Academia of the Beast: A Dark Retelling of Beauty and the Beast (11 page)

She looked like a princess. With fake, silver fairy wings attached to her back, she could have passed for one of the girls in the fairy tales she loved to read as a little girl. A stylist had styled her hair so that it wouldn’t get in the way of her shiny new wings.

“What am I doing?” she asked herself.

A knock on her door broke her from her thoughts. She sighed. This was the most beautiful she’d ever been, and she couldn’t enjoy it for the worry in her belly.

All she could think of was her father perishing in a dungeon somewhere.

She squeezed her eyes shut and inhaled. “You can do this. Play the part. Get the information. Save your father.”

With that, she opened her eyes, resolute.

She opened the door and rolled her eyes at Prince Lennox.

Sure, he looked amazing, but it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered but her mission.

He wore a black suit that was a contrast to his perfect silvery-white hair. Why did he have to look so good? It made it hard to truly hate him. Especially since he looked just like Conall. He even had the same smile, and when he grinned at her, her heart couldn’t help but skip a beat.

“Well, look at you,” Lennox said, leaning against the doorframe. “You fill that dress out better than I’d imagined.”

She ignored his comment, and how his gaze lingered on her full bosom. She put her hands on her slim waist and rolled her eyes.

“Did you resolve whatever issue you had with Ivan and Igor’s parents?”

“Who?” He lifted a brow. “Oh, right. The king and queen of Faustinia. Yeah. We’re good.”

Allyn gulped. Of course, they were in the fairy palace. Why did she expect any less?

“Well, come on. Let’s make our appearance. Dinner, dancing, a little debauchery. I hope you’re ready.”

Allyn put a hand on his arm, stopping him.

“What do they know about me?”

Lennox checked his silver watch. “That you’re a witch. Enough with the questions. Let’s go.”

Without another word, he turned his back on her and led the way down the hall.

“You could have told them that I’m your prisoner,” she said under her breath. Could a fairy be an ally? Could anyone help her?

The thought of pulling Igor aside crossed her mind and faded. She was in a foreign country. She didn’t stand a chance. Best to keep quiet and calm until she and Prince Lennox returned to Elastria.

As if by invisible chains, Lennox pulled her along through the fairy palace where the staff and other guests stared at the two humans like they were flying fish.

They made their way to the banquet room where everyone gathered with their drinks and socialized while the long table set with the colorful centerpieces of flowers Allyn had never seen.

Prince Lennox put his hand on the small of her back. “Try not to catch any fairy dude’s eye while I get us a drink. Deal?”

Allyn didn’t have a chance to reply as he left her to go to the bar in the center of the large room with chandeliers that resembled blue icicles.

Self-conscious, Allyn’s face started to flush as she noticed that the majority of fairies in the room were staring at her. They were the ones hovering above the ground, with their winds flapping like hummingbirds, but she was the most interesting person in the room.

A witch in a maroon dress, with an arrogant prince that could shift into a Wolf.

The whispers didn’t take long to start, itching her ears as she caught some of what was said.

At least they weren’t speaking ill of her. Apparently, magic wasn’t frowned upon here the way it was in Elastria.

Hope that they’d accept her dared to rise within her belly.

A woman flew over to her, her crystal shoes barely touching the flood. With bright lavender hair that was pinned up in a style that resembled a pineapple, she had the most intriguing coffee-colored skin that shimmered like tiny diamonds had been crushed and dusted onto her.

Two other women were close behind, their white hair flowing long behind them and their elaborate gowns.

“Hello there,” the one with the lavender hair said, a smile on her full lips. She tilted her head as she looked Allyn up and down with large gray eyes.

Allyn swallowed. Don’t be awkward. She forced a smile. “Hello.

“I’m Laxmi. These are my sisters, Sonali and Richa.”

“Nice to meet you,” Allyn said, nodding to Laxmi’s sisters that stood so close that she could smell their floral perfume, and the way the cool wind whenever they flapped their smaller translucent wings.

Allyn noticed how Laxmi’s were much bigger and fuller. She wondered what that was about.

“So,” Laxmi said, leaning close to Allyn. “Tell us. Are you really a witch? Prince Lennox can be a bit of a—“

“Liar,” Sonali and Richa said in unison.

