Page 8 of Of Curses and Beauty

“It’s a bit of a funny story. This isn’t actually my face. I mean, it is, sort of, but I’m truly—well, uhm—pretty. Ugh, that’s not right. I mean, it is, but it makes me sound conceited. What I mean to say is that everyone else thinks I’m pretty. In my village, they sometimes call me Beauty.”Why was this so uncomfortable?

She took another steadying breath, determined to get this off her chest. “All my life, I’ve been made to believe that only my beauty makes me worthy. Worthy of attention, worthy of affection, worthy of marriage. I guess you could say I’m running from my beauty and searching for my true value. Apparently, I’m halfway there. Though that’s really only half the story.” A smile graced her face, but his remained unmoving, contemplative. “Why did you make your home here? Are you running or searching?”

“I’m cursed,” he replied with a shrug. “This isn’t my home; it’s my prison.” He glanced away, crossing his arms over his chest and reminding her that he wore little in the way of clothing.

“Right. Well, I really should be going. My father will be missing me terribly.”

His answering laugh sent shivers down her spine.

“I don’t think you understand. You can’t leave.”

She whirled, breath catching on a gasp as she half expected him to disappear into a cloud of smoke and leave her here alone forever.

“What do you mean I can’t leave?” The words ran together as they wheezed out of her, high-pitched and breathy.

“I mean that in all the time that I’ve been here, I have yet to find a way out, but by all means, do try.” He stepped aside with a flourish. “Perhaps it will be different for you.”

It wasn’t true. Itcouldn’tbe true.

Alaine ran.

When she reached the nearest fence post, she tossed decorum aside, throwing one leg over like a man mounting a horse. She slid off the other side and landed in a heap of skirts. Frowning, she picked herself up. She’d expected some kind of magical barrier or guard. Surely, it couldn’t be that easy. She turned, looking back to see if the beastly man had followed her, intent to keep her hostage, but there was no man, no cottage before her.

Now she knew she truly was losing her mind.

“Well, it was worth a try.”

Her heart leaped into her throat at the sound of his voice coming from behind her. She swiveled to face the man, finding him just as he had been when she’d vaulted the fence, except instead of being on opposite sides, it was like she had never tried to leave. The look on his face told her the result would be the same if she tried again.

All at once, the events of the day came crashing down upon her shoulders. Her limbs grew heavy and her thoughts became foggy. As much as she desired to be free of this place, she could not muster the energy to exhaust every possible means of escape, especially if they were all as futile as this one had been.

“How long have you been stuck here?” She dreaded the answer but feared the unknown more.

He leveled his intense stare at her and she saw the answer reflected in his eyes—all the lifetimes he’d witnessed, unchanging and alone. It was too late to recant her question and, though she braced herself in anticipation of the coming blow, nothing could have prepared her for the truth.

“Three hundred and eleven years.”

Chapter 6

Daric

Darichadforgottenwhatit was like to interact with another person. His only conversations in recent years had been with the witch that had cursed him. He’d seen far too much ofher, though she was oddly absent since delivering the girl to his woodland cage.

His feet dragged as he made his way to the fence post where her crumpled form lay. She had fainted upon hearing the length of his solitude. He was loath to move her, knowing it would set into motion whatever schemes the old witch had cooked up, but it wouldn’t do to leave her laying in the grass. There was no telling how long it would take her to recover and he wouldn’t have her waking alone and scared.

He squinted as he stood over her, trying and failing to see her for the beauty she claimed to be, not that it mattered to him. He’d had countless beautiful women throwing themselves at his feet in his life before the curse. It didn’t satisfy him then and was of no consequence now. Though, she did pique his interest.

With a sigh, he scooped up the poor girl, ignoring the way her gentle curves nestled into the hard planes of his body. She seemed young, younger even than he had been when he’d first been cursed. He tried not to think about the loved ones she’d unwittingly left behind, the father she’d mentioned. She still had so much life left to live and now it was lost. Lost to some stupid curse on the whim of a witch.

He couldn’t pity her without feeling sorry for himself in the process, so he focused on how this would change his life for the better. It was too much to hope for meaningful conversations and companionship, but he would be grateful to share his space with another person.

As he reached the door, he commanded the cottage to open it. The girl didn’t stir as it swung open on quiet hinges. It took longer than he expected to safely maneuver himself and the girl through.

Daric turned to shut the door and caught sight of the familiar old crone standing on the other side of the fence. Her hood hung low over her face, but there was no mistaking the wicked smile she cast his way. Glaring in return, he shifted the girl just enough to make a vulgar gesture in the witch’s direction and slammed the door closed on her responding cackle.

Chapter 7

Alaine

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