The beast swore under his breath. I heard him shift, like he wanted to reach out towards me. However, he caught himself and didn’t actually move back to my side. He muttered something under his breath. “I don’t know how to explain.”

“Well you better figure it out because I still think waking the entire building up is going to be my best bet for going up against a beast.”

“No, I’m not a beast. I’m Beast. It is what most call me.”

“Huh…”

“Always an eloquent one you were Beauty.”

“Let me put it this way. I’ve known where you live for some time now. If I’d wanted to harm you then I would’ve done so a lot sooner. I could’ve left you for the Wood Hag to finish off. I could’ve killed you while you were unconscious. You were defenseless so it would’ve been easy.”

I chose not to say anything in response. He had a point. That much I was willing to admit. Maybe not to him but to myself. There was also his voice. It had been so calm when I’d first woke up. He’d explained why I was still seeing only shadows and outlines. And come to think of it, when I’d felt his claws on my leg it hadn’t exactly been threatening. It had almost been gentle. Chasing me down over the bed had definitely made my heart stop but he’d also pulled me to my feet after I’d fallen in my blind panic. That niggling feeling of familiarity sparked to life in the back of my mind. “Are you…” I started before cutting myself off abruptly.

If he were a Queensmen then I’m sure Aurelio would’ve told me about him. It didn’t seem very smart to let your newest recruit wander around the city and not tell her about the big hulking monster that might possibly jump in to help out. I shook my head slightly and changed my question. “Did… did I know you? Back in Ederlind before I… before I died?”

Beast laughed a little in his throat. It wasn’t exactly a happy sound though. “Yes. Yes you did. I am the prince of Petrichor. Your former boss.”

“Boss?” I repeated, eyebrow shooting up instinctively.

“You were, without a doubt, the worst maid I’ve ever had the misfortune of having to hire.”

I jerked up against the wall. “Excuse me!”

“I always found you in the kitchen instead of cleaning. I think at one point the cook even hid you in the pantry so I couldn’t chase you out. So much of my time wasted but of course you remember absolutely none of it.”

Luke said that back in Ederlind it had always been the three of us. Him, our dad, and myself. Until I’d left to take a job somewhere. Luke had gone pretty silent after that. Pieces of the puzzle clicked together in the back of my head. I also couldn’t stop the massive wave of guilt that rose up in me. “I’m sorry,” I told him, genuinely meaning it.

Beast huffed. “Nothing to be done about it. You should come and sit down on the bed at least. I shall give you your space.”

I paused. He’d give me space? Not only that but it suddenly occurred to me that he’d not taken a single step closer to me since he’d realized my fear. I really didn’t know what to make of that. However, the floor was uncomfortable and now that the adrenaline wasn’t coursing through me I could feel my head pounding again. Very slowly and on shaking hands I pushed myself up against the wall. Thankfully my wild stumble from the bed hadn’t actually been as far as I’d thought it been. Had I actually been in danger then it would’ve been a problem. My bed squeaked as I sunk down on it again.

“You need to be careful. Until you have more practice with magic and can successfully cast spells with consistency I would advise against any unnecessary heroics.”

I threw a glare in his general direction. What was I supposed to do? Hide away at home? Or maybe I wasn’t supposed to push children out of the way of vicious looking tree women. “Excuse me for wanting to live a mildly normal life even though I’ve suddenly discovered that I’ve got magic.”

There wasn’t any way to really keep the bitterness out of my voice.

“You might have magic Beauty but you clearly don’t know how to use it,” he told me bluntly. I actually flinched and ducked my head. Beast breathed a sigh. “That will change with time.”

“Aurelio gave me a book but I don’t understand it.”

“The Huntsman actually gave you a grimoire to study?” He sounded so shocked by that little mention. Then he snorted. “Probably gave you one directly from the Fairy Queen herself. Very useful if you’re fluent in Archaic Fae. Which no one this side of the Veil or in half of the principalities of Ederlind is. I have a few, more helpful, resources that I can bring you. I will see that you get them.”

“Th…thank you. That’s kind of you.”

“Trust me when I say this Beauty. I’d rather you not die. If lending you a few books will prevent that then you can have as many.”

I shifted slightly on the bed. “Why do you keep calling me Beauty? I know you know my name. You said it earlier.”

Beast fell silent. Not a fully awkward silence but definitely one that stretched on for far too long than it really should have. “It was… a nickname of sorts that I gave you when we first met. It irritated you to no end so I continued to use it.”

“So you teased me with it then?” I summarized hesitantly. I hated the fact that I couldn’t see his face or expressions bothered me. Was he smiling? Frowning? It would’ve gone far in helping me out. I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I couldn’t change that. “Were we friends too and not just employee and employer?”

