“Ah, yeah, sure.” Abigail was beginning to feel uncomfortable with the amorous way Bellamy was beginning to look at her. She coughed into her hand. “I’ve read most of them already anyways. And will you stop looking at me like that!”
Bellamy reached out and took one of Abigail’s hands into his own two hands. “Thank you.” He squeezed her hand softly.
The yeti’s cheeks were turning magenta again. She was surprised that he was willing to touch her - especially touch her blue-skinned, clawed hand like that. “It’s no big deal, really.”
Bellamy just smiled before releasing Abigail’s hand and returning his attention to the books. His sharp blue eyes began to scan the different titles, and he started to select a few books to read from the shelves, creating a tall stack in his arms.
“Aren’t you at all curious about my lab?” Abigail asked. “Most people would say something like ‘This looks like Snape’s classroom’ or something.”
Bellamy paused with his hand on the spine of a book. “Oh. Right. What’s it for?” His tone was bland and his expression was carefully neutral.
“I’m trying to find an alternative way to turn my servants human again through transmutation experiments.” Abigail raised her chin proudly and gave Bellamy an expectant look. He probably thought she was some kind of genius now.
“That so?” Bellamy said dryly.
A vein in Abigail’s temple throbbed in ire. “Aren’t you at all surprised? What I’m trying to do isn’t easy. I’m combining alchemy and magic.”
“I thought only true love could break the curse?” Bellamy reminded pointedly.
“Pffft.” Abigail snorted and waved her hand through the air. “What if I never find true love? What then? My servants will crumble to dust! I can’t let them die.” Her shoulders had begun to tremble. “Not when this is all my fault!”
A surprised look flitted across Bellamy’s face when he noticed the passion swirling in the yeti’s silver eyes. “That’s…actually very nice of you. Heh.”
Abigail huffed. “Don’t sound so surprised, Nerd! I can be nice, if I try. I mean, I happen to be a very nice person!” she quickly amended.
“Uh huh.” Bellamy didn’t sound all that convinced.
“Don’t use that tone with me, Mister. It’s true! I would do anything to save them. Pay any price. I’d give up all my riches so long as Jett and the others could be human again!” Abigail insisted fervently.
“And what about you?” Bellamy asked, curiously.
“What about me?” The yeti blinked.
“What about…you staying a yeti?” The bookworm prompted.
Abigail frowned. “Right now my priority is trying to find a way to turn everyone back to normal. As for myself…it’s better to be realistic. There’s not much hope. The chances of someone falling in love with me are slim.” And even slimmer I’ll fall in love with someone. I don’t believe in love. The yeti thought sourly to herself.
Bellamy gave Abigail a searching look. “That’s…commendable. I could help you. I don’t know much about alchemy or magic, but maybe after I read up a bit on it I might be able to give you a different viewpoint that could prove useful.”
It was Abigail’s turn to look surprised. “You would help me?”
The bookworm’s shoulders raised in a lackadaisical shrug. “Sure. Why not? It’s not like I have anything better to do while I remain your prisoner here.”
“My hero.” The yeti’s voice was dripping with sarcasm. But maybe it wouldn’t be so hard being nice to Bellamy DeWinter after all.
***
Contrary to Abigail’s belief, Bellamy had in fact been very interested in Aspen’s laboratory. But since he’d already seen it in his dream vision he thought that it was wise to pretend to be indifferent, and not look overly interested in it lest Abigail grow suspicious.
Yes, the books were amazing and interesting too, but what was even more interesting was the locked room in the laboratory. Was the Philosopher’s Stone in there? Bellamy couldn’t help but wonder.
After their first visit to the lab, Bellamy and Abigail started to spend their time together down there, giving each other company. While Abigail would work on her strange alchemy and transmutation experiments, Bellamy would usually be found seated in a comfy armchair reading a book. There was a pile of books on the table next to him with the following titles: Splendor Solis, Astronomia Nova, Codex Imperium, Key of Solomon, and the Book of Cagliostro.
While Bellamy read he surreptitiously watched Abigail out of the corner of his eyes as she performed her experiments, several of which seemed to include a rainbow-colored stone. His eyes widened dramatically when he watched her turn a live rat into jade. But when Abigail tried to turn the jade rat back to flesh and blood - nothing happened. And the times something did happen…weren’t pretty.
Apparently, it was easy to turn a living creature to stone, but not easy to return them to their original state. Trying to keep his tone as nonchalant as possible Bellamy spoke, “Is that rock thing you’re using…the Philosopher’s Stone?”
Abigail’s shoulders stiffened, and she gave Bellamy a suspicious look. “Where did you learn that name?”
“From one of the books,” Bellamy replied with an innocent wave to the bookcases.
“Oh. This.” Abigail held up the stone she’d been using in her latest experiment. “Is not the real Philosopher’s Stone. I’m using fakes or replicas for my experiments. It’s much too dangerous to risk the real stone until I’m confident it won’t be destroyed during one of my experiments.”
“Where’s the real stone?” Bellamy worked to keep his expression carefully neutral.
“None of your damned business!” Abigail had roared in Bellamy’s face, suddenly losing her temper. Heat rose to her cheeks in embarrassment for her outburst though.
Bellamy put his hands up before him in a surrendering gesture. “Whoa. I was just curious. That’s all.”
Abigail was panting for breath, her chest heaving as she tried to rein in her temper. “That’d better be all. Don’t ask about the stone again! Ever.”
“Alright, I won’t.” Bellamy glanced askance at the locked door. He didn’t need Abigail’s permission to see the stone. He just needed the key. Unfortunately he had no idea where the key could be and began to feel frustrated. That’s when a silvery glint caught his eyes, and he looked at Abigail.
He’d never noticed the thick silver chain that was dangling from around her neck before, or the key that was hanging from that chain since it was slightly buried in the fluffy white fur that covered most of Abigail’s body.
Bellamy ducked his head to hide his stunned, elated expression. The key! It’s been right there all along! I need to get that key somehow. If I can study the Philosopher’s Stone myself maybe I can figure out why Abigail’s experiments keep failing. Bellamy was confident in his own genius to solve this puzzle.
In order to steal the key, Bellamy decided to wait until he was sure Abigail had gone to sleep that night then carefully snuck into the yeti’s bedroom. As Bellamy stealthily crept inside, his curiosity got the better of him and he looked around the room. It wasn’t everyday that one got to see a yeti’s bedroom after all.
Bellamy’s lips dipped into a frown though since the room was incredibly normal, and surprisingly feminine. The long brocade curtains that covered the almost floor-to-ceiling windows were a beige color with the pattern of red roses on them. The comforter that was draped over Abigail’s four-poster bed matched the curtains, and also had a rose pattern. The lamps sitting on the two nightstands that were situated on either side of the bed had pastel pink shades.
Then he caught sight of Abigail’s dressing table. His eyebrows rose to his hairline when he saw that the mirror had been broken. It looked like someone had punched the glass and had caused the mirror to shatter. Bellamy approached the dressing table and inspected the items on the counter. There were several silver hairbrushes with lots of white fur stuck in the bristles, and nail files littered the counter as well.
Bellamy picked up one of the hairbrushes and inspected the white fur. He glanced over at Abigail’s sleeping form and his frown deepened. It must have been hard for a young woman to be turned into a monster. With a pang of sympathy, his chest tightened.
For the zillionth time he felt the sorcerer Agathon had gone too far in cursing Abigail and turning her into a monster. She’d been recently orphaned, parentless, alone. Who would ever be able to see past Abigail’s monstrous appearance, and love her, in this day and age? It seemed highly unlikely. His heart went out to Abigail Snow, and her plight.
Bellamy noticed that the pewter and silver picture frames sitting on her dresser were devoid of photos, and suddenly wondered what Abigail had looked like before the curse. If she was cute now then she must have been gorgeous-
Bellamy’s thoughts skidded to an abrupt halt.
Did I really just think a yeti was cute? What the hell is wrong with me? Bellamy inwardly berated himself, startled by his own train of thought.
The bookworm shook his head to clear it, and carefully approached Abigail’s bedside as quietly as possible, his footfalls silent on the Persian carpet. Abigail was lying on her back and snoring loudly. Cute. He shook his head vigorously again.
Bellamy reached out and gingerly began to remove the chain from around Abigail’s neck. The yeti let out a breath, blowing his bangs away from his face. Bellamy held his breath as he continued to remove the chain and key as carefully as possible.
“Phew,” Bellamy let out a breath of relief as soon as he had the key safely in hand. The bookworm left Abigail’s room and shut the door softly behind him. He felt bad breaking Abigail’s trust like this, but…he was a gemologist. He was confident he could figure out the mystery behind the Philosopher’s Stone.
Once Bellamy was inside of the lab, he swiftly strode over to the locked door and used the key to open it. He opened the door, and flipped on a light switch. There sitting on a marble pedestal was the Sorcerer’s Stone. It was similar in appearance to an Aurora Borealis quartz since it was rainbow-colored and slightly translucent. But this stone was glowing softly with an inner light that was most decidedly magical.
