Page 66 of Beast and Remedy
Beau’s gaze hardens at my stubbornness. “I amnotgoing to risk sending you and your sister into the forest alone.”
I go to argue, and his eyes flash with the challenge, cutting me off before words even form.
He holds my mind, body, and soul captive as he says, “You came here for a reason. And youknowwe can help. Let us.”
I peer over at my friends, and their features fill with hope and encouragement.
“We will escort you back to Belmur,” Beau declares, catching me off guard as he withdraws, breaking our physical contact.
I shake my head, also hating how much I miss his touch already. “I can’t ask any of you to do that. You are banished by my father.”
Jules speaks up. “But your father isn’t there.”
“Jean and Pierre are. And I have no doubt in my mind they will report it to him.”
“So, we will convince them to listen,” Christine adds, squaring her shoulders.
I glance at my sister, knowing Jean and Pierre would do anything for us as they would for Papa. We are family.
Jules offers me her open palm. “Let’s do this, Vi.”
I regard her before looking at Beau, and his two dimples appear, his soft smile undoing me.
“We’re all here for you.”
Closing my eyes, I send a prayer to the Makers, hoping Jean and Pierre will hear me out. I plead for strength to keep my mind and my heart solely focused on Marian and finding a cure.
I need to be rational, logical, ineveryaspect from here on out. I am getting help, and I will put an end to all of this. Nothing can distract me.No onecan distract me.
Steadying for the next step, I rise, trying to relinquish any negative thoughts.
But Jules yanks me in for an embrace, and Christine chuckles and joins in. I hug them in return, not realizing how badly I missed them till now.
Marian rouses as Marcel guides her back. “Vi?”
I pull away from Jules and Christine. “I’m here, Marian. Leo is going to take you to your rooms.”
Leo lowers, lifting one of my sister’s arms over his neck.
She sighs contentedly. “That’s very nice.”
“I needed a reason to get closer to you,” Leo teases with a devious smirk, earning a lift of Marian’s lips.
He gathers Marian to his chest, his hands white-knuckling from the strain of her weight, but he appears as if he wants to be nowhere else. Leo looks down at my sister with wonder and something I can’t quite place.
Marcel asks, “You got her?”
“I’ve got her,” Leo whispers with reverence.
A vow, a promise.
My heart warms, seeing someone care for her.
I study the fierceness in his blue eyes. Gone is the antagonist and bully from my childhood, replaced by something else—someoneelse. Maybe he has changed.
“Thank you,” I say as Leo steps back with my sister, nodding to his brother before exiting the hall.
Marcel goes to Jules and Christine, and they bid me and Beau goodnight before trailing off to their chambers.
