Page 12 of Beauty

“Please. We have more than enough, and the mayor won’tnotice.” I press the sandwich into his hand. “I won’t be able to enjoy a thingif I know you’re out here with your stomach rumbling.”

The guard smiles, the look softening his face. “My thanks toyou, Miss. It’s said around town that you and your sister are kind ones.” Heleans over and whispers. “Tell the brownies to hide. Leave their homes. Theyneed to go underground. He’s going to come for them.”

He stands back up, his face red as a beet as though he knowshe just committed treason.

I nod and put a hand on his. “I thank you, sir.”

My heart pounding, I walk into the parlor. I pray my ragedoesn’t show.

“There she is.” The mayor looks up, satisfaction written onevery line of his face. “Beautiful Isolde.”

I’m glad the man doesn’t know my real name. I would hate tohear it on his lips. I set the tray on the table, grateful that unwed women aresupposed to be shy. He will think the fact that I don’t look at him ischarming.

“Come and sit with me, dear.”

Panic threatens to overtake me. Gillian shiftsuncomfortably, her eyes going to the window where the silhouettes of the twoguards Micha left outside stand, their pikes held high. I have dreams at nightof Gillian on the end of one of those hated pikes.

I sit down, trying to keep plenty of distance between us.

“Gillian, dear, might I have a word alone with your sister?”The request practically slithers out of his mouth.

Gillian sits straight up, and I can see she’s reached theend of her patience. I have to stop her.

“Please, Gilly. I’ll be fine. I can handle it. After all,being a good hostess is all a part of my job, right?” I place careful emphasison the word “job” since Gillian recently gave me a lecture on what my true jobwas. Staying alive.

Her jaw tightens, but I breathe easier as Gillian stands. “Isuppose I can go and find something a bit stronger than tea if Your Honor wouldprefer it.”

The mayor winks. “I think we might be needing that. Findsomething for a celebration, dear.”

My stomach turns since I know what’s coming. My time is up.

The minute Gillian is out the door, he scoots over, placinghimself so close I can smell the rank heat of his body under his layers ofproper clothing. No true country Fae wears such fancy clothes, but the mayorlikes to pretend he’s going to the palace instead of running a smallagricultural province.

“Now, my dear, have you given any thought to my proposal?”

I force myself to smile. I decide to go for simpering andbrainless. “I have thought of little else.”

Since the moment the man—who could be my grandfather—blandlyproposed marriage to me, I tried to think of anything but letting that old goatget his hands on me.

A sly smile crosses his face. “Well, then, shall we announceit tomorrow at the festival?”

“Oh, I don’t know about that, sir. I don’t think I wouldmake a good mayor’s wife. I’m a simple country girl.” I hoped for more time. Irather hoped the man would find a wife at court who suited him more. He spentthe last two months there.

He shakes his head, reaching for my hand. His are clammy andsoft, the hands of a man who never did an honest day’s work. “Not at all, mydear. You’re actually quite well educated. As is your sister. Your manners arefar beyond a mere country girl. You have everything required to be an excellentwife for me. Once you’ve been cleaned up and are in proper attire, you’ll bequite pretty. You’ll fit right in. And I’m going places, Isolde. I spoke toKing Torin himself. Our kingdom is changing. He’s bringing us back to ourrightful place. The Vampire Government is going to acknowledge Torin as therightful king.”

I’m sure I turn a bit green. When the Vampire planeacknowledges Torin, the others will follow.

If Micha notices my dismay, he doesn’t show it, merelycontinues talking in his most pretentious tone. “King Torin was interested inour province, I tell you. Once he sees how well I enact his new laws, he’sgoing to understand that I should be given a much bigger place in the rulingclass. But before I can request a new assignment, I truly must have a wife andfamily in place.”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea, Mayor.” I stammer out thewords, not sure how to extricate myself.

His face turns cold, his thin lips nearly disappearing.“Well, you’re not supposed to think, are you, dear? Do you know what I think? Ithink it’s odd that a girl your age hasn’t married and had children. You’rewhat? Five and twenty?”

I nod, not wanting to explain that I’m actuallytwenty-seven.

“And your sister is at least ten years older. Odd, then,that she’s avoided marriage.” He leans in, his words a cold chill running downmy spine. “Some people around here whisper that your sister hasn’t marriedbecause she’s too busy practicing magic. I don’t like that rumor, do you?”

Tears threaten, angry, frightened, utterly impotent tears.“No. I don’t like it.”