Beastly Beauty

Seventy-Eight

It was the last time.

The last time Beau would ever walk in the shadows. That last time he would sneak through someone else’s house. The last time he would pick a lock.

He was going to be a better man from here on out. For Arabella. And for Matti.

“I swear it,” he whispered.

But they had to break the curse first. Today. Arabella had driven herself, and everyone around her, mercilessly yesterday, trying to get the bridge finished. When Beau had asked her why she was so anxious, she’d mumbled something about snowstorms. They’d worked hard and had almost finished late last night, but then midnight came, and with it the beast, forcing them indoors. Beau had been tense yesterday, too, but for a different reason—Espidra. She meant to stop them. She had tried to kill him two days ago, and he had no doubt that she’d try again. Which was why he was moving so stealthily through the castle now, just after dawn, determined to avoid her. He was dirty, sweaty, and bleary-eyed. He left his room shortly after midnight and had snuck back to finish the bridge with Espidra’s words echoing in his head. I will not relinquish Arabella to you, not without a fight. He believed her; Espidra was not a kidder.

The lock’s tumblers fell. The god of thieves was with him. He opened the door a crack, praying its hinges wouldn’t squeak, then squeezed into the room and closed it.

A smile came to his face as he saw her, the pale light of morning washing over her. She was sprawled out facedown in her enormous bed, her head hanging off one side, arms dangling to the floor, legs tangled up in the sheets, one bare foot on a pillow.

He started toward her, sidestepping the muddy tracks on the floor. The dead leaves. The half-chewed chipmunk. He had to wake her. They needed to go. Before the household was up. Before Espidra could make good on her threat.

He had to be careful, though. If he frightened her, if she screamed, Espidra, Hesma, and the rest of the ghouls would come running.

“Arabella!” he whispered.

Nothing.

“Arabella, wake up!”

A grunt. Some snoring.

Beau looked back nervously at the door. “Come on, Arabella …” He moved across the room quietly and tickled the bottom of her foot.

“Erf. Blerg. Hahaha.”

“Arabella!”

Arabella sat up and turned around. Her eyes widened. She inhaled deeply, ready to let out an earsplitting scream.

“Shhh!” Beau whispered, clapping a hand over her mouth. “It’s me!”

Arabella slapped his hand away. “What are you doing?” she hissed. “You scared me to death!”

“We need to go. Right now.”

“That’s going to be hard,” she said blearily. “Given that the bridge isn’t finished.”

“It is. It’s done. I worked through the night. Laid the last boards just before dawn. I didn’t want anyone to know. Didn’t want Espidra to find out. She’s going to try to stop us, Arabella. I know she is. A few days ago, I lied to her. I told her we’d be leaving at midday. She isn’t expecting us to leave now. Which is exactly why we’re going to.”

Arabella sat up in her bed and blinked, gathering her wits. The neckline of her shift had slipped down over one shoulder. Her hair tumbled down her back. Her cheeks were flushed. Beau couldn’t take his eyes off her. She saw him looking at her.

“Do you want to kiss me as much as I want to kiss you?” she asked.

“More. But if I do, we’ll never leave this room.”

“On the other side, then.”

“Yes, on the other side. A hundred times, I hope. But now you need to get dressed. Quick, Arabella.”

Arabella slipped into her dressing room. Then almost immediately stuck her head out. “Beau, what do I wear?,” she called out. “What do we do once we get to the other side?” They had both been so busy building the bridge, neither had thought about what would happen after they crossed it.

“I have to go to Barcelona, to Matti,” Beau replied. “But I’ll come back to you, Arabella, I swear it.”

“I’m coming with you.”

“You can’t,” Beau said. “It’s a long, hard trip over the mountains in winter.”

“You’re talking to a girl who spends her nights outside in the snow and eats rodents for breakfast. I can manage the mountains.”

Beau wanted to protest, but he saw the determination in her eyes, and he knew that this was an argument he would lose. He saw something else there, too—kindness. Arabella knew what his little brother meant to him and she wanted to help reunite them. He hadn’t known kindness, not for a very long time, and he had to swallow once or twice before he said, “Thank you.”

Arabella dressed quickly in warm clothing and leather boots, put a few gold coins in a small leather pouch, and a few moments later, they were sneaking out of her chambers, hands clasped.

“I know a shortcut,” she said, leading the way.

Beau followed her, wary and tense, his eyes sweeping the hallways. They didn’t have far to go, and there was no reason to think they wouldn’t make it. No one would expect them to be up this early. The court ladies would all still be asleep. Yet Beau knew better than to underestimate Espidra.

She was like a viper under dead leaves. A scorpion. A poisonous spider.

Something you didn’t see coming until it was too late.