Encircled

by Laurie Lucking

  “We’re here, Master.” The man’s voice echoed throughout, as if traveling down hallways never before walked through.

  My captor turned to me and untied the binds from my wrist. He gave a weak grin, whether a knowing or sympathetic smile I didn’t know or care. Removing the rope was his first mistake, and I would take full advantage it.

  Something in the shadows clinked on the marble floor. Another clink. And another. Getting closer to us.

  I yanked away from the minstrel, bent down, and grabbed my knife. The handle filled my sweaty palm. I thrust the blade out. With the other hand I pulled off the ridiculous wreath of brass bells and chucked it at the man’s feet. He paled, as if I’d just morphed into a monster. The man flung his hands in the air, a quick surrender I didn’t expect.

  “Get back,” I warned. The doors we came through were right behind me. I could walk myself right out of here.

  The man backed away with hands at his shoulders’ length. Before I could take another step back, a large furry hand came out from the shadows and clenched my wrist to pry the dagger from my grip. A roar blasted in my face, raising the hairs on my quivering body.

  The same furry hand shoved me back into the moonlight streaming through the window. I yelped as I clawed onto the curtains to break my fall. The curtains tore off and piled on top of me. Darkness surrounded. Tangled in the fabrics, I squirmed. A cloud of dust sucked into my nostrils, and I sneezed. Something yanked on the curtains, unwrapping me.

  An animal-like body that resembled a bear towered over me. Charcoal-gray fur stood on edge. Goat-like horns protruded from its skull. Fangs instead of teeth. A wrinkled snout that would have sent grown men running.

  I gasped.

  It dipped its snarling face to meet my gaze with its gleaming eyes. I’d seen that same ugly face before. Outside, on the many gargoyles. I scurried back and slammed against the grated window.

  Claws scraped the floor as it stepped closer to me.

  “Don’t come any closer!” I warned.

  The beast turned to my captor. “I can take it from here, Finn.”

  Finn raised a brow. “Are you sure, Master? You know what she’s capable of.”

  The beast growled at me. “Surprised at your work?”

  “Excuse me?” I snapped.

  His roar rattled the walls. “You did this to me. Now release me from the curse!”

  I shook my head as I fought back tears. “I don’t know who you think I am, but I have nothing to do with your curse.”

  “Liar! All you women are liars!” The beast turned and slammed his claws through an embellished chest of drawers, sending it crashing to pieces.

  Finn straightened. “What is your name, my lady?”

  “Desiree…” I pointed at Finn. “Why cover your face? I already know who you are, minstrel. Following me and taking me from my home. The nerve of you.”

  Finn unwrapped his head to reveal a frown and even some shame. “I’m truly sorry about that, but we had no choice. It wasn’t per—”

  The beast growled. “Your business is not with him but with me. Now release me from the curse.”

  Despite my trembling legs, I forced myself to stand and not appear small. “I don’t know anything about a curse. I’m not a witch!” Not that I had heard of witches actually existing, but what else could explain his grotesque appearance?

  “It is you.” The beast toyed with my dagger, tracing his claw around the green gem at the end of the handle and over my engraved initials, D.L. “This is the exact knife…how’d you get it back? Black magic?” He shoved his foul face in mine, his jaw gaping.

  Finn squeezed between us and tried to push the monster back. He turned to me. “If you could please just undo what you did to him at the ball.”

  “But I wasn’t at the ball.”

  “Yes, you were. I saw you.” The beast flexed his paws, extending his claws. “Here. Cursed me in my own palace!”

  My heart froze. Limbs shook. It couldn’t be. Could he have mistaken me for Reyna? Father had not only made me that knife but had also gifted one like it to Reyna. We looked alike, too. And she had attended the ball last month. But she was no witch capable of curses. It couldn’t be her.

  Despite wanting to cower in a corner, I shoved my hands onto my hips. I wouldn’t show this beast any fear. “Don’t you think if I had power to create a curse, I would be using that power right now to defend myself?”

