Page 80 of Beauty

Then Litha’s husband staggers out, