Cursing Beauty: A Retelling of Sleeping Beauty (Kingdoms of Beauty Book 2) by River Woods

Author:River Woods [Woods, River]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Renaissance Valley Publishing
Published: 2023-09-14T04:00:00+00:00

Deanna removed her long, white gloves and cute, pink shoes and plopped back on the bed. Elora wrinkled her nose at her friend. Deanna was so carefree and exuberant in all she did. Elora tried to imagine what it would have been like if their roles were reversed, and Deanna were the princess instead.

"What do you think you would have done?" Elora asked her as she sat on the window seat. "If this had happened to you instead?"

"Hmm." Deanna hummed softly as she took her time to think over the question. "First off, I don't envy you." She said,

"What do you mean?" Elora's laugh was void of humor. "Everyone wants to be a princess."

"Not one who lives under the threat of a curse." Deanna wriggled her eyebrows at her.

"Who doesn't love a good curse?" Elora replied dryly. "It always ends in a prince or a knight coming to save the poor damsel in distress. At least, I hope it does." She played with the curtain tassel, winding it around her hand as she stared out the window.

"Or a soldier named Adrian?" suggested Deanna.

Elora turned to her and sighed. "I don't know. Could I be overthinking it? I just..." She glanced back at the window, the rolling hills and countryside a welcome respite from her tumultuous thoughts.

Deanna sat up in the bed and crossed her legs under her. "Let's examine the question, shall we?"

Elora smiled at her matter-of-fact tone.

"You think he's attractive?"

"Yes."

"You like being around him and talking to him."

"Yes."

"Whenever you see him, your heart speeds up, and a tingle runs through your body."

"Um. Well, no. Not really."

"Nothing?"

Elora shook her head.

Deanna rested her chin on her hands. "It sounds like you don't love him then."

"But I could grow to love him. Right? All the ingredients are there, aren't they?"

"Sure," replied Deanna doubtfully. Should she say something?

"Oh, who am I kidding?" Elora shoved herself off the seat and began pacing the room. "I don't love him. It's only been desperate hope that's made me think I might. The elf said I couldn't love, and he's right." Stupid elf! She sent the thought through their link with all the power she had, and she felt confident he heard her. Even though he didn't respond, a feeling of annoyance traveled back to her.

"But don't you think the possibility is there? You still have a week."

"There's something about him. It's almost like he's too charming. You know what I mean?" She stopped pacing and crossed her arms. "There's something almost not quite genuine about him." She waved her arms in the air. "Maybe I'm just reading too much into it. He's probably just trying too hard."

Deanna glanced away and remained silent. Elora narrowed her eyes at this unusual behavior. "What do you know?"

"What? What do you mean? I don't know anything."

"Yes, you do. Tell me."

Deanna bit her bottom lip. "Well, it's just that you're not the first person today who's said he seems a little off."

Elora's brows shot up in surprise. "Who else said that?"

"Jarden.

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