  The beast looked at Finn, who looked at me. With a snarl, the beast held the knife out. “Maybe your magic is in this blade.”

  “You’re insane,” I yelled, and folded my arms.

  The beast tucked my knife inside his trousers, the only clothing he wore. They looked baggy enough to carry a picnic for five. “We will see about that. You won’t leave this castle until you break my curse. Finn, show her to the dungeon.”

  The beast dashed away, back into the shadows from whence he had come.

  Chapter 2

  I PACED BACK and forth on the balcony overlooking the dungeon tower. Why did such an evil person have to be beautiful? But who was I to talk? If I hadn’t provoked that witch, I would not be this beast.

  The girl’s dagger rested on top of the stone railing. It made no sense. At the ball, she wore a band of gold paint across her eyes. Makeup couldn’t have changed her that much. That was the girl, right? But I didn’t remember her voice being so earthy, like freshly turned over soil. The way she carried herself was different too. But it had to be an act. I moaned. My instinct pointed to Desiree’s words as ringing true.

  Finn pushed through the double glass doors to greet me. He shivered against the chilly air. The wrinkles around his eyes and mouth were more pronounced today. Maybe it was the cold and the day’s stress, or maybe it was the twenty years of being my servant and closest friend. One day I might get him killed.

  “Sir, is it really necessary to lock her in the dungeon?” Finn said. “She will catch her death before lifting the curse.”

  Stupid. I’d nearly forgotten about the blizzard swaying the towers. My thick fur didn’t allow the cold to bother me. “Fine. Bring her to the room beside mine. I want to keep an eye on her. Hear every little thing she does.”

  Finn raised a brow. “Do you really believe she’s the one?” He pulled his jacket closed and stood closer to me so that I blocked the wind. “When I looked into her eyes, I asked her one last time. She stands by what she said, and I can see on her face she believes it.”

  I rubbed my head, poking my paw with my own horn. A month as a beast, and I still forgot what I was. “There’s one way to settle this.”

  Leaving Finn, I skidded down the side of the castle with my claws until I reached the flight of stairs. I turned toward the frozen fountain. After the ball, at midnight, I had awoken as a beast. I had immediately broken the witch’s dagger in half, thinking it would lift the curse. When the curse remained, I’d tossed the two pieces of the dagger into the fountain.

  My paw slammed through the frozen water and felt for the broken dagger. A pointy tip cut me, and I winced. I pulled the two pieces up. A blade. And then a handle with the same gem at the end of it, except it was blue. Like Desiree’s handle, initials were also engraved. R.M. The weapons seemed to be deliberately identical in shape and design. Then who was that girl in the tower, and how did she know the witch?

  Finn brought me into an enormous room. My father’s entire cottage would’ve fit inside. Paintings of lakes and fruits hung on the walls. And the amount of furniture made the room appear cozy. In the center was a bed in the shape of a carriage, with silk drapes all around it.

  Finn turned to me with hope in his eyes. “If you lift the curse, you can go free at any time.”

  “I already told you, I’m not the one.”

  “I see. In that case, you are to remain in this room until the master says otherwise.”

  “I demand to speak with this…beast.”

  “You will see him soon enough in the morning. Be ready for breakfast
by seven.”

  Finn left and closed the door behind him with a click. I gripped the slender handle. Locked. They both were crazy if they thought they could keep me here.

  I searched the room for anything needle-thin, something to fit into that keyhole in the door. If only I had my dagger. A wire sleeve support on a dress form caught my attention. I tore apart the fabric around the sleeve and yanked out the wire that held its shape. Perfect.

  Another night I was not able to sleep. Anxiety drilled my chest. It didn’t help that I had no clue what to do with Desiree. Memories of that night at the ball plagued me. If only I could take it all back. I tossed and turned in the hands of the angel statue that once cradled a large glass ball in my sleeping quarters. Now it cradled me. The bed I used to rest in had broken due to my heavy mass. Plus, Finn grew tired of cleaning my fur out of the sheets.

