Page 48 of The Beast King's Bride

12

ASH

That fear, the memory of it, haunts me as I’m whisked away by Auria and Zylphia and a guard the king sent with us just in case.

Just in case the plant escapes the bathhouse?

I shudder.

Worst of all, I wish I could have stayed with the king. I feel safer with him, which is ridiculous. He almost drowned in that pool.

But he hauled me out of the room to protect me. That had been his first thought, to get me out, and he’d pushed me in front of him, opening himself up to the creature’s attack. I keep seeing the startled look on his face as that thing caught him and dragged him back into the water. His white, blood-streaked face and his rasping gasps as the guards had pulled him up to the surface.

Remember, I tell myself as I pace in my room in front of the fire, trying to chase the chill of fear from my bones, remember that he’s the one who brought you here, who put you in danger in the first place.

I have to learn more about this curse, about these monsters. Even monster plants seem to be haunting this place. Is nowhere safe?

I step away from the window, wondering if now I’ll start being afraid of my own shadow—even more than I’m afraid of the shadow of my past.

“But you are a princess.”

Am I? In this strange place, I’m sure of nothing anymore.

At least I don’t have to try and escape anymore, not with the king’s promise that in a few weeks I’ll be leaving. I don’t wish to encounter these monsters in my way. And I admit… I admit to a certain idle curiosity about the kingdom and its king, from the Decay and the curse to the smaller riddles of his horns that matched the beast’s from last night, his wounds fresh and old, his absent, violent brothers and the household staff that disappear at night.

The snake-like plants and the glimmers of magic I don’t quite see lead me on like a thread in this maze, a luminous, deceptive thread that promises to steer me to more dead-ends than exits.

And I still want to follow it, I want to look again into the king’s eyes, put my hands on his skin, drink in his scent, and lie to myself that I don’t give a toss about him at all…

Spending the rest of the day locked up in my room helps me calm down and get winded up all over again. I thought agreeing to stay for a moon meant I’d be free to roam, at least—and yes, I know they have to deal with this man-eating plant now, but it doesn’t take away the fact that I was supposed to be free.

Free to choose if to stay in my room or get out and face the danger. Isn’t that what freedom means?

So by the time the latch lifts, the door opens and Jassin walks in, I’m all wrought up. I’m also hungry and thirsty as I’ve finished up my water, and generally annoyed.

“You can’t keep locking me up!” I advance on Jassin and he takes a step back, brows winging up on his forehead. “No more locking me up, all right?”

“My lady…”

“You don’t get it, do you? I’ve been locked up all my life and now… for a while, I could be who I am, with nobody mocking me for it, nobody ordering me around, free to explore and find out new things, and I’m instead restrained inside this room and…”

“Of course.” Jassin bows. “I apologize. I shall inform the king of your predicament.”

“There’s no predicament. I…” I sigh. “Was that plant monster killed?”

“Uprooted, my lady. Hacked to pieces. Took us all day. Two guards were injured in the process.”

I try to keep from asking the question, but it comes out anyway. “And the king?”

“The king is well.” Jassin’s face brightens. “I will tell him you asked. He will appreciate your concern.”

“Don’t… Don’t do that. I’m asking you, not telling you to convey any wishes and concerns. What I ask you is for your ears only.”

“My lady, I cannot do that. Cannot keep things from the king.”

“But they’re not important things.”

“So you think.”

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