“You were saying?” I asked.
“Um…” He scratched his ear, and I could see the loose fur piling on the table cloth. “I never meant to bring you or anyone any suffering. But I’m running out of time. Unless the curse is lifted…well, let’s just say I’ll eat nothing other than deer ever again.”
I forced myself to sip my tea, my pinky trembling slightly. He could snap me like a twig if he wanted. What was I doing this close to him? Surely, he would see right through me.
He gently placed a paw on my trembling hand. Curse my body for portraying the opposite of what I wanted.
“I will not hurt you. You have my word.” He let go, and my breath quickened.
His eyes were like sandy stones. Why were these details suddenly important? Was my tea spiked? I eyed my cup.
Beast continued. “And I realize you didn’t put this spell on me.”
“Then you’ll let me go?”
“Not yet. You see, your dagger and the one that belonged to the witch are nearly identical. And the initials, D.L. and R.M. Desiree…something, and what is her name? Rachael? Rosslyn?”
I bit the inside of my cheeks. He didn’t need to know her name. No one did, and if it was true about her abilities, no one could find out. I would not watch my best friend burn for being a witch.
He tapped his furry finger on the table. “I know you know who she is. Maybe you two are sisters. If that’s the case, seeing what she can do, I’d imagine you wouldn’t be quick to admit it.” He paused and hummed under his breath. “Did you know? That she could cast spells?”
I tried to keep my lip from quivering. Of course I didn’t know. It was best to change the subject. “Hypothetically speaking, if she were to walk through those doors, what would you do to her?”
“Beg her to lift the curse.”
“Would you hurt her? Turn her in?”
“Never. I’ve hurt enough people.” His massive back curved, as if he had a stack of bricks on him.
How could I trust his word? I barely knew him. There was no telling how desperate he was.
I dabbed my mouth with the napkin. “Why do you need me, then?”
“Because I’m betting she’ll come for her sister.”
I didn’t even bother to correct him. We weren’t sisters, but close enough. “You assume she will find me?”
He nodded. “She’s been here before, and knows I’ve been searching for her. Right after she cursed me, I sent Finn out to find the witch.”
Reyna, I wanted to correct him, but gritted my teeth.
He continued. “She must have known I’d come looking for her, because after a month of searching, Finn could never locate her.”
I swallowed. That explained why I couldn’t find Reyna. She’d gone into hiding, and I couldn’t blame her. But why couldn’t she tell me she was in trouble? I tried to picture Reyna as a witch. If it was true she could cast powerful spells, maybe I would be in her protection. Knots twisted in my stomach. But how long had she been a witch? She’d mentioned in town going through changes.
My head spun. Witch or not she was still my friend, and I knew she wouldn’t hurt me. I’d feared for Reyna’s safety, but maybe it was the beast I should be worried for. When she was enraged there was no stopping her, and imagining her wielding magic was extraordinary.
I sipped my tea. “And when Finn spotted me, he thought I was her.”
“Correct.”
My jaw set hard. “You still fail to mention why she cursed you.”
He dipped his chin and squirmed in his chair as if it was lined with cacti. “I was extremely disrespectful to her at the ball. Can we leave it at that, please?”
What else did I expect? “Very well.” Finn poked his head into the room and then poked back out. I shifted in my seat. “So how long am I to remain here?”
“Until her return. Hopefully it won’t be that long.”
I harrumphed. Fine. I would play this waiting game with him. Patience would be my ally. Reyna would come.
Beast rapped his claws on the table. “In the meantime, you have free roam of the castle. I’d prefer you stay as a guest, and not as a prisoner.”
I nodded, trying to hide a smile. Was that what he told himself to justify his actions? My eyes widened. What about my father?
“If I’m not a prisoner, I have to let my father know I’m okay.”
Beast’s furry brows pulled together. “You can write him a letter, and Finn will deliver it.” He grinned, and I wished he hadn’t. Bared fangs weren’t comforting.
Chapter 3
IN YET ANOTHER grand room bedecked with bookshelves and furniture, Beast pulled a piece of paper and a feathered pen out from a desk drawer. He gestured for me to have a seat and write.
Heat touched my cheeks. “Um…can you write it, and I tell you what to say?”
His brow arched. “He won’t believe it if it’s not your handwriting.”
I sighed and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. Better to get it over with. “I don’t really know how to write.”
He gave a sympathetic smile. “Understood. But how will he know it’s really you?”
The beast didn’t laugh? Aside from Reyna, most folks I told chuckled, tormenting me for the common skill I lacked. My feet feeling lighter, I paced the room and then sat across from the desk. “A rose. My father’s favorite. Attach a rose, and he will know it’s me.”
Beast blew out his cheeks and headed for the door. “Give me one moment.”
I waited for several minutes, browsing through the office. Finally, he returned. In his paw, a vibrant rose. His heavy hind legs squished on the carpet as if they were wet. He panted as if out of breath, and the right side of his arm was covered in a light layer of frost, which quickly melted.
“I didn’t realize such luminous roses grew at your disposal.”
“They are a special kind of rose.” Picking up the pen, he sat in the chair only for it to break under his weight. Like a newborn cat, he tumbled on the floor.
