at her—as if she gave him strength and purpose. Lily deserved someone who would love her as much as Jon did.
But after meeting her eyes, a shadow passed across his. “Something’s happened, I can see it in your face.”
Lily buried her face in his chest, and I could barely make out her muffled words. “I thought, just for a moment, that I could sense Sophie. But when I called, I got no reply.”
“Oh, love.” He stroked her hair. “Perhaps she found a way to send you a message of sorts. What did you feel?”
Lily straightened and shrugged. “Just her familiar presence in my mind. Love, I suppose, and…loneliness, maybe?”
“You know what my father said. The ancient laws will protect her, and the Beast cannot harm her while they are bound together by their betrothal.”
She sighed. “I know. I just wish I knew what happened to our connection. What if it’s gone…” her voice dropped down to a whisper… “forever?”
Jon looked concerned. “Surely not. You just felt her then, did you not? I’m sure it is only that Palinar is blocking you somehow.”
“Yes. Yes, I’m sure you’re right.” I could tell from Lily’s face that she didn’t completely believe it, but she was letting herself trust him as much for his sake as her own. “And I haven’t even asked you how the meetings went. Was there any word on Cole?”
He shook his head, the tiredness creeping into his own eyes. “The captain of the guard believes he has somehow managed to flee across the southern border into Talinos. And he has not gone alone.”
Lily frowned and opened her mouth, to question him, I was sure, but the mirror had begun to fog again.
“No!” I shook my head and stretched out my hand to touch the mirror again. “No! I want to see her again. Show me my sister.”
But before the mirror could clear again, the curtain was ripped closed, almost pulling the material loose from the wall in the process. I staggered away from the Beast, tripping over my dress and toppling backwards to land on my rear. I expected to look up to see him towering over me, but he had returned to his door, which he was holding open, a thunderous look on his face.
What did you tell me only hours ago? That you would not enter my chambers?
I flushed.
How dare you trespass in here! His voice reverberated in my mind, and I winced. How dare you use my mirror when I had forbidden it!
Chapter 13
I finally managed to scramble to my feet. “I didn’t mean any harm.” I spoke loudly, over the growl that now filled the room. “I only wanted to…” But my voice trailed off as the look in his eyes combined with my own guilt to send me running from the room.
I had meant to flee in the direction of my chamber, but my feet took me in a different direction. When I found myself in the entrance hall, I knew what had brought me here. I had taken enough. My guilt at breaking into his rooms had faded in the face of my anger at the way he treated me like an enemy. Or a possession, to be controlled.
I needed space. To clear my head.
But, more importantly, I needed to talk to my sister. To hear her voice in my mind and to reassure her that I was safe. The afternoon sun had started to set, and I wasn’t wearing a cloak, but I didn’t consider going back for one. Running down the outside steps, I turned toward the stables.
When I burst into the building, Chestnut nickered a greeting, reminding me that I hadn’t visited her in a while. I whispered to her as soothingly as my shaking voice would allow, racing to strap on a saddle.
Within minutes the two of us cantered down the aisle of orange trees. The Beast had told me the gates would be locked, but they were ceremonial more than anything. No fence encircled the grounds. If I could not go through the gates, I would go around them.
Sure enough, the end of the aisle was now barred by iron, twisted into elaborate shapes. I turned Chestnut’s head, and we trotted down the fence. As I had predicted, it soon disappeared into a large bush and failed to emerge out the other side.
I steered Chestnut around the foliage, urging her onward with my knees. Riding back to Marin wasn’t an option, of course—and I wouldn’t have tried it anyway, for all the same reasons that had brought me here. But I hoped the block on my connection with Lily might disappear as soon as I passed the boundaries of the castle grounds.
As we burst free, I strained my mind, more eager than ever to reestablish the link between us. I hit the wall, but felt it give way a little, as if it weren’t entirely solid. I urged Chestnut to continue and thrust my thoughts forward, struggling to find a path through. My days of practice with the servants and the Beast had honed my mental capacity, and I felt a new force behind my attempts.
With a rush, I broke free of the block, my mind instantly connecting with Lily’s. I almost fell off Chestnut from the sudden rush of shared emotion.
Sophie!
Lily!
Oh, thank goodness, thank goodness, I’ve been so worried! I could tell my twin was crying.
I drew a shuddering breath, fighting my own sob with a smile. Of course you have. You always are.
Hey! I didn’t have to see her face to picture her watery chuckle. I’ve made a lot of progress on that, I’ll have you know. Jon’s been assisting me.
I laughed back at her, reveling in the moment. Jon’s as bad as you are, you know that, right?
Sophie, what happened? Where have you been?
The situation is bad here in Palinar, Lil. I wouldn’t have made it through the wilderness if the Beast hadn’t sent his royal carriage for me. But it seems his castle and grounds here are protected. Only I think the protection is blocking our connection somehow. It happened as soon as I arrived. And, seriously, it’s hard to describe the magic here, but I’ve never seen anything like it. I sent her a mental picture of the aisle of orange trees, full of both blossoms and fruit, the sun bouncing off the orange globes to strike the snow below.
Is that…snow? In the middle of summer?
