Page 10 of Beauty

I set the brownie on her feet. “Did your mum know why he’scoming?”

Of all the people left on the plane, only Mags figured outwho Gillian and I are. The brownie, who sometimes helps with the house and thefields, slipped up once a few years back and called Gillian by her title. Itseemed she was born on the Unseelie plane. I despaired in leaving the towersince it’s now my home, but Mags took to one fragile knee and pledged to defendthe Unseelie princess with her life. It satisfied Gillian, and now we have anally.

“Mum said she overheard there was talk of new restrictions.”Ove’s eyes grow round, a wealth of fear.

I take a deep breath. New restrictions mean new laws againstmagic and non-sidhe creatures. I take Ove’s hand and begin to wind ourway out of the field. I need to change clothes if the mayor is coming. He tendsto call me to task when I’m seen in public in the soft leather pants I favor.

I regret leaving the field. I can think out here among thewheat I planted. I can close my eyes and almost feel my Dark Ones. What wouldthe mayor think if he knew I dream at night of two lovers, one with dark powersand the other who can light up the night?

He would be horrified and possibly accuse me of witchcraft.It’s what they accuse everyone of these days. Witchcraft, once a valued skill,is now a way to punish anyone who doesn’t agree with authority.

When I travel to sell my wheat, they’re everywhere—bodiesstrung up on the side of the road. Witchcraft. Collusion. Improper contact withnon-sidhe creatures. Whispering the names Beck and Cian. All offensespunishable by hanging.

There are rumors that the ones hanged are the lucky ones.

Gillian stands at the edge of the field, a stern look on herface. She’s dressed for the occasion in a sturdy but respectable gown thatwould prove completely impractical for work. “Where have you been?”

I look back at the crops pointedly.

“None of your sass, girl.” Gillian sighs and shakes herhead. “If your da could see you now.”

He would be perfectly horrified, but the thought brings abit of a smile to my face. “He would demand to know where his daughter was.Well, if he noticed at all. Now Mama, on the other hand, would have a fit ofvapors, and my brothers would laugh.”

“Go on, then. I see the little one has already brought thenews.” She winks down at Ove. “Go back to your mum.” She passes her a smallcontainer. “Morning milk, to thank her. Stay out of sight. The less theyremember you exist, the safer you will be.”

Ove nods her scraggly head and takes off, the shafts markingher progress.

I’m halfway up the stairs when Gillian stops me.

“You have to be more careful. If the guards catch youholding hands with Ove, they have every right to arrest you.”

Anger curls in my stomach. “Then perhaps we should dosomething about the guards.”

Like gather together and show them what a mob can do.

I march to my room and fling my clothes off with a recklesshand. I slam open the door to my dresser and pull out my work dress.

Gillian sits down on the edge of the bed. “Could I talk youinto the blue cotton?”

The blue cotton is my best dress, the one I wear to weddingsand festivals. “I won’t waste it on him.”

I hate the mayor, with his covetous eyes. I select my workdress because it covers my chest and masks my curves. The mayor is looking fora wife, and he already proposed an alliance between us. I’ve been trying to puthim off.

“Will you please remember what your main job is?” Gillianasks.

This is a lecture I hear almost every day of my life on therun. “I don’t know. Remind me.”

Gillian huffs. “One day you are going to make a couple ofmen insane. I simply know it. Your job is to stay alive. Your job is to be aliving, breathing woman when your brothers return.”

If they return. “I will endeavor to not become a corpse inthe next few hours.”

Gillian comes up behind me, working the buttons up my back.When she’s done, she turns me around and looks at me, smoothing down the smallbit of scalloped edges of the neckline. “I am sometimes glad that Torin plannedhis coup when you were a youngling since I could never make you pass for a boynow.”

I smile, but it’s a sarcastic thing. “I prayed for bosomsall my life. Now I rather wish I was slender.”

Gillian shakes her head. “No, you don’t. You’re beautifulexactly the way you are. Don’t let the current palace fashions make you thinkotherwise.”

There’s a knock on the door. Even his knock sounds short andofficious, like the man himself.