The Rose and the Claw: A Beauty and the Beast Novella (The Twin Kingdoms Book 1) by Nancy O'Toole

Author:Nancy O'Toole [O'Toole, Nancy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Midnight Tide Publishing
Published: 2021-08-03T16:00:00+00:00

11

The Mother’s Moon

Rose

I can hear him growling outside of my door, as if begging to be brought in. But I will not. I know that I have made a mistake, and must be punished for it, but this wolf at my door is too much.

“Dammit!” I hissed.

My mind was in a million places at once. I dropped Susannah’s letter on the counter, turning my attention to my half-charred supper. I moved the skillet from the heat and let out a long sigh.

I was tempted just to throw the whole thing to the pigs—or the garbage can, given that the manor didn’t have pigs. The cabinet food vanished seconds after it was thrown away, completing its cycle from nothing back to nothing. Kinda of made me wonder what the hell I had been digesting all this time.

I didn’t have time to make anything else. Nighttime was fast approaching, and the Mother’s Moon would hang in full over us before I knew it. The same moon that Kris had told me to run away from.

And Garrick, as if sensing the truth, had doubled his patrols.

I scowled. Of course, they hadn’t “sensed” anything. They knew what was going on just like Susannah had in those damn letters. I turned back to the stack I had brought with me into the kitchen and paused. Sure, the one I had just read had been pretty typical for her, talking about missing her family and fearing Kris. The one beneath it was a little different.

Dearest Edwin…

The name was enough to draw me in, my eyes immediately scanning to the next few lines.

You must think it selfish for me to write to you, as I promised no communication until you reached out to me. But it has been almost a year since we last spoke, and these letters never make it past my valise. Edwin, where are you? You said you needed a couple of months to work things out with your wife, but almost a year has passed. I wear your silver ring each day, the promises we made still ringing in my ears…

“Dammit, girl, no,” I whispered.

And then caught sight of the darkened sky out the window.

Shoot. I gathered up Susannah’s letters and spun toward the door.

I felt my pace quicken as I made my way down the hall. How had it gotten dark so quickly? According to Kris’s almanac, I had a full half-hour before the sun was supposed to set. Nervous energy rattled inside of me. I turned a corner and—

The laughter of children filled the air, which was nothing new by now. I didn’t jerk in surprise like I once had, although my pace did slow. Next would come ghostly footsteps.

I froze as the steps pivoted my way, only this time they were attached to very real children.

It was a small girl, probably around six, being chased by a boy who looked no older than eleven. They laughed as they ran.

“Ilsa!” The little girl cried. “Ilsa!”

And then before I could figure out who this damn Ilsa was, the children turned the corner, and their voices ceased.

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