Enthralled by the stone, Bellamy approached it in a sort of trance. When he was only a foot away that’s when he noticed the tiny cracks on the stone’s surface. He frowned, that couldn’t be good. He wondered what was causing the stone’s deterioration, but it had to be Agathon’s curse. Bellamy reached his hand out towards the stone concernedly.
“What are you doing in here?” Abigail’s harsh demand had him freezing.
Then Bellamy spun to face her. “Abigail!” He couldn’t stop the guilty look that formed on his face.
Fear flickered in Abigail’s silver eyes as she eyed the stone. “Get the hell away from it!” The yeti rushed Bellamy, and shoved him aside, hard.
Bellamy flew through the air and hit the wall with a smack. He groaned as his back and the back of his head hit the wall painfully. He slid down the wall until his butt was on the cold, concrete floor.
Abigail approached Bellamy with predatory steps, leaned over and growled in his face. “How dare you get close to the stone! Did you touch it? Do you realize what you could have done?” Her silver eyes flashed in anger.
Bellamy pushed himself up off the floor. “Ow.” His arm has been dislocated. “I’m sorry…I was just trying to help. I’m a gemologist-”
Abigail’s eyes narrowed suspiciously at Bellamy. “You knew all along, didn’t you? You knew the Philosopher’s Stone was somewhere in this mansion! That’s why you came here and befriended me. It was all a ruse to get the stone. You just want immortality like everyone else who has come here! You…imposter!” The yeti shouted in his face.
“What? No, I-” Bellamy protested with his back pressed against the wall.
“Get out!” Abigail shouted at him and when Bellamy just stared at her in disbelief she raised her voice. “GET OUT! Before I kill you, you imposter! You thief!” The yeti roared right in Bellamy’s face, showing her pointed fangs.
A tremor of fear slid up Bellamy’s spine. Shit. In that moment, Abigail was truly frightening. She looked like a monster. Bellamy knew better than to stick around a crazy, pissed off yeti, and so he ran. He ran out of the lab and then out of the mansion.
Jett tried to stop him on his way out, calling out to him concernedly, “Master Bellamy, wait!”
But Bellamy ignored the butler, exited the mansion, retrieved his team of dogs from the stables, hooked them up to his sled, and then he was off with a snap of the reins. “Mush!”
The dogsled flew down the graveled path that winded its way through the beautiful, stone gardens. Bellamy didn’t bother to even admire the stone formations as he passed. When Bellamy and the dogs passed through the front black wrought-iron gate, he could breath easier. It didn’t appear as though Abigail was going to stop his escape.
The dogsled passed through a bit of forest before Bellamy and the dogs exited onto the frozen lake. “Mush!” Bellamy snapped the reins so that the dogs ran even faster as they began to cross the precarious, iced-over lake. He wanted to put as much distance between himself and that crazy yeti girl as possible.
That’s when a feral roar split the air, causing the ice beneath the sled to vibrate - the roar was so loud. Then a white blur was charging towards Bellamy and his team of dogs. Bellamy narrowed his eyes at the approaching white blur. Was it Abigail? He wondered frantically, his heart pounding inside of his chest. But as the creature drew closer Bellamy was able to see it for what it truly was. Holy shit. A polar bear! “Mush!” He snapped the reins, urging his dogs to run faster.
The dogs didn’t need much encouragement when the seven hundred pound polar bear came charging after the sled with thundering footfalls. The polar bear abruptly sprang through the air from behind the sled.
When Bellamy glanced over his shoulder his eyes flared in alarm as he watched the polar bear soaring through the air and about to barrel into the sled. He had no choice but to jump off the sled. Bellamy hit the ice hard and rolled across it.
Bellamy watched as the polar bear crashed into the back of the sled, and immediately raked its claws over the burlap sack that contained all of Doris’s woodcarvings. The animal woodcarvings fell out of the bag, and spilled and skidded across the ice in all directions.
Bellamy quickly scrambled to his feet, and a few wooden figurines skidded to a halt in front of him.
The polar bear let out a frustrated roar that Bellamy had escaped its wrath and set its sights on the team of dogs next.
The dogs! Bellamy inwardly panicked. Mother loves those dogs. A determined expression settled over his face. He looked down, spotted the wooden figurine of a yeti, picked it up, and threw it at the polar bear. “Hey! Get away from my dogs!”
The wooden figurine hit the polar bear’s backside and it glanced over its shoulder at Bellamy.
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