Page 51 of A Fable of Riddles and Redemption

Curiosity burned within her. Why did he wear a mask? What did he look like without it?

Zorina crept closer, her eyes glued to the white mask covering all but his eyes and mouth.

She had to know. She had to see. A need beyond her desire to escape filled her as she approached him. His eyes were still closed as he played, the music practically begging her to be near him.

Before she even realized what she was doing, she sat beside him, her fingers reaching up to touch his mask. Then, in one fell swoop, she pulled it off.

The most unexpectedly horrific sight met her eyes. Burns and scars, puckered and red, covered most of his face, and his nose was terribly misshapen. What little of his face wasn’t red was pale, like it had never seen light. Altogether, it painted a very grim picture—one that she wanted to never see again, but at the same time could not stop staring at.

Caliban opened his eyes, his furious gaze landing directly on her, the brown depths burning into her like fire. “What. Have. You. Done?” he demanded slowly, emphasizing each word as he dropped his flute and leaned over her menacingly.

Zorina sucked in a breath and scooted away in fear. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t know—”

“Didn’t know what, that I was a revolting monster under my mask? Of course not. I wear a mask to hide that! How could you take it?”

She swallowed and tried to apologize again. “I’m sorry, I—”

“Sorry? That will not change what you see when you look at me!”

With shaky fingers, she tried to hand the mask back to him.

“No!” He shoved the mask away, clasping her fingers over its edges. “Keep it. Keep it as a reminder of what you’ve done to me, of what I truly am beneath it! Fear me and love me when you look at it, for I have another to keep you from seeing my hideous face. Oh, Zorina, how could you hurt me like this? When everything I do is because I love you?”

Zorina stared at him in shock and revulsion. Fear him, yes. But love? No. He was absolutely unhinged if he believed that were possible.

Even if she could see beyond his unsightly appearance, the fact that he’d kidnapped her and dragged her down to whatever hole he hid in was not exactly conducive for a healthy or loving relationship.

Not to mention the fact that he practiced black magic, and had likely drained some of her power with it.

And even then, they barely knew each other. The whole situation was beyond bizarre.

“Please let me go,” she begged.

“No.” His voice hardened at the single word. “I cannot, not now that you’ve seen me. You’d send everyone after me because I’m so grotesque. But oh, how I adore you, Zorina!”

She flinched at the declaration. The last thing she needed was for him to fawn over her like this. Even thinking of it made her shudder deep in her core. “Please don’t. Let me go home.”

“This is your home now.” The finality of his statement sent bile up her throat.

“And I,” he said, slowly leaning even closer, his maskless face displaying all of his puckered scars and burns. Caliban stopped just inches away from her and finished with a deep whisper, “I will be your doting husband.”

Zorina shook her head. “Have I no say in it? I do not wish to marry. Ever.”

Of course, Herrick’s face danced before her mind’s eye at that moment, and she forced herself to shove it aside.

Caliban tilted his head as he studied her. “Ever? I do not believe it. In any case, you don’t have a choice. Not now that you ripped my mask off. No, you must be my bride!”

She continued shaking her head as nausea threatened to overwhelm her. “No. I won’t marry you.”

He seized her shoulders and shook her much smaller frame. “You will! You must!”

Fear washed over her. Would he truly force her to be his? Before she even realized she was crying, she blinked back tears. “Please,” she begged again. “Please stop.”

Caliban froze and stared at her. Then, more gently than she imagined him capable of, he lifted a hand to her cheek and wiped away her tears. “You’re crying. Oh, sweet, beautiful Zorina, do not cry! I cannot stand it!”

Her breathing turned jagged at his touch. “Then let me go. If you wish to not see me miserable, you need to set me free.”

“But you are meant to be mine,” he said, the words turning hard once again. Caliban’s gaze bored into her before he added, “Odile.”