Among other things. The whole place is like this. And the servants are invisible, and the Beast can’t speak, and I think the rest of his family is dead. I blurted it all out, knowing it would make little sense to her, but needing to let it out. And no one will speak to me about the curse. Oh, and the Beast has a magic mirror. Apparently, all the kings have one—ask Jon about it. I saw you in it, but I also saw Cole. He was riding with some other men.
What? Where?
I tried to describe the setting, but it sounded as generic as it had looked.
She sighed. He truly has escaped into Talinos like we feared, then. Nowhere in Marin looks like that. But never mind him. Are you all right? Has this Beast mistreated you? And did you say the servants are invisible?
I could tell she had no more idea where to start than I did. I took a deep breath, no longer paying attention to Chestnut who had dropped to a slow walk. Oh, Lily. Tears leaked down my face. It’s so good to hear you again. I’ve been so lonely.
I knew it! I should never have let Jon convince me. I’m coming after you.
No! Lily promise me you won’t. Not until I’ve learned more about the curse at least. I wished I could reach out and shake her. Didn’t you hear what I said? Even I wouldn’t have made it without the Beast’s intervention. You’ll be ripped apart by the wolves!
A remembered echo of their howls sounded through my mind, so real that I shivered. And then I heard it again. I gulped. That hadn’t been a memory.
Sophie? Sophie, what is it? Lily had instantly picked up on my change of mood.
Uh, nothing. I just thought I heard something. I turned Chestnut around and pointed her back in the direction of the castle. At least, I hoped it was the right direction.
Heard what? Wait? Where
are you now? How are you talking to me?
I had to leave the grounds to get through. But I’m heading back now. If our connection cuts off, you’ll know why this time.
Heading back? Sophie…Sophie, can you hear wolves? She sounded like she had started to hyperventilate, the sound creeping into her projections.
Another chorus of howls rang out, sounding much closer than the last ones. I urged Chestnut faster. Shouldn’t we have passed back into the grounds by now? Why had I let myself be so distracted? I should have stopped Chestnut as soon as I connected with Lily.
The next howl seemed to come from in front of us, and I jerked backwards. Chestnut stopped altogether, pawing the ground, and neighing loudly. I tried to urge her on, but she wouldn’t budge.
“Come on Chestnut, come on.” I murmured, trying to keep the fear out of my voice. But my blood had now started to pound and my hands to sweat. Was that the pad of paws I could hear? And heavy breaths in the now darkening air?
As if to make things worse, a flurry of snow landed on Chestnut’s mane. I brushed it off, and tried to soothe her with my hands. “Come on, girl, we can do this.”
She danced beneath me, squealing now in fear. I looked up and straight into the eyes of a large gray wolf. I screamed and twisted to my right, only to be confronted by two more wolves. Spinning my head to the left, I saw another one. I was surrounded.
Part II
The Prince
Chapter 14
Sophie? Sophie! Lily was screaming in my mind, but I was too focused on the wolves to respond. Did Chestnut and I have any hope of outrunning them? Chestnut squealed again and half reared, flashing her hooves at the wolves. I gasped and hung on, knowing if I was thrown from her back I would have no chance.
When she landed back on the ground, she danced to one side, huffing and snorting. All the wolves were growling now, and I suspected she was about to make a dash for it whether I wanted her to or not. I felt naked and exposed on her back. If only I had something—even a sturdy branch—to defend myself. If a wolf leaped at us, I had no way to whack it away.
I shifted my seat, keeping my eyes on the wolf that seemed to be the leader. Leaning low over Chestnut’s neck, I prepared to urge her into a life and death gallop. My eyes darted around looking for the clearest gap in the circle of the pack.
Sophie!
They’ve got me surrounded, Lily. I knew I must be terrifying her, but I was too scared myself to try to temper the fear that pounded through our connection. Chestnut and I are going to make a run for it. I gulped. But I don’t know if we’ll make it. I love you.
I slammed shut our link and dug my heels into Chestnut’s quivering sides. “Go, girl!” I screamed as she leaped forward. I directed her between the two smallest wolves and, somehow, she managed to break through. The trees flashed past, the short barks of the wolves sounding behind us as they chased us down.
The snow flew up around Chestnut’s hooves, and she kept having to swerve to avoid trees, preventing us from reaching our full speed. I could feel Lily trying to connect with me, a niggling feeling in the back of my mind as I kept myself closed to her. If the worst happened, I didn’t want her inside my head.
Chestnut turned abruptly, and I grabbed at her mane, struggling to keep my seat. Our new path took us along an outcropping of stone, and I could see gray bodies running along the top, somehow ahead of us. Before I could turn Chestnut the other way, one of them leaped from the stone, flying above us and landing on our other side. Somehow, despite our earlier escape, we were once again surrounded.
A growl to my right pulled my eyes back toward the rock just as one of the wolves launched itself at me. I threw myself sideways, knowing it wouldn’t be enough to avoid the deadly claws.
A familiar roar cut through the sound of the wolves as I half hung off Chestnut, unable to see. One of the howls turned into a whimper, and a heavy weight landed hard against my leg and Chestnut’s side, sliding immediately down and away.
