Page 40 of Beauty Reborn
But he’d warned me not to.
“Has anyone ever wished,” I asked, “without regret?”
She smiled.
And that was answer enough.
The castle was packed to the rafters with magic. Since arriving, I had been submerged daily, from books that shelved themselves to the ever-blooming gardens. I could not deny the ease of life as I drifted in such a current, could not deny that my eyes still grew wide with wonder or that I did not profit off the unearned riches—my horse, my violin, the sword at my waist.
But I recognized the emptiness too. Anything broken in the castle repaired itself. Anything summoned eventually vanished. Even the books in the library could one day easily be void of words.
Nothing was real.
And I knew the fountain of magic would not quench my thirst.
Chapter
13
Ilay on my bed that night, staring at the moonlit window.
Beast was not ill-mannered, though he possessed none of the manners of society, and there was no tact in his honesty, which revealed it so plainly as honesty. Since my first step into the castle, he’d been only kind to me.
Stephan had been charming at first, but no one would call him kind. He was always eager to speak ill of someone. I hadn’t noticed only because the people he spoke ill of were ill people. And I had enjoyed trading secret laughs with him behind my own sister’s back.
Beast had never made a careless comment, even when I gave him opportunity to. Instead, he said,Whimsy is welcome here,and if I was selfish, he was too.
I couldn’t offer a wish. I couldn’t agree to marriage.
But there had to be something I could do.
The dark hours passed until, at last, I rose from bed. A candle on my desk lit itself, and I seated myself in the chair.
“I’m coming to you instead of a fairy,” I told the castle. “Don’t disappoint me now.”
It was empty magic, sure, but empty magic had its place. It couldn’t quench a deep thirst, but it could create an environment to do so. My wooden sword was proof of that.
I was no artist, but I let a quill guide my imagination. The castle had never needed more than my thoughts.
And outside my window, I was sure a dream took shape.
The next morning, I left my sword in the chest with Beast’s and my shawl with it. I wanted to be unburdened for the adventure ahead.
When I exited my bedroom, Beast was already waiting in the hallway, curled beside my door. He scrambled to his feet when I appeared, and I’d never seen such a light of excitement in his eyes.
“Was it you?” he asked.
“Was what me?” I meant to feign innocence, but the corners of my mouth betrayed me. I cleared my throat. “I’m told there’s a festival in town—can you imagine?”
“No.” He smiled. “I’ve never been to one.”
I’d thought as much if he came from a remote fishing village.
“Then we’d best visit.”
I held my breath, waiting, but he didn’t offer me his arm. Instead, he gestured for me to take the stairs ahead of him, and that was alright too.
The castle doors opened ahead of us, and the spring air brought the sound of festival music, cheerful lutes and flutes that heralded fun to be had. The field beyond the gardens was filled with rows of colorful tents, a sight to rival the flower beds around us. Though it was a finer setup than I’d ever seen, I felt my childhood in a rush of lightness.