“Storyteller,” Laxmi corrected.

Allyn didn’t know how to answer that question. Witch was such an odd term for her. She’d never cast a spell in her life. She’d never read a spell book, or conjured hexes. Her power was innate, and...different.

“I guess you can say that,” Allyn said. “Yeah, I’m the witch.”

“Well, that is refreshing,” Laxmi said. “You know that witches come here often for sanctuary, right?”

Allyn’s interest spiked. Her brows lifted. “Really?”

“Yes, but they can’t stay here. They use Faustinia as a half-way point, and pass on through to the Americas. Since we face the sea, they hop on a ship and continue their journey.”

Allyn stared at Laxmi, desperate to ask her how she could do the same. But, she couldn’t leave her father behind. So, she kept her pleas to herself and tensed as Lennox returned.

His perfect white teeth gleamed as he smiled at the three fairy women. “Ladies,” he said, and handed Allyn a glass of wine.

Drinking it down, Allyn watched the expressions on Richa and Sonali’s faces darken.

Laxmi stood before Lennox, as if shielding the others. “Don’t speak to us,” she said and motioned to the other two. “Until you apologize to my sisters for what you did last year.”

Lennox feigned ignorance and drank from a short glass filled half-way with what looked like whiskey.

“I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean,” Lennox said, his brows lifted. “Why don’t you refresh my memory?”

Richa slapped him, the sound reverberating through the entire room. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to look at the scene. When Sonali did the same, Allyn almost burst out laughing, but covered her mouth instead.

Whatever Lennox did, she was sure he deserved it.

Instead of getting angry, Lennox grinned. “Oh, yes,” he said. “I remember now. I am sorry for fucking your sisters and not calling them. How’s that?” he asked Laxmi who growled in annoyance and turned to her sisters.

“Let’s go,” she said. Her eyes shot to Allyn for a brief moment with a look of pity, and they flew away.

Allyn wished they would have stayed and kept her company, but she couldn’t blame them for not wanting to hang around Prince Lennox.

“I wonder when they’ll get over it,” Lennox said before taking another sip of his drink.

“It’s appalling how little you know about human emotion.”

Lennox shrugged. “Why should I? I’m not human.” He lowered his voice as if he was about to tell her a secret. “I’m a beast.”

With that, he took her hand and led her into the crowd.

Allyn inhaled and said a tiny prayer as she followed him.
Let me get through this
.

There were many difficult situations in her life that she’d survived; bullying all through her school years, her mother’s death, beatings and glorified torture from the hands of the nuns, betrayal from the man she loved. What was a night pretending to be her captors date?

She could get through this. With poise.

When he led her to an older fairy couple, she immediately knew who they were.

“Allyn,” Lennox said. “Meet the king and queen of Faustinia.”

Allyn smiled at them, and gave an awkward little curtsy that made her cheeks turn rose red.

“Lovely to meet you,” she said.

The queen didn’t smile, but nodded without a word.

The king, as tall as Lennox, with white hair and eyes that were gray like Laxmi’s, smiled at her. “Likewise,” he said. “What do you do back in Elastria?”

Great. Let’s show them how much of a loser I am. What should I tell them? Waitress? Unemployed waitress? What lovely options.

“She’s a famed novelist,” Lennox said.

The king and queen both seemed intrigued by that reply.

“Is that so?” the queen asked.

Stunned by his response, she swallowed, faked a smile and nodded. “It is,” Allyn said. “I’ve always enjoyed writing.”

That—at least—wasn’t a lie. She’d gone to college for literature, and had written several stories. She’d never been published though. But, the fact that Lennox lied for her was a bit astounding. And to lie that Allyn was exactly what she dreamed to be was even more surprising.

“Well, that is incredible. Well done for someone so young,” the king said,

The queen put a hand on the king’s chest. “We should start the banquet now.”

He nodded. “Right. Lovely to meet you, Allyn. You two stay out of trouble,” he said, directing that last part to Lennox with a stern look.

Allyn now knew why they were so angry at Lennox. He’d slept with their daughters and ran back to Elastria. Her father would have been upset too—any father for that matter.

“You like that?” Lennox said, once the king and queen walked away.

“Like what?” Allyn asked, her stomach growling as the scent of food being brought into the room catching her attention.

“How I just elevated you in their eyes? Amazing what a little lying can do.”

Allyn pursed her lips as she followed him to their seats.

He had to rub it in that it was a lie. She wondered if she’d ever survive her ordeal to make it a truth.

Once they sat down at the table, Lennox gave her thigh a squeeze and ordered them more drinks.

As Allyn sat there, she stared at the centerpiece before her. A black tree wrapped in crystals and white flowers. All went quiet inside her head as she stared at it, until it started to bleed. Dark crimson blood left the creases of the tree’s bark and spilled onto the white table like a river.

Shocked, Allyn was broken from her trance and blinked.

Nothing.

There was no blood, and everyone continued to chat and go on as if nothing happened.

Her heart thumped in her chest as she clutched Lennox’s hand, thankful that she had something to grip, even if it was the hand of the man she should hate.

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D
INNER ENDED AND
everyone left the banquet hall to join the other guests for the ball.

Surprisingly, Lennox hadn’t been as vulgar as she thought he would be. He ate. He drank. He told terrible jokes. But, other than that, he wasn’t awful to be around.

They reached the center of the circular palace where the party was held and being around a whole new slew of guests made Allyn anxious. Too many cocktails and sugar made her adrenaline spike.

Her full belly churned and she had to avert her eyes from everyone that they passed on their way to the main ballroom.

Prince Lennox, however...

He soaked up the attention as if it was his driving force.

No wonder he was always on the front of the imperial papers every winter, getting into trouble, or in the middle of some scandal.

He outstretched his arms when they reached the main balcony that stood between two staircases that led to the dance floor.

Allyn lingered a few feet behind, wringing her hands with worry. She felt ill. She wasn’t prepared for this kind of attention. Despite the loud music that played, she could hear her own heartbeat thumping in her chest. She pressed her back against the wall.

I can’t do this.

She couldn’t even appreciate the beauty of the ballroom, with its golden chandeliers, and colorful streamers hanging from the ceiling with white lights along the fabric.

Everyone was so attractive. Their faces were smooth, without age, and like dolls. Every beat of the music sent her closer to losing it. She stepped backward, into the shadows of the corridor, hoping Lennox wouldn’t notice.

After a few minutes of adjusting to the setting, Igor approached. He handed her a drink as Lennox talked to a group of female fairies that seemed to pounce on the chance to get him alone.

Allyn drank it down, watching Lennox charm the group of women. Her throat burned at whatever she’d just swallowed.

She grimaced. “What was that?”

He smiled, his face shimmering in the dim red light coming from the chandelier above. For a fairy, he was handsome. Too sparkly to be her type, but nice to look at, and with each passing second, her body warmed more and more with the strange liquor.

Igor shrugged. “It’s just the special punch we serve at each party. We’re kind of known for it. They don’t have it in Elastria.”

The flavor was pleasant, like tropical fruit, but it made her feel drunk way too fast.

“So, I saw what you did earlier. I didn’t know witches were impervious to fire. How did you do that?”

Allyn shrugged. “I don’t know.” She really didn’t.

“Well, it was pretty cool,” Igor said.

“Thanks.”

“Tell me something, Allyn. What’s the real deal between you two? Are you really his date?”

“Why do you ask?”

Igor grinned. “You’re a pretty girl. Do I really have to spell it out for you?”

Allyn frowned and glanced at him. “Lennox would break you in half if he thought you were flirting with me.”

“Nonsense. Lennox doesn’t feel anything for any girl. He comes here almost every winter and brings women with him every time. You think he cares about them? I’ve seen how he treats girls.”

That revelation wasn’t very assuring.

“But, what I don’t understand is this dynamic between you to. I mean...he’s a hunter and hunts witches. Do you know how many he’s killed?”

Allyn looked away. Why did he have to remind her?

As if Lennox read her mind or sensed her anxiety, he turned to her, his brows raised, questioningly.

Allyn’s face flushed and she stepped away from Igor, who was too close for her comfort.