Page 30 of The Beauty and the Griffin

“Exactly how long will that take? Weeks? Months?”

“I don’t know, but Vlad says he’ll kick them out once they can fly.”

The girl could be stuck here for another year or more! My gaze slid briefly toward the bundled eggs. At some point in my life, I really should have studied up on magical beasts. The only ones I could think of offhand were cinder sprites, unicorns, winged horses, and lake monsters . . . but I couldn’t bear to admit my ignorance to this annoying girl. I should have asked my aunt when I had the chance. Did griffins have human-looking parts? Eggs could hatch into birds, reptiles, amphibians . . .

Please, no giant insects!

“Are the eggs heavy?” I blurted to stave off freaky mind pictures.

“Nah, but I have to turn them regularly. Birds turn their eggs too, you know, to keep them warm on all sides.” She evidently enjoyed educating me.

So, griffins were not birds. Great. I studied my backpack. “We’ll each carry one.”

Winifred scowled, narrowing her eyes, but didn’t argue the point. I was much larger and better fed; I could take the girl in a fair fight. However, I wouldn’t let down my guard for a moment.

I helped Win tuck one wrapped egg into a sort of fabric sling while fervently hoping I wouldn’t soon smell as bad as she did. While she settled the egg against her side, I laid my egg . . . Let me rephrase that: Iplacedmy silvery-light egg on top of some clean underclothes (thanks to Auntie), used my thick snow gloves for padding, then zipped my backpack and leaned it against the wall beside the far doorway. Even when completely covered, the eggs provided enough light for us to finish packing.

Win offered to divide her meagre rations between us—protein bars, packets of trail mix, and several withered apples. I gave her a tight smile. “Thanks, but I saw some food in my backpack. Where did your food come from?”

“None of your business. We’ll find water along the way,” she said airily.

Our preparations complete, I followed her back to the doorway-into-darkness. Something about it made my stomach clench.

Win stepped aside. “You’re older, so you should take the lead,” she said, bending to pick up my pack.

I turned to accept it from her. “You’re the one who knows the—”

With a sudden lunge, she shoved me into the tunnel. Startled by the tingle of magic, I stumbled a few steps down the dark slope past the opening, then turned to glare at her smug face. “What was that for?”

She stuck out her tongue and turned away, muttering, “I hope the Beast eats you!”

13

BEATRICE

Enraged, I charged backup the slope and ripped my pack out of her grasp. “Don’t youdaretouch me or my pack again. I will carry one of the eggs whether you like it or not.”

Ashen faced, she gaped up at me. “How . . .?”

Gripping her egg sling, I dragged her after me into the dark tunnel. She thrashed like a dying animal and screeched curses, some that I’d never heard before and none of which I care to recall. She tried to punch and kick me, but I fended her off while striding down the slope. To be fair, she was wailing “You’ve killed us all! We’re gonna die!” and weeping too hard to focus her attacks.

When she briefly paused for breath, I said: “No, we’re ‘gonna’ hike to the Forbidden Palace as we planned, and you will lead the way.” I may have spoken with a hint of mockery there . . .

Amid her responding spew of vulgarities, threats, and curses, some useful information escaped. “Ah!” I exclaimed while she sucked in a breath, “so you’ve never been to the Forbidden Palace? Cool! This will be an adventure for both of us! Go on ahead.”

The fight left her all at once. “But I don’t know the—”

“You will walk in front because I don’t trust you out of my sight. You will lead us to safety at the Forbidden Palace. And while you walk, you will explain what beast you hoped would eat me and why you shoved me through that doorway. Honestly, what did you hope to accomplish?”

Her sullen gaze shifted between me and the opening we’d passed through, barely visible now by our egg-light. Before I could react, she dashed back up the slope to the doorway, clutching her egg in its sling to her side.

I shouted in dismay just before she bounced off an invisible barrier and fell flat. When her back hit the floor, a shimmering golden egg popped out of its sling and flew straight into my bare hands, free of its wrappings. As I stared down at the pulsing molten gold in my hands, a powerful love I’d never felt before flooded my heart.

The baby inside that egg loved me too. She spoke into my mind, her voice plaintive and sweet.Beeetrice!What my name?

“I’m so sorry! I don’t know your name.”

Beeetrice name?

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