Page 32 of The Beauty and the Griffin

I eagerly drank from my cupped hands. The water was icy and clear with a slight mineral taste. Having slaked my thirst, I splashed my face and moved to refill my bottle. But it was already full.

It took me a moment to realize the bottle was enchanted. As was everything else in my pack. We wouldn’t be running out of food or water. Or clean underwear.

Win watched me, her narrowed eyes glinting.

“Aren’t you thirsty?” I asked.

“I’m waiting to see if you keel over.”

My mouth dropped open, but no words emerged.

Once she was certain of my survival, she took her turn.

This kid.

Would be lucky if she survived the day.

Instead of dawdling after her drink, she hurried off across the cave, where several openings appeared. As I approached each one in turn, the eggs didn’t react. I began to wonder if they were asleep, but they purred for the last door—the one furthest to the right.

“Why do you always turn right?” Win asked, sounding less aggressive than usual.

“Because it’s always therightpath. Get it?”

Utter silence was my reward. But after leading us up the gradually climbing tunnel in silence for what felt like hours, she filled the conversational void: “The Beast will be on your trail now, since you’re the Enemy.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“No need to beg. It’s not like you canhelpbeing horrid.”

I set my jaw. “Okay, fine. I give up. What is this Beast you keep talking about?”

“The Beast that guards the Forbidden Palace.”

“You might have mentioned its existence before now.”

“I did. You didn’t listen.”

I realized her accusation was true. “So, how am I this Beast’s enemy?”

“You’re trespassing. This part of the tunnel is beneath Forbidden Palace land.”

“You’re trespassing too,” I pointed out.

She shrugged loosely. “You forced me through the boundary door.”

“As I recall, you pushed me through it first. And since we were ordered to take shelter at the Forbidden Palace, we could hardly avoid walking on or under its land.”

Blessed silence followed. But my feet began to ache, and a blister developed on one heel. To distract myself from the pain, I asked, “Why do the eggs glow?”

She huffed. “Ask them.”

She must not know either. “When were they laid?”

“Last summer. I never saw them until Mirka disappeared.”

“I thought you were their nanny.”

“Until the eggs hatch, my job is to protect them and clean the cave. And cook for myself. Mirka hates me. She pretty much hates everybody. Vlad says she’s always like that when she’s brooding eggs. She’d probably rip your eyes out, drop you off a cliff, then swallow you whole for touching one of her treasures.”

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