I chuckled, even as instinct had me rushing to see if he was hurt. What was wrong with me? “Are you all right?”
He bounded up. “I’m fine. Wanted to stand anyway. So.” He pressed the pen to the paper. “What would you like to say?”
“Dear Father and my dear friend, please don’t worry, I’m safe where I’m at—a heavenly castle. There was a little misunderstanding, and I will return as soon as I can. In the meantime, take this rose as a promise of my return. Love, Desiree.”
Heavenly castle—what Reyna had once called the place when she wanted to attend the ball. As for the rest of the details, it was better to leave them out and keep things as subtle as possible. The last thing I wanted was Father suffering a heart attack while I was away. I knew he would show Reyna the letter, especially when he wasn’t the strongest reader. Reyna could put two and two together. If she hadn’t already figured out where her actions led, she would know I was held in the very castle she cursed Beast in.
“Would you like to say anything else?”
I shook my head. Beast folded the letter into an envelope and tied the rose to it with a neat golden ribbon. Who knew such fat, furry fingers could tie a perfect bow, or write cursive words? He called for Finn and handed him the letter.
“Deliver this to Desiree’s father immediately.”
“Yes, sir.” After winking at me, Finn nodded and quickly made his way out of the room.
An awkward silence shifted between Beast and me. He cleared his throat and gestured at the bookcase to our right. “Do you like to read?”
Was he taunting me? I admitted I couldn’t write, so what made him think I could read? “No—I can’t.” I bit my lip, waiting for the string of laughter.
He chuckled. There it was.
“Don’t mock me,” I snapped.
“I’m not. Just such a pity you’re missing out on wonderful adventures. Books can transport you.”
“You mean transport me away from this castle?”
He rubbed his head. “I mean it can stretch your imagination. Bring you to amazing worlds. Introduce you to heroic characters.”
I wanted to laugh. What did he know about heroic characters? He was a monster keeping a girl captive. “Well. I can read music. Does that count for something?”
“Can’t read, but can read music. Now how is that possible?”
I tried not to hover as I showed Desiree to the music room. After fiddling with the piano strings to bring it back into tune, she took a seat at the piano as if the instrument was hers. Her fingers quickly found the keys and played a soft melody. Each note she struck floated like cool rain drops around the room. I wanted to catch them all and splash them against my face. I never knew a woman to display such a talent. To think I always deemed them the cunning type, not this passionate flower before me.
Shock filled me. It was a surprising honor to allow me to bear witness to something so intimate to her. A boulder I never knew existed lifted off my chest. Her smile pulled from ear to ear when she hit the final note. I wished she wouldn’t stop.
“Mother and Father used to play together, Father told me. Silly, but I wanted to learn because I thought somehow it would connect me with her. It’s all I really know of her.” She pressed a key. “It’s like I can feel her through the music.”
I dared to sit next to her, trying not to put my full weight on the bench. “Can you teach me?”
She frowned. “How can you have a piano and not play it?”
“It’s more for decoration than actual use.”
She shook her head. “Well, it’s an absolute crime to have this poor thing remain here and never be allowed to express its beauty.”
“I had no idea it was such a crime. Now I feel responsible to make up for it. How about a trade? Teach me to play, and in return I shall bring every word in my books to your recognition.”
She took her hands away from the keys and rested them in her lap. Her forehead wrinkled. Had I offended her? Or was her pride preventing her from accepting my offer?
Desiree looked up at me and smiled. “It’s a deal, Beast.” She extended her small hand.
I gently shook it. “Beast, uh?”
Her lips pulled to a grin. “Well, do you have a name?”
Of course I did, but that was before the curse; it was a name I once thought defined me. I bowed my head, and the same shame that manifested at breakfast returned. “Yes, but…perhaps for now, Beast is more appropriate.”
It seemed as the days passed, she stopped looking over her shoulder to note where I was in the room at all times. Did she trust me? The book I held open in my lap kept her captivated. Was it my imagination, or was she inching closer to view the little illustration beside the text?
“I never knew a man to love reading so much.”
Surprise shook me as I stared like a boor. Had she acknowledged me as a man? As if reading my mind, she fidgeted nervously. “I mean. Have you always loved to read romantic fairy tales brimming with swords and dragons? Isn’t it rather too fictitious?”
I wanted to playfully jab her, but such a gesture might bruise delicate skin. “Not at all. These characters and their stories reflect our own lives.” Then I remembered most of the female fictional characters didn’t go around betraying their beloved. I stifled a growl and shoved the thought aside. But wasn’t Desiree different? A selfless woman. She wouldn’t do that, would she? I pictured her in one of the stories, running to her knight after he’d confessed his love for her.
I winced when I caught a glimpse of myself in the reflection of the teapot. I was no knight.
She grinned, gently pinching my furry bicep. “I never would have taken you for that type.”
I chuckled. “What type?”
“A dreamer.” She pointed at a book by my knee. “That one. I would like to read it.”
I brought the book forth. Kiss of Courage by Ana C.E. “Excellent choice. One of my fav—”
“Now, now. Don’t tell me what it’s about. I want to discover it for myself.”
