Page 58 of Beauty's Beast

He paced the floor, his steps restless, impatient.

“Erik.”

He came to an abrupt halt at the sound of his mother’s voice. He took a deep breath and then turned to face her.

“Mother.”

Lady Trevayne’s gaze moved quickly over her son. He had once been tall and strong and handsome. Now, a black mask covered half of his face. She noted the subtle changes in his posture, noted that his gloved left hand seemed malformed, as did the shape of his boots. His voice, too, was changed.

“Are you well, Erik?”

“Where is Kristine?”

“What do you mean?”

“She’s gone. No one knows where.”

“Gone?”

Erik watched the color drain from his mother’s face, felt the first tendrils of fear twine around his heart. “She came here, did she not?”

“Yes.” Lady Trevayne sat down heavily, her shoulders sagging. “Charmion. She’s gone to Charmion.”

“What!” he roared. “Why would she go there?”

“She wanted to know what she could do to help you. She seemed to think she could persuade Charmion to lift the curse.”

“You told her?” He stared at his mother in disbelief. “Why would you do such a thing?”

“She’s your wife, Erik. Who has a better right to know the truth?”

He paced the floor, his right hand clenching and unclenching. “Why did you let her go?”

“I tried to talk her out of it, truly I did. I warned her that Charmion would have no pity, that it would be dangerous not only for her, but for her child.” Lady Trevayne gazed at her son, her arms aching to hold him, to comfort him as she had when he was a lad. “She loves you very much.”

Erik stared at his mother. “What are you talking about?”

“Kristine loves you. She told me so in this very room. Why else would she risk her life and that of her child?”

Erik closed his eyes. Could it be true? Did Kristine love him? And what if she did? It solved nothing.

“You are going after her, are you not?”

“Of course.” She had been gone for four days. He had no doubt that if she had reached Cimmerian Crag, she was being held there against her will.

“Hurry, Erik. My prayers will go with you.”

He took a step forward, then stopped. “I’m sorry I sent you away. It was wrong of me.”

“I should not have let you send me away when you most needed me,” his mother replied quietly. “That was wrong of me.” She smiled up at him, her eyes damp with tears. “Come, kiss me goodbye.”

“I’ll find her,” he promised, and bending down, he kissed his mother’s cheek. “I’ll send Chilton to bring you home.”

“There’s no need. I am content here.”

“Kristine will need you.” The wordswhen I’m gonehovered, unspoken, between them.

“As you wish. Go with God, my son,” Lady Trevayne said. She watched him leave the room, and then she went into the chapel to pray.

---