  A click sounded in the hallway. My ears perked. Small pitter-patters across the runner carpets followed. Not Finn’s. Too gentle. I climbed off the statue and peeked out of my door. Sure enough, it was Desiree roaming the halls, trying to be stealthy. Women always thought they were sneaky. Let’s see how far she would get.

  Staying in the shadows behind the stone railings, I watched her descend the stairs to the great room. She soon discovered the great room was used for anything but greatness. Her eyes widened at the two horses occupying the space. I grinned at her reaction but then noted she was getting closer to the exit and would probably steal one of my horses.

  Squawking sounded from the chandelier. Before I could leap out, Isa, the blue parrot, dove for the girl’s head. The girl swatted at the bird, catching its wing and knocking the parrot against a mantle. It plopped on the floor, unmoving. No! Isa was all Finn had left.

  I climbed along the pillars supporting the many archways. To my surprise, the girl bent down to scoop up the limp bird and whimpered. I’d never seen someone so upset over something that mattered so little to most.

  “What have I done?” she blurted.

  I paused, watching the girl hold Isa as if it was a babe. Why didn’t she leave the bird and run instead? Desiree whispered softly to it. “Please be all right.” What if she was a witch, too? I waited one more second to see if her words manifested to something else.

  When nothing more happened, I inched closer, and my claws scraped against the stone. She whirled. Seeing me like a bat on the wall drained all the color from her face. I let my grip go and landed on the marble floor in front of her. She shrieked and hid behind the horses with Isa still in her arms.

  “I—I didn’t mean to hurt it.”

  A glance at Isa told me the parrot was still breathing. “Hand me the bird.”

  Fingers shaking, she carefully stretched over the horse’s back to give me Isa. “I’m so sorry,” Desiree whispered. “It was an accident.”

  I nudged the parrot’s beak, and she responded with a soft squawk. The way Isa favored her left wing told me either she had sprained or broken the wing. “She’ll be fine.” Isa rolled over in my paw as if dead. Exaggerator.

  “Good. Then I’ll be leaving now.” Desiree backed up.

  I sighed. “I’m not going to hurt you. All I ask is that you return to your room.”

  “No,” she snapped, her spunk back. “You can’t keep me here. My father and brothers will come for me.”

  My horses were less stubborn. “Finn said it was just you and your father,” I snarled. “It seems you are running out of lies.” Typical woman. It was so easy for them to lie. “Now, either you get back to your room, or I’ll put you back.”

  She turned to run. I leaped in front of her before she could cross the distance, then gently picked her up and swung her over my shoulder. A parrot in one hand and a squirmy girl in the other. This was not how I thought the night would go.

  “Unhand me!”

  “Be still. You should rest in your room until I decide what I’m going to do with you. Disobey, and I’ll eat you.”

  She gasped, her little fists pounding my back.

  “I was kidding,” I reassured her. “I don’t snack on humans.” Particularly not pretty ones.

  My attempt at a joke stunned her still. “My captor has a sense of humor? What kind of demented beast are you?”

  Her words stabbed me. Couldn’t she see past this dark fur? I supposed not.

  Up the stairs, across the hallways, and into her room. I placed her on the bed and said, “Good-night” before breaking off the handle to her side of the door and shutting it. That should keep her.

  Back in my room, I could hear her yelling and banging on the door as I bandaged the parrot’s wing. Isa sat up and uttered her annoyance. “Eat snack. Eat snack.”

  Tempting.

  Throbbing in my temples woke me. I needed water. Food. I rose and pulled a thick strand of charcoal-gray fur off my shoulder. Heat surged into my cheeks. Unbelievable. The nerve of that beast to put his…paws on me. I shoved up and yanked the curtains open, happy to bathe in the warmth of the sun through the window. I glanced down at the courtyard. Speak of the devil. The beast was moving about among rows of hedges in a colossal garden. His head dipped low along with the rest of his body, making himself small in the snow.

  What in Old Lerhurst was he doing?

