Page 34 of The Beautiful Blade

The guards moved in, grabbing my arms and forcing me to my knees. The cold bite of steel shackles snapped around my wrists, the weight of them dragging against the phantom ache where my hand had once been.

I didn't feel a thing. Not in my arm. Not in my whole body.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHARLOTTE

My gaze was fixed on the iron gates of the prison as they slammed shut behind Jorge. The sound echoed in my chest like a death knell. I pressed my fingers against the carriage window, smudging the glass as I watched the guards shove him forward. He didn’t resist, his broad shoulders slumped, his head bowed.

This was wrong. This wasn’t how it was supposed to end. I turned to the mage, who was glaring at me. Before I opened my mouth, she answered my unasked question.

“His fate will be decided by Prince Adom. As commander of the military, it is his right to pass judgment.”

Jorge had told me that he and the Beast Prince had fought side by side, that they’d even come to trust each other. But Jorge had also tried to steal his bride. Would Adom show mercy? Or would the beast let his claws do the talking?

“As for you, you will be returned to your employer. Belle, your name is? As the seamstress for the fairy princess, you must ensure her dress is ready for tomorrow’s wedding.”

“You know who I am.”

The mage didn’t deny it. Her silence spoke volumes, her expression one of knowing, like a predator waiting to strike.

“What do you want?”

The mage leaned back and regarded me as if amused by my defiance. “What I want is for you to understand your place in the scheme of the stars. My task is to ensure the curse is broken. That means the princess chosen by the first moon must marry the prince of Solmane.”

“And if the princess refuses?”

The mage leaned forward until she was almost nose to nose with me. “The crown will make sure they break her toy soldier. And they’ll send him back to her inpieces.”

The mage made two mistakes. The first one was that she threatened Jorge's life. I had been calm while I'd thought they were just going to lock him up. The mention of ending his life meant all bets in whatever game she referred to were off.

The second mistake she made was that she let me get too close to her. There was an open wound on her arm from where I'd struck her. I grabbed hold of it and let my magic pour through.

Her eyes widened, and then she slumped down in the seat. She was completely numb from the top of her head down to the toes in her boots. She wouldn't be able to move for hours with as much of my magic as I pumped into her.

The carriage came to a stop inside the palace gates. I didn't wait for the driver to open the door. I climbed down, announcing that the mage had fallen asleep and I was headed back to my mistress. The driver didn't even question me.

Like the summer castle, once inside the walls of the palace, there were no guards. I knew the layout of the palace, including the rooms that would be mine. Looking the fright that I did, I knew I wouldn't make it past the servants in the main hall.

The door of the servants’ entrance creaked as I slipped inside. The corridors were dark and silent. Myfootsteps were careful, measured, as I made my way to the second floor.

A cluster of guards was stationed at the next landing. There would be no sneaking past them. My gaze shifted to a nearby window, its frame just within reach. If going over walls had gotten me this far, I could climb farther.

The cool metal of the windowsill bit into my palms as I hoisted myself up and out. Outside, the wind whipped against my face, and I clung to the ledge for balance. My destination was clear: the grand window that opened into Prince Adom’s chambers. If I could reach him, I could plead for Jorge’s life. Beg if I had to.

The climb felt longer than it should have. Each pull of my arms reminded me of how my body ached from the gauntlet. My fingertips brushed the edge of the prince’s window. When I reached for it, an invisible force repelled me.

I gasped, nearly losing my grip. A ward. Of course, he would ward his chambers.

I scanned the castle’s exterior, my eyes catching on a smaller window glowing faintly with candlelight. If memory served, those were my quarters. Which meant Belle would be there, likely fussing over wedding preparations.

A new plan formed as I swung toward the glowing window, my muscles burning with the effort. When Ireached it, the latch gave way under my hand, and I slipped inside.

The climb through the window had been the easy part—the landing, not so much. I tumbled through in a flurry of limbs and fabric, my gown catching on the frame with a sharp rip. Kicking free, I landed in a heap on the floor, gasping for air as though I’d just run a marathon.

“Charlotte?”

I collected myself and stood to face the seamstress. Instead of a hello, how are you, I lead with, “I need your help.”

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