IS HE A BEAST

sitting atop a massiv

frightening a

ew h

ed by me so fiercely it

s

und my body and tilted

that stood omin

ched across the sky, mo

g the gargoyles sitting

ner of t

fear lodged in my thro

ne satchel. The contents

ance I

er showed the carriage

misty distance of the

ur cottage as soon as t

d taken my bag, gestured

’d been moving in

red, tree-lined appr

a gray hue settled over it

relenti

llowed by an exhale, I

dded doors opened on its o

doubled i

ected to find, but it wa

ryway, her black-and-white

ound her

was pulled up into a tig

s warm and

y wasn’t what I

come.” She clapped her

he looked me up and dow

ter of the est

eant by that. We’d never

“choose

eant to phrase that lik

r the heavy door closed b

c

hirled around to see a ca

e looking at me w

k blond hair slicked ba

thick accent, one f

r woman gestured to her

Pierre. He handles any a

er hands again and gestur

o go into more of that

from your

re I knew what he was d

ng ushered through the gr

ealth and

de staircase, the carpet

y steps

nd explaining all the di

es on podiums. But my mi

he motions

hing, and I wondered if

s was w

one of the rooms at th

d the door open and I s

ncompas

with a large four-poster

ross from it, a vanity wit

le top, and silk ad

light blue-and-gray e

ler and not at all like m

to wane, I felt com

ere,” Madame said and p

d it open to show the int

geous colors and e

out and running my fin

h flower embroider

ach piece. He has impecc

so they would accentua

felt my throat tighten

d-selecting anything, esp

s the ones that

es are throug

ged the subject as she

rn

at half past six. Ma

aid that last part had me

Not that I would. I’d wi

ouldn’t cha

me in horrible positi

was the only family I had

e my own skin was

ed your dinner attire.”

ed with a red satin ribbon

everything that I had

e left me alone, closi

n in place, my knees thr

s and breathe

nd to the man—the Bea

efore I’d been picked u

gized repeatedly, but I’d

ion to him or

on to anything but bein

omething I had to

tes of alone time to co

hing, and just get the f

would help

option, not when my fat

dream, with the expen

aff serving me hand and fo

his reality re

aperwork befor

e Beast needing a w