Page 116 of Beauty

Lach nods, his whole face beaming, looking more vibrant thanI can ever remember my brother looking. “I did. And we were hurrying.” Hissmile grows vibrant. “Father worked hard while we were gone. He found a witch.She tore open a huge fucking hole in the door. Torin is going to know we’rehere now. Take a look at what I brought, brother.”

I look behind Lach and feel my mouth drop open. An armymarches behind Lach. I can’t count them. They seem endless. I see Maon, myfather’s chief advisor, and the whole council dressed for war. And then I seeGillian, flying past us, her feet working so hard they barely touch the ground.My sister runs and flings herself at our father.

Our father catches her, holding his daughter to him witheverything he has.

“When I got home, they were all waiting,” Lach says, emotionin his voice. “Vampires. Our people. Beck and Cian’s people. They wouldn’t beleft behind. Our father most of all.”

“Dad?” Dellacourt shouts out and runs toward a big man inboots and a hat.

But I’m concentrating on my father.

King Fergus of the Unseelie Fae keeps his arm around Gillyas he strides over. “Shim, I’m so proud of you, son.”

I feel my heart clench. How long did I wait to hear thosewords? Lach stands beside me, my big brother, lending me strength. “Thank you,Father.”

Father looks me in the eye, as though trying to send hiswill into me. “I mean it, Shim. You were steadfast. You knew the truth, and youand Lach held fast and despite everything I threw at you, you brought back yoursister and you…you honored your brother.” Fergus stops, emotion choking him.“When this is all done, we’re finding Duffy and bringing him home. He belongsin the family crypt with his mother and his ancestors. He did us all proud.”

Roan walks up behind my father. “Your Highnesses, we standready to fight. We are a small army compared to what we’re up against, butwe’re strong. Mr. Taggart has brought a force of fifty well-trainedex-soldiers. Julian Lodge and his business partner, Stefan Talbot, paid to haveeveryone outfitted with the finest in weaponry, and they’ve come along.”

The group of vampires are dressed in black and armed to theteeth. They look deadly.

Cousin Julian gives me a broad smile. “You know I never missthe chance to shed some blood.”

They’re here. My whole family. My whole kingdom. The oneswho thought I was defective now stand behind me. Something opens wide in mysoul and is full for the first time in my life—pride.

That feeling is quickly replaced with panic. “It’s good tohave an army, but we need to get them moving. Bron is ready.”

Beckett and Cian stand in the middle of the square, speakingto the villagers. Meg is hugging Kaja and Dante.

Beckett looks to Shim. “I told you, we’ll ride the winds.This war will be won today, thanks to my sister. I hear she is well.”

I move closer. “She was. She’s been shielding. I worry she’shiding from us.”

“I know she’s hiding. I saw what the hag wanted from her.”Lach shudders. “She won’t kill Bron for a day or two, but she’ll torture her. Ican’t imagine what Bron’s been through. We’ve waited. She’s ready. I’m notwilling to leave her there one moment more. I’ll sprint all the way if I haveto.”

Cian puts a hand on Lach’s shoulder. “You won’t have tosprint. We have a plan. Beck’s been practicing. But you have to listen. He’sbeen working on his speech.”

Beck slaps at his brother’s shoulder. “It’s not a speech.”

Cian smirks back at him. “It’s a speech.”

Beck hops onto the fountain and looks over the crowd. Agreat cheer goes up as Cian joins him and reaches out to help their wife up.Queen Meg stands in between her husbands, her face beaming out at the crowd.She’s ready just like Bron is ready.

I’m ready. I only just realized it. I’m ready to fight andto win because I’m not about to lose at this point.

Beck holds a hand up and all talking ceases. His voice ringsout over the courtyard and beyond. “I want to thank you all for being with uson this day. ’Tis a long time coming. You, my people, have suffered much sincemy uncle stole my father’s crown, but I am here to tell you, you are not alone.There are others waiting to join us. Today we march on the palace and we takeback what belongs to me, to my brother, and my wife, and most importantly wetake back what belongs to you. Your kingdom, your rights, your lives, and ifblood spills, then it will be righteous. We will be outnumbered and we willwin.”

A long shout goes up, threatening to shake the ground.

“That was a speech,” Lach says with a shake of his head asthough he can’t think of anything worse for a king to do.

It appears I will have the speechmaking duties in our futurekingdom. But for that kingdom to work, we need our queen. “We’re a day’s marchfrom her. What if the hags kill her?”

Beck leaps down and walks to me. “We aren’t more than anhour from our sweet sister. I told you. We will ride the winds.”

An eddy wind will be the fastest way to travel, but firstBeck has to find one and catch it, and finding one big enough will be a hugechallenge. This army is at least a thousand men and women. We will need morethan one eddy cloud. “King Beckett, shouldn’t we begin the march and try tofind eddy clouds along the way?”

Beck grins broadly. “I don’t have to find an eddy cloud, mybrother. I will simply make one. I am the master of storms and I can bring acloud to carry us all.”