Would my new home have books? It was hard to imagine the infamous Beast sitting down to an afternoon read. I just hoped whichever castle he had chosen for his lair had a garden. If I couldn’t have fairy tales, I hoped I could have roses. Since summer had only just started, the ones in Marin had still been in bloom, and I had been sorry to leave them. Books reminded me of the comfort of home, but roses filled me with an alluring sense of hope. For surely any wonder was possible in a world that could produce such beauty?
Which made it just as hard to picture the Beast surrounded by roses as books. Nothing but disappointment could be gained by hoping for the familiar comforts of home in the trial ahead of me. Better, by far, to prepare myself for the worst—almost a certainty given the situation. Especially since I had now spent two full days traveling through Palinar, and I couldn’t remember having seen a single flower.
Lily kept me updated but, unfortunately, she had no real news. The search continued, but they had found no sign of Cole. The hours dragged on, and I ate the last of my food for a midday meal. My water was running low, too, since I hadn’t dared to fill it at any of the streams we had encountered during our rest breaks. Chestnut apparently had no qualms slaking her thirst at the waterways, but I didn’t trust anything in this cursed place. I could only hope we arrived at our destination—wherever that was—soon.
The carriage jolted and bumped, as the wheels hit a new surface. Peering out the window, I could see nothing but the endless plain, so I climbed onto the other seat to look out the front window. The road stretched ahead of us, its surface rougher than the smooth path through the flat wastelands.
We seemed to be slowly climbing uphill and, in the distance, I could see a line of trees. They disappeared into darkness, so I could only assume it was the start of a forest. I sighed. On the one hand, a change of scenery would be nice, providing a sense of progress that had eluded me in the constant plains. But on the other hand…I didn’t like the idea of trees pressing in close to the side of the road. I would have no line of sight, and the memory of the wolves still lingered in my mind.
Given how far away the trees looked, we seemed to approach them impossibly fast. Soon the path was indeed cutting its way through a forest, thick and dark. To make it worse, the temperature had started to drop, despite the season, and I heard the distant howl of wolves.
The carriage raced through the trees, and I shivered as the air continued to grow colder. Rummaging through my bags, I put on a cloak. I had no sooner fastened the garment, than I saw a snowflake drift past the window. Soon it was joined by another, and then another, and then a larger flurry.
Within minutes it was snowing constantly, patches of white building between the trees. Yet another sign of the disease infecting this kingdom. Marin had been bright and sunny and full of flowers when I left, as summer should be. But apparently in this forest it was perpetually winter. My last hope of any flowers dissipated.
Before long I started to worry that the carriage would become bogged in the snow. And the howls of the wolves sounded closer, unless that was just my anxiety fooling my mind. Our pace slowed, although the snowfall did not, and I peered out the back at Chestnut. She looked uneasy for the first time since I had tied her to the vehicle. Was it the wolves or the increasing snow? Possibly both.
I reached out to Lily, wanting to update her on my situation but also looking for comfort. She was asleep, however. Napping, presumably, after her disrupted night. I didn’t try again, not wanting to disturb her rest.
The snow built up on the road until I felt sure we would be forced to stop. But just before the drifts became too deep for passage, the carriage swerved. I nearly lost my balance, sliding across the seat, and had to scramble back into position. I wanted to see our new path.
I hadn’t noticed a branch in the road, but then I had been considerably distracted. The new path appeared better tended than the main one, and the snow seemed to be lightening. Mounds of white heaped beside the path, but none had settled on the road itself, yet another marvel in this unpleasant place.
It occurred to me that I might be finally nearing my destination. In a flurry of movement, I collected all my escaped belongings and squeezed them into the saddlebags, not worrying about what I was crushing in the process. For a moment, I considered trying to change into a fresh dress, but I quickly abandoned the idea. The rattling carriage would make a poor dressing room, and I didn’t like the idea of being caught half way through the process. I regretted the lost opportunity, though. I would have liked to impress my new fiancé and demonstrate that a princess of Arcadia was a person of significance.
I was coming alone into his home, but I didn’t want him to think me weak and defenseless. I hoped his letters—calling the Tourney and then summoning me to him—were proof that whatever beast-like qualities he possessed, he retained his mental faculties. Surely, he wouldn’t risk bringing further harm to himself by violating the covenant of the Princess Tourney, not to mention antagonizing a new kingdom of whose strength he knew nothing?
The carriage turned again, and I gasped. The rest of the forest dropped away as we rolled through an aisle of orange trees. Despite the snow heaped on the ground, the branches of the trees bore both fruit and blossoms—an even more impossible feat than snow in summer.
A shiver ran through me at the beautiful and chilling sight. Welcome to my new home.
Chapter 3
As we approached the end of the aisle of trees, I glimpsed visions of a garden spread to either side. Greenery blossomed from the snow with bright colors splashing against the white. My earlier desire for flowers passed through my mind, and I shuddered. How could I ever enjoy such eerie, enchanted blooms?
The carriage drove out from the trees and came to a stop in front of a large castle. A wide, shallow staircase of gray stone led up to vast wooden doors. The building branched off in both directions, huge, imposing, and dark, full of twisted stone and dim shadows.
I could see no sign of anyone. The snow had ceased to fall, but the chill in the air remained, and I had no desire to remain in the carriage after my long voyage. And yet still I lingered, trying to convince my legs to move and carry me into this strange unknown.
The door of the carriage swung open of its own accord, the message loud and clear. I reminded myself I hadn’t come this far to lose courage now and hauled my saddlebags out into the snow, unwilling to leave them in an enchanted vehicle that might disappear at any moment.
Once I stood beside them, I hesitated, however. My rumpled dress and travel stained face presented enough of an undignified appearance without tottering under the weight of heavy bags. Finally, I decided to leave them in the snow, next to Chestnut, who I untied from the carriage and secured to one of the stone balustrades. Surely I would find some servants inside the castle and could request them to care for my mount and possessions.