Again there was a silence. This one felt awkward. “Genevieve, are you aware of the fact that many of us from beyond the Veil have stories associated with us? That the story of Snow White didn’t just spring up from nothing.”

Nodding hesitantly I said, “I figured as much.”

“Didn’t you ever wonder what story your life in Ederlind inspired?”

“If I’m honest, I’ve barely had time to think about it.”

If I had to guess, Beast was staring at me. Most likely flatly. “Give yourself a bit of time and then just take a wild guess.”

I crossed my arms over my chest in distinct irritation. It had literally just been twenty-four hours. I was still processing everything. “Is this actually important to answering my question?”

He gave a sigh. “We were… friends. Of a sort. You could call our relationship that I suppose. You came to work for me to pay off a debt your father incurred while he was my guest. You ended up staying past the agreed contract. Make of that what you will.”

It wasn’t the most straightforward answer. However, it was an answer and just like when Luke had told me about Ederlind’s existence and my past life, I felt inclined to believe this Beast. Thanks a lot instinct. I nodded in understanding.

Immediately I winced and ducked my head into my hands. The motion wreaked havoc across my skull. I barely held off the tears that formed in the corners of my eyes. “Beauty…”

Whatever Beast had been about to say died. His words fell away and I could feel the tips of claws hovering at the side of my cheek. I hadn’t even heard him move. Maybe it had been the pain. Very quickly, he drew back his claws. “Forgive me. I didn’t mean to. Perhaps it’s time that I took my leave of here. I think I’ve stayed too long as it is. You need your rest.”

My tongue felt heavy in my throat. “Just like that?”

“Just like that,” he repeated simply. My bed squeaked as he moved away from it. “I have put you through enough stress tonight.”

“This building has night guards. They’ll see you leave,” I blurted out. Was that supposed to be a threat? A warning? A question as to how he’d even gotten me into my room without having someone shoot him down? I wasn’t entirely sure what I was getting at.

Beast laughed. This one actually sounded amused. “This building also has a fire escape in your hallway. I’ll get out the way we got in. Unseen. Thank you for your concern.”

The floor creaked again as he edged towards the window. Not only was Beast huge but he had to be heavy as well.

“Get some sleep before your brother returns. I’d imagine that he’ll be home soon. I’d avoid getting up too much tonight though. Not while your eyesight is still recovering.”

Something akin to a chill fell over the room. “What is it?” I murmured.

“If I were you Beauty I would keep our meeting secret from others. I wouldn’t even tell your brother.”

“And why it that?” Instantly I was on guard. “Why are you asking me to hide things? Sounds like something a person with dubious intentions would ask me to do.”

“I know. I know,” he grumbled.

“I tell my brother everything. And I’m a Queensmen now. I’m pretty sure I’m expected to let them know when things like this happen.”

“I know!”

The bite in his voice made me jump a little and shrink back.

“Forgive me. I… I just— you were murdered three hundred years ago. You left my castle for a trip to your home village and never came back. Stabbed twice and left to bleed out on the forest floor I later came to learn. All because you’d just discovered you were an Everlasting. Because you were the Enchantress.”

Bile rose up in my throat and my hand trembled over my scars. I swallowed it down though. “I don’t see how that has anything to do with me not telling anyone about meeting you.”

“I am well known. I am a Prince. I am powerful in more ways than one and I am someone that many would consider an invaluable ally. I’m afraid that if one of the rebels realizes that we’ve met again that they will try to kill you this time as well.”

“So you think they’ll come after me because of you? Don’t you think that’s a little conceited?”

“No! That’s not what I meant…”

“Then what did you mean?”

“I think you’re better off not having a connection to me. Or at least seeming not too. That is all. I offered you every resource I had available to me the last time you discovered you were the Enchantress so that you could hone your skills. Your abilities grew too quickly.”

Conceitedness I could’ve dealt with. I could’ve snorted at it. Probably brushed it off or called him on it. What I wasn’t prepared for was the earnest and almost melancholic tone that lingered in his voice. I didn’t really know what to say to that. I just felt incredibly sorry for him. And guilt laden.

“Oh…” I finally said. I had to swallow the lump in my throat before I went on. “Against all common sense, I’ll keep this a secret… at least for now and as far as I can with the um—“

I waved my hand across my eyes.

“They will heal. I promise you. I will return sometime tomorrow with the books that I promised you but for now, I’ll take my leave of you. Good night Beauty.”

Footsteps fell across my floor, away from me and the bed. A thought pierced through my mind like lightning. “Beast!” I called after his footsteps. He paused in his movement. “Thank you… for saving me tonight. I… I… just thank you.”

“It was nothing Beauty.”