She was sensational. “Very well.”
We sat in the indoor garden, passing back and forth tea and bread as we studied over each word. To reveal my trust, I slipped her dagger into the book. Maybe I was crazy to give it back to her, but I saw her as no threat, and only hoped she saw me the same. Smiling, she winked at me and returned to our book. Her eyes lit up each time she learned a new word and said it back to me. Desiree was a fast learner and managed to read nearly half a chapter on her own.
Her tiny hand rested on my knee. I pulled the blanket we shared across her back so it covered the other side of her shoulder completely. She stiffened at first, but relaxed as we flipped through the pages and sailed through the adventures together.
By week two, she had read almost an entire book. I relished the sound of her voice next door beside my room. She never knew I could hear her, the way she stayed up each night sounding out words and looking them up in the dictionary. If only I was as fast at learning piano. Or maybe I was playing dumb to get her to return my hands to the keys.
Chapter 4
ALMOST TWO MONTHS had passed, and no sign of Reyna. Doubt swarmed me. Would Reyna ever come? Maybe shame prevented her from showing her face. I should consider leaving on my own. I’d spent enough time here. Keeping my father waiting another day seemed unimaginable. If Beast said I was not a prisoner, then he should see no problem with me leaving.
On my way to explore yet another room in the south wing, I pushed past the door, leaving it to creak closed behind me. Paintings left little to no naked space on the walls. Dark green carpet. A study desk stood in front of an enormous window. The wind outside howled at this level, and I shivered.
I couldn’t shake my gaze from the wooden ship propped on the desk. Mini ship parts rested next to it, along with delicate tools, the kind for fastening a tiny helm for an invisible pirate. I smiled. That would be something from one of Beast’s books. He was right. They did spark the imagination.
To my far right, a decorative carving of a forest stood on a dresser. Inside the little forest was a wagon carrying a woman with her two boys and a man. A parrot perched on his shoulder. The family wore smiles and appeared content on their journey.
I inched further into the room. Another decorative piece of a loving couple occupying a bench rested on a table, the woman mirroring my features. Shelves, some empty and some depicting even more scenes that invited another glance, filled the only wall space not covered with paintings.
“Intruder!” something squawked.
I startled and turned. Finn emerged from a door hidden beside a bookcase I’d missed. The parrot flew down from the ceiling and perched on his shoulder.
Finn snapped his finger. “Hush, Isa. She’s no intruder but our guest.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to barge in. I didn’t realize this was your room. I just…” I gestured to all the handmade objects bringing warmth to the room. “Did you make all this?”
He nodded and motioned to the armchair by the bed. “Please, have a seat.” I sat. Isa growled. “My apologies. She doesn’t warm up too well to strangers, especially ones that have hurt her.”
“I didn’t mean to. She attacked me.”
“Yes, I’m afraid she thinks she’s the attack dog of the castle. Isn’t that right, Princess?”
The parrot barked, and Finn hushed her again. “Why don’t you go pester Beast?”
Isa rebelled and perched high on the chandelier. When Finn ignored her, she flew out of the room.
Finn turned and picked up the figurine couple on the bench I’d been admiring. “I like working with my hands.”
“They are truly stunning.”
He set the object back down. “Thank you.” He gestured at the ship. “My latest work. She’s not finished yet, but when she is, she’ll really sail.”
I stood to take another look. I pictured a crew running on the ship, anxious to get her going as the captain barked his orders. Maybe even Isa bossing
everyone around.
“Your work is absolutely marvelous.” I turned to face him. “How is it you capture such beauty?”
He sat in his desk chair. “After I lost my family”—he gestured at the family I found in the wagon—“I found it was better to keep my hands busy. Otherwise, they might rip out my skull.”
“I’m sorry for your loss.”
He nodded. “Thank you. My boys would’ve been…” The heaviness in his plaintive tone deepened. “I imagine they would have been around your age. And my wife…bless her heart, somehow managed to put up with my nonsense during the twelve years we were together.”
I bit my lip, stopping myself from asking what happened.
As if reading my mind, he answered, “It was a terrible fire. I wasn’t there, but neighbors did what they could to fight the flames. The only reason they’d spotted the fire was because of Isa squawking by their window. But it was still too late.” A shadow of regret fell on his face, and my heart split in two.
“I’m sorry. I could never imagine.”
Finn gave a faint smile. “They’re together somewhere.” His gaze rose to ceiling. “And someday I will join. But for now, I remain within these stone walls.”
“Why do you stay here? Especially after the curse?”
“I’ve worked here for as long as I can remember. Knew his father very well and agreed I’d look after his son if anything were to happen to him.” He leaned back and locked his fingers behind his head. “Besides, there’s nowhere else for me to go.”
“Beast is lucky to have a friend like you.”
“Try telling him that.” He smirked. “You know…there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you.”
“Oh?”
“I wanted to thank you for remaining here with us.”
I tilted my head. “Thank me for what?”
“Whether he admits it or not, you’ve given Beast a new course to sail. I believe you’ve shown him hope and brought him out of a devastation that was consuming him even before the curse.”
“What happened?”
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