I swung myself back up, unable to believe my last-minute reprieve. Looking frantically around between the trees, I found the Beast. He sat atop his stallion, the two fighting as one, hooves and sword flashing. Already gray bodies littered the ground, staining the snow red.
Chestnut neighed and moved toward the safety of the stallion. But before she could place herself behind him, a wolf leaped toward us on the opposite side. I gasped, ducking once more in the saddle. For the briefest moment, as I dipped down, my eyes locked with the Beast’s before his flashed across to the incoming wolf.
A second roar filled the air as, somehow, he swung himself up to a standing position on the stallion’s back, launching himself from the saddle and over my hunched body to collide with the wolf.
I screamed, sitting back up and trying to pull Chestnut around so I could see them. The stallion neighed loudly, the sound a harsh challenge, as his hooves dispatched a final wolf. The last few members of the pack had now retreated. Only the one in a deadly embrace with the Beast remained.
Claws slashed out and red blossomed along one of the Beast’s arms. At the same time the wolf sank its teeth into his opposite shoulder. The Beast roared and ripped the animal’s head away, the muscles of his arms straining. The wolf made a final effort to lunge forward and the Beast let go with his right hand, swinging it up and around so fast that his fist smashed into the skull of the wolf before its teeth could sink in. The animal went limp and fell into the snow.
The Beast stared down at the pile of fur for a moment, swaying as red ran down both his arms. Then he looked up at me, his breath scraping harshly through his throat. Why did you try to leave? You know it isn’t safe out here.
I stared at him. “I wasn’t trying to leave. I was just…” I trailed off, realizing I couldn’t tell him why I had made the excursion outside the grounds.
Are you injured?
I shook my head. “No…no, I’m unharmed.”
A look, almost like relief, flashed across his face before his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed, falling to lie beside his defeated opponent. My eyes widened, and I drew a shuddering breath. I looked again for any more wolves but could see nothing.
Sophie! Sophie! I must have relaxed because, unconsciously, I had reopened the door to Lily. What happened?
I’m all right. So is Chestnut. We’re both unharmed.
Lily gave a shaky breath of relief. Don’t you ever do that to me again! What happened? Did you manage to get back into the castle grounds?
I sent her an image of my shaking head.
Then what happened? Are you sure there’s no more danger?
It seems clear. For now, at least.
Then you need to get back!
I hesitated.
Sophie? What aren’t you telling me?
I sighed and sent her an image of the forest floor around me.
She gasped. Is that blood? What happened to the wolves? Wait—is that the Beast? She sounded half-horrified, half-fascinated.
Yes.
Is he…is he dead?
I swallowed hard. I don’t know. He just collapsed.
Well he’ll die if he remains there in the snow for long enough.
Her words jolted me into action, and I slid down from Chestnut’s back. Slowly I picked my way toward the Beast, trying to avoid fallen bodies and splashes of red. The stallion snorted behind me, and Chestnut huffed quietly in response.
Sophie, wait. Lily’s soft projection made me pause. I could tell she had more to say, so I waited silently. If…if he dies, you’ll be free. And maybe Palinar with you.
We don’t know that. But I bit my lip, a shiver coursing through me. Free. Free to return home, no longer cut off and alone. My eyes strayed back to his still form, stark against the white snow. I could get back on Chestnut and lead the stallion back to the castle. I could walk away now, and no one but Lily would ever know. If I took his carriage, I could be back in Marin within three days.
He hadn’t shown any consideration when he pulled me from
my life; I owed him nothing. But still I hesitated. Because the scattered bodies of the wolves told me otherwise. An image of him, standing on the rearing stallion’s back as he launched himself at the attacking wolf, filled my mind. He had not hesitated for me.
I drew a deep breath. I can’t do that, Lily.
He’s a monster, Sophie. You were there with me in the Tourney. And just look at his face now.
I sighed and projected again the mental image of the forest around me. He may be a monster, but he also saved me. And you can only see the shape of his jaw, not his eyes. My projection dropped to a whisper. They’re so human, Lily.
I could tell she had started crying again. But you could come home to me, right now.
You know I couldn’t, not really. I would never be able to live with myself. And neither would you, if you were here. A realization hit me. For the first time in my life I was having experiences my twin was not a part of and could not understand. I would have to trust in my own judgment. I have to try to help him.
She sighed softly. You were always a better person than me, Sophie.
I shook my head. Not better, Lily. Just different.
Well, you know I’m here for you, no matter what you decide.
I know. But, right now, I’m the one who needs to give help, not receive it. I can do this, Lily. All of it. Only I don’t think I can risk coming out to talk to you again. Not until I’ve found a way to break the curse.
I understand. I love you, Sophie.
I love you, too.
For some reason, when the connection faded, I didn’t feel the same sense of being alone and adrift that I had felt when I first arrived at the Beast’s castle and discovered myself cut off from Lily. I straightened my shoulders and hurried over to drop to my knees beside the Beast.
Beyond the Four Kingdoms Box Set 1: Three Fairytale Retellings (Four Kingdoms and Beyond Box Sets Book 3) Page 40