  Then I saw it. A deer nibbling at the ends of leaves from the hedges. The beast pounced up and dashed after the deer. Sharp claws sank into the deer’s back. I gasped and turned away.

  A knock rapped on the door before Finn entered. He glanced at the missing door handle and chuckled. “Sorry about that. Desperate times often lead him to desperate measures, but I assure you, he’s harmless.”

  I dared a look back at the beast devouring the deer and then shoved the curtains closed.

  “Breakfast is ready.”

  My stomach turned. “No thanks. I’ve lost my appetite.”

  “Please join us. Master has some things he would like to discuss.”

  I huffed and then nodded. Before Finn left, I asked, “How is that, um, parrot doing? It scared me senseless, but I didn’t mean to hurt it.”

  “Oh, Isa, she’s fine. Don’t worry. Just a sprained wing, but that won’t stop her from taking full advantage of her condition.” He grinned and closed the door behind him.

  That was a relief. The image of the beast cradling the bird seized me. It was hard to picture a monster of that size as a protector to such a fragile creature. The way he looked at it, I would have thought I had shattered a bird made of gold. For inflicting damage to the bird he could have easily crushed me, but he didn’t.

  I shoved the thought aside and turned toward the standing mirror. It would help to prepare myself for my next move. If I didn’t want to end up like that deer, I had to assume a prominent role. I eyed my reflection. The least I could do was clean up, make myself presentable and astute. I’d imagine a crying mess would not influence a beast.

  After I slipped into a gorgeous turquoise dress I found in the armoire, I combed my hair. Once I exited the room, I found Finn waiting for me. “I didn’t realize I needed an escort.”

  Finn grinned. “Master’s orders, my lady.”

  “Desiree, please.”

  He nodded. “Follow me, Desiree.”

  Finn led me into a grand dining room, with a center table as long as a bridge. White grated windows as tall as burning street lamps allowed every ray of sunlight to enter. I sat down on an extra-cushioned chair at the end of the table, feeling like a queen. I was still a prisoner here and shouldn’t feel like royalty, but I couldn’t help indulging in a pretend role. The table was set for two, my silverware and dishes neatly placed in front of me.

  The double glass doors leading to a garden slammed open. I jumped, dropping my napkin on the floor. Finn immediately picked it up for me as the beast marched in. Spots of blood still marked his snout. I turned away and tried to hide my disgust in my napkin.

  Finn shook his head and raced toward the beast. “Excuse us for a second, but please, start eating.”

&nbs
p; I was tempted to run again, but feared angering the beast. He’d catch me again anyway. Instead, I lifted the plate covers and dug into sausages and oats. Delicious in every way. Five minutes later the beast was back, his face cleaned and his trousers covered by an olive jacket that draped to his tail. Beast sat across from me all the way at the other end of the table. I had to admit, he looked rather fashionable and cozy.

  Finn stood beside me. “Anything else you need?”

  I glanced at Beast, who was just sitting there staring at me, and then at Finn. I gripped Finn’s arm to pull him closer and whispered, “Is he not eating, or is he going to stare?”

  With a grin, Finn gestured at the beast. “Why don’t you ask him yourself?”

  Before I could call Finn back, he’d turned on his heels and left. I cringed. Although Finn took me from my home, somehow I felt more comfortable when he was around, maybe because he was a human. Now only Beast and I remained.

  “To answer your question, I’ve already eaten.”

  He heard me from there? I bit my lip. “I saw.” Taking a sip of tea, I tried to wash down the grisly image of that poor animal. “The deer in the hedges.”

  Beast winced. “I’m sorry you had to see that. But I can only eat fresh meat…it’s part of the curse.”

  “I see. And what else is part of it? Holding women against their will?”

  He sighed. “Listen…it was never…my wish to take—”

  I stood up. Why was he so far away across the table? I could barely hear him. Might as well show I could handle his presence, or at least pretend to. I picked up my dishes and moved to the other end into the chair beside him. He recoiled as if I would bite him. As if. I smirked at his gesture but frowned when the stench of wet dog filled me. No more food for me, or I would retch.