Page 76 of Beauty

“Our land,” Gillian says, her face sober as she stands underthe awning. “She’s gone back to the tower. She wouldn’t leave without herknife.”

“She has her father’s knife?” Dante asks. “The one thatmatches his sword?”

Gillian nods, taking a moment as she looks on the edge ofsome unnamed emotion. “She does. It was next to her body. I recognized it. Itook it with me because I thought it would prove her identity. She’s protectedit ever since. She would never leave it behind. She intends to kill Torin withthat knife.”

I stare at my sister. “Gillian, why would she have thatthought in her head? Bronwyn is a princess. She doesn’t know how to fight.”

Gillian snorts. “I assure you, she does, and so do I. Whatwas I supposed to do? Was I supposed to hire servants and continue to live as aroyal? We were on the run and we had nothing but the jewels I managed tosmuggle out. We worked for our food, and I wasn’t about to be at the mercy ofany man. Before Torin started killing non-sidhe, I paid a couple ofgoblins to train us how to fight. They were the first. Wherever we would go, wewould find someone to teach us. She’s quite good with a staff and knives and abow. She needs work with a sword.”

“She needs to get to a place where she doesn’t have todefend herself.” I turn back to my brother. “Why didn’t we know any of this?”

We were in her dreams for years, and she never gave a hintof the horrors she faced.

“They were her dreams,” Shim points out. “She was exactly whoshe wanted to be in those dreams. You should know that.”

In my dreams, I’m whole. Bron never saw the real me untilearlier this day. She seemed all right with my lack of beauty, but my scarscouldn’t have helped.

Bron was on her own with only Gillian to help her survive.And now she doesn’t even have Gillian with her. How much did she hear of mysister’s speech? “Do you think she heard you, Gilly?”

Tears squeeze from her eyes. “I do. I think she’ll nevertrust me again, and it’s my own damn fault. If she dies out there, it will beon my head because I’m so bloody arrogant.”

“You’re a princess, Your Highness. You are everything youneed to be, including arrogant. If you didn’t believe in yourself and yourmission, you and Bronwyn would be dead. You did everything right.” Roan standsto the side, but there is no question he’s an authority figure. “Now let us doour job and get you all to safety. We need to get to Aoibhneas, and then we canhave all the fights and recriminations you like. We can all decide what to dofrom there.”

Gillian stares at him warily. “I thought you’re being paidto get Bron and me back to the Dark Palace?”

“I’m being paid to take care of you and to do what’s in yourbest interest,” Roan replies. “Your father hired me to find a child. I’m in thepresence of a woman with a mind I admire. You and Princess Bronwyn havesurvived here for a very long time. I’ll listen to any plan the two of you haveso long as you allow me to listen from a safe location. I don’t intend to drageither of you kicking and screaming off the plane. You’re smart women. You havea say in your future. That’s something Princess Bronwyn’s husbands shouldremember when they’re dealing with her.”

“You’re a dangerous man, Roan.” Gillian says the words witha small sniffle, but it’s plain my sister is taking the vampire seriously.

A single brow rises over the vampire’s eyes. “Don’t youforget it for a second, Princess.”

Gillian stares at him for a moment. “Don’t think flatterywill work with me.”

A smile tugs that vampire’s lips up, revealing a hint offangs. “I wouldn’t imagine it. I suspect rope and long days of training willwork on you.”

“Roan, you go too far.” I’m not about to let my sister beabused. Though I’m thinking about tanning my mate’s ass red. It makes me ahorrible hypocrite, but it feels odd to listen to the vampire talk about Gillyin such a fashion. She’s my sister. She isn’t supposed to do things like gettied up.

Gillian laughs. “I think I can handle one vampire, though heis overly large. Roan will discover soon enough the depth of my training. Andthe lengths I’ve gone to. I assure you, he’ll find another consort.”

Dellacourt starts walking to the north. “Kaja is this way. Iput a locator device under her skin a long time ago. That sweet shanimal isn’tgetting away from me. I recommend you all put locators on your women. They walkoff all too often. Now, can we stop the whole sexual tension thing between theprincess and the mercenary? Either fuck each other or let it drop. I have acousin and a wife to find.”

Roan’s men gather around, the big lieutenant stopping andstaring at Gillian with unabashed interest. Is this the vampire Roan intends toshare my sister with?

Am I going to have to kill two vampires? Or should I doexactly what Roan said and assume that Gillian has a brain and can handleherself? Roan won’t force her. He might try to seduce her, but he won’t forceher.

I’m about to follow Dellacourt when there’s a popping soundand the sky darkens. I look overhead and clutch my sword. I can’t mistake thatcloud. It’s an eddy cloud.

“Is that what I think it is?” Shim tries to walk out, buthis eyes close. The light is too much for him.

First blood is supposed to give him strength, and it seemsit has. Shim is stronger than he’s been in thirteen years, but it also seems tohave enhanced his vampire half. Shim closes his eyes and tries to step out. Ishove him back.

“You’re no good if you can’t see.” I can see. It’sirritating, but I can keep my eyes open.

Roan has a sonic charger in his hands. It sends pulses ofsound waves that incapacitate or kill its victims if the setting is highenough. “Let’s see who’s come to greet us. They could be friendly.”

But I’m pretty damn sure they won’t be. And now I’m gladBron is gone. I’ll find her. Kaja will protect her, and according to Gillian,she isn’t bad at protecting herself. But whatever is about to drop from thatcloud is bad. I can feel it.

“Stay inside.” I look back to where Duffy and Shim stand. Ican protect them both. “Duffy, you stay here and guard Shim. Gillian, please.”