Deceit: A Beauty and the Beast Novel (6 page)

Hours later, I unfolded my legs, which I’d
curled under me at some point and stretched with a huge yawn. The
food tray was missing from the table, and the fire had burned down
again. I recalled the beast moving several times to add to it, but
he’d remained in the corner for the last hour.

Other than feeding the fire, he’d not moved
or spoken to me the entire day. I still didn’t feel comfortable
without clothes, but I wasn’t afraid anymore.

“Come,” he said softly. He sounded strained.
“I will walk with you to your room.”

I led the way through the hallway, feeling
his acute gaze, and tried not to run. When we reached the door, he
followed me inside. Another tray waited with a steaming bowl of
soup. I still felt full from the last tray even though the pink
light of sunset radiated through the windows.

“Thank you for today, Benella. Perhaps
tomorrow I will be able to repay you as you deserve.”

I turned to see him withdraw and close the
door.

The day hadn’t been what I’d expected.
Because of the lesson that Aryana and Ila had provided, I’d
imagined myself running from him when his pent energies became too
much. At the very least, I’d thought he would leave to find the
wood nymph.

I opened the wardrobe and found the shirt
I’d taken from him and slipped it on, glad to finally have
cover.

* * * *

The beast didn’t wait in the hallway the
next morning when I exited my room, wearing another plain dress. I
thought he might be tired of my company after the prior day. I
would have grown bored watching me read, too.

Gliding through the silent hallways, I made
my way to the kitchen ready to spend the day outside. Though I
loved books, I loved being outdoors as well. When I’d peered out my
window, the sun had been peeking through thin morning clouds,
promising a mild day.

I entered a cold kitchen and glanced at the
empty table in surprise. The beast paced before the door, his
stormy mood apparent in his fur and bared teeth, which he chose not
to hide from me. He muttered to himself quietly until I spoke.

“Sir?”

His head whipped toward me as if in
surprise.

“I’m afraid yesterday was for nothing,” he
growled lowly.

I remained quiet, hoping he’d provide more
information.

“In punishment for my failed attempt, she’s
blocked my ability to control the magic of this place since I could
not control—”

He lashed out at the table in a violent
rage. The wood split under the fury of his ravaging claws and a
chunk flew toward me. In horror, I watched it tumble through the
air. The wood piece struck my face just above the jawline, stinging
as it gouged the skin before falling to the floor.

I gasped and pressed a hand to my face. The
noise penetrated his rage enough to pause his destruction. His
ragged breathing filled the room as tears filled my eyes, mostly
from anger not pain. My fingers felt warm and wet, and I pulled my
hand away long enough to look at the blood.

Without saying a word, I walked toward him.
His angry gaze met mine.

“You hurt me,” I said flatly. I turned away
and pulled open the outer door.

He made no move to follow me.

I strode through the long grass and made my
way toward the gate as I wondered what level of stupidity had
possessed me to think I might actually have had a positive
influence on the beast. It was that tree’s fault. Teach him, it had
said. Some creatures couldn’t be taught kindness, patience, or
civility.

Tears trickled down my face, and I stumbled
over a tree root. The cut burned now, but no more than I deserved
for my conceit. I’d been so certain I’d be able to figure out the
puzzle that surrounded the beast.

A roar sounded behind me, pulling me from my
thoughts enough to see that all of the vines and roots of the trees
around me quivered oddly. The roots in the path ahead of me
flattened to the ground as if trying to help ease my passage. Good,
I thought, hurrying. Behind me, the beast roared again. This time,
it sounded more like a curse. Ahead, the gates beckoned, yawning
wide. As I stepped through them, the beast roared my name.

In the distance, the rattle of an empty
wagon bed reverberated through the trees. I hurried my steps, and
several minutes later, my feet crunched on the gravel of the road
toward the Water. Just rounding the bend from Konrall, a wagon
driven by Henick slowed to avoid me.

Henick smiled and called softly to his team
as he pulled back on the reins.

“Benella, what are you doing here? I thought
you left with your family to settle in Water-On-The-Bridge.”

His familiar friendly smile sent a wave of
relief through me just as the beast again roared my name. Henick’s
mouth firmed as he looked at me closely.

“What happened?” he asked with true
concern.

“I’m sorry to ask this of you, but can I
ride with you to the Water? I had a run in with the beast.” Better
that he thought the beast knew my name from a trespass than from an
extended stay.

“Of course.” He set the brake and jumped
from the seat to offer me a hand up.

“That cut looks deep,” he said as I settled
onto the seat. He pulled a clean square of cloth from his pocket,
and reaching into the bed of the wagon, he used a water skin to
soak it before handing it to me.

“Hold that to the cut.”

I took the cloth and pressed it to my cheek
as he climbed back into the seat and clucked the team into action
again. The beast’s roars faded as we moved away. I kept a wary eye
on the vines, but they remained dormant.

“What are you doing so far from home?” he
asked.

I sighed and told him as much of the truth
as I could.

“Things weren’t going well in Konrall so
Father moved us to the Water, but the house there is too small.
That’s why he wanted Bryn and Blye to marry. But he wouldn’t force
them into a decision they weren’t ready to make. So, we all moved
into a one room home in town. We’re struggling for food. I thought
I could gather near the estate like I used to.”

He nodded.

“Did Bryn marry?”

“No.”

“I offered for her,” he said.

I nodded and turned the cloth over, hoping
for a cooler spot.

“Do you think she might reconsider?”

I sighed, thinking of her current
troubles.

“She might. But you should know she put her
hopes in a man who left her with no promises, only a babe.”

“Children are a blessing,” Henick said
firmly.

I hoped Bryn would open her eyes if Henick
offered for her again.

* * * *

The wagon clattered to a stop in front of
the small cottage, and Henick quickly leapt down to help me from my
seat. My face throbbed, so I waved him toward the front door as I
walked around back to get cooler water from the well.

When I walked through the back door, I only
caught Bryn’s reply to Henick’s question.

“I want no part of dirt farming and scraping
to live from season to season. Now that I’m in the Water, I see how
much I like town life. I plan to marry up, not down.”

Henick nodded and turned without a word.
Bryn closed the door and turned to see me standing there with my
mouth open. Saying nothing, she marched to her room and closed the
door. I ran to the front door and pulled it open, calling Henick’s
name just as he moved to climb into the seat.

He paused and waited for me to run to his
side.

“You should keep that on the cut,” he said
lightly, taking the cloth from my hand and guiding it to my
face.

“She’s a fool,” I whispered harshly, raising
my hand to his cleanly shaven jaw. “Marrying you would be marrying
up no matter what kind of life to which your wife is born.” I
leaned forward and kissed the cheek opposite of the one I held.

He smiled and took my hand to press it
against the cloth on my jaw.

“Truthfully, her answer doesn’t bother me.
When I heard two of the Hovtel sisters were to be married, I’d
hoped one would be you.” He brushed a light kiss on my cheek. A
blush ignited where his lips had touched and spread outward.

“Tell your father to contact me when it’s
your turn. I’d gladly be the first to offer for you.”

When he turned to climb aboard, I found my
voice.

“Why did you hope it was me?” I asked.

“We, my brothers and I, thought you might
finally be ready to notice we existed,” he said, grinning down at
me.

What an odd thing to say, I thought.

“Of course I knew you existed.”

His smile only widened.

I didn’t know how to respond to that so,
instead, I chose to change the subject.

“Did your father ever take you fishing after
our visit?” If possible, he smiled wider.

“He did, and it was the best fishing. Ma
dried what we couldn’t eat that night and said it would make a fine
soup come winter. He also received your note and sent a reply to
your father. He teases Ma about wanting to catch a crow to train to
carry messages.” His smile faded a little. “It might seem like we
live from season to season, but we don’t scrape. The land Da’s
clearing is meant to build a house for the first son who
marries.”

“If you find someone before it’s my turn,
she’ll be lucky to have you,” I said quietly and backed up a step.
He shook the reins and pulled away.

Instead of walking inside, I started down
the road after him, walking in his dust. From the neighbor’s roof,
a crow cawed and clacked its beak at me.

“Quiet,” I muttered, not wanting to
acknowledge anything related to the beast just yet.

Covered with a cloak, Ila stood at the door
when I rounded the back corner of the house.

“What happened?” she demanded and nudged the
guard. He dutifully took a step toward me, but I held up a hand,
motioning him to stay.

“I’m fine. I’m here because I need to speak
with someone who still has an ounce of sanity.”

She held out her hand and helped me up the
remaining stairs. With the door closed, she shrugged out of the
cloak then tugged me along. Instead of the basement, she turned
down the hall to the right. Aryana waited inside a very clean room
with a narrow bed.

“Well?” she said kindly.

“Well, what?”

“What happened to your face, dearest?”

“Oh. Carelessness. A piece of wood.” I
peeled the cloth away and showed her.

She tsked and motioned for me to sit on the
bed. Using a clean cloth from a fresh bowl of water that waited on
a nearby table, she washed the wound and pulled a sliver from the
raw skin.

“I would say we should sew it, but I’m
afraid there might be more splinters. If we sew them in, it would
become infected. Best to let it heal on its own. It will likely
leave a noticeable scar.”

I nodded absently, thinking of Henick’s
comment. I’d always noticed him and his brothers when they’d come
to town. They were a lively bunch that never let the baker or the
Coalres bother them. When they’d smiled and greeted me, I’d always
smiled in return.

Frowning, I realized I’d never actually said
anything in return. In fact, looking back, I realized I’d spoken
very little, content with my own thoughts and observations. I
compared myself to the beast. He kept his own counsel, and it
frustrated me. Was that how Henick felt when I’d done the same to
him? Very seldom had I spoken my mind. It wasn’t until I met the
beast that I started speaking what I thought. Even then, I still
kept much to myself, like now.

I felt Aryana’s curious gaze.

“I met a friend on the road who let me ride
with him in his wagon. He made a curious comment. He said that he
thought I might be ready to realize he existed.” I met Aryana’s
gaze. “I’ve always known he was there. I’ve never really spoken to
him, but I’ve always smiled in return whenever he’s greeted me. Why
would he think I ignored him?”

Ila laughed huskily and left the room.
Aryana sat beside me and clasped my hand in her own. I interrupted
whatever she was about to say with another question.

“Isn’t it uncomfortable sitting bare
bottomed?” I blushed when I realized what I’d said.

She smiled behind the veil.

“You sound as if you are speaking from
experience.”

“Curiosity will be my downfall,” I said with
forced playfulness.

“Yes, it is uncomfortable at first. Then I
grew used to it, and no longer even notice. As for your friend, I
think he meant you never noticed him in a way a woman notices a
man.”

“That’s silly. I remember thinking him
handsome the first time I saw him.”

“And?” she prompted.

“And what?” I asked confused.

“Did he make your heart flutter or your
insides melt?”

“No,” I said slowly. “That sounds
uncomfortable.”

She laughed and patted my hand.

“It is, but in a pleasant way. Come, let’s
tell your father you’re here. He will want to spend time with
you.”

* * * *

Father and I walked together down the market
street while I told him of Henick’s opportune arrival and Bryn’s
second rejection of his offer. We talked of Blye’s success at the
dressmaker’s and her talk of opening her own shop in the south. I
knew that meant she hoarded her coin and felt pity for Father.

He made no comment about the cut on my face,
but I knew he still worried.

As the streets filled with people, Father
sighed and said he needed to return to work. I realized I had
nowhere to go. I couldn’t return to the Sisters as they were now
accepting customers, and I didn’t want to face Bryn after listening
to her rude refusal.

Hugging Father good-bye, I started the walk
back to the estate.

* * * *

The beast waited within the gates, making no
attempt to hide himself.

“You returned,” he said in relief when I
stepped through the opening.