Page 232 of Beast and Remedy
But I… I can’t move, terrified of the immediate anger from Papa.
No, not anger—wrath.
I dart my attention to my father, but I can’t discern anything. There’s no joy, no rage—nonothingin his expression.
I didn’t tell him Beau and I were more than friends yet. I barely scratched the surface of that. Did I just undo the sliver of trust and acceptance of Beau that he barely gave me?
Dread snakes across the bedchamber, pulling apart my flesh to yank my heart from my chest. And in that small kernel of time, my life flashes by.
Papa punches Beau in the face.
51
Condemnation
“How dare you!” My father roars, landing another blow. Beau doesn’t fight back.
Marcel and Leo hurry to separate the two men, but fury seeps through Papa’s words. “You are such a—”
“Papa!Stop!” I yelp and fall back when he shakes me off. Pain ripples up my side.
He freezes his next swing, fearful of hurting me, and he lowers his defensive strikes.
Leo and Marcel sigh with relief as Beau wipes blood from his busted lip, wincing. His cheek already bruises, and it tears me apart he can’t heal his own injuries.
Even as Beau’s eyes meet mine, there is no hint of remorse or regret for what he did. Rather, defiance shines as he stifles his pain and rises to his full stature.
My father points at Beau with malice. “Don’ttouch her again.”
“King Bernard—” Beau tries.
“Papa—”
“Don’ttry to explain yourselves.”
My father’s wrath is barely intact. Betrayal stings in his stare.
“Closefriends?” He laughs darkly, and I know I’ve hurt him as much as Marian has. Shaking his head, he sighs with bitterness. “Take us to Marian. And then we will be leaving.”
Beau scoots toward the bed to help me, and Papa shoves him back. “What did Ijustsay?”
Beau works his jaw slowly in rebuttal, but Leo and Marcel step in, each of them extending a hand to me. “We’ll help.”
I glance to my father for approval, but he’s too busy ensuring Beau leaves for the door first, keeping us as far apart as possible.
Papa joins Beau at the threshold, peering back with disappointment before entering the hall.
Not even Beau makes eye contact with me, and my lip quivers.
Soul-shredding pain burrows deep in my chest. I swallow the bile stuck in my throat, trying to maintain a brave face.
But everything is falling apart.
Marcel and Leo ease me up and through the hallway, all of us proceeding toward the dungeon. Beau and my father do not walk close to one another, and the distance between them is world-shattering.
“How long?” Leo whispers. “How long have you and Beau—”
“Since he came back to Belmur after your father passed,” I admit through the slight tremor in my voice. “I… We… We never meant to keep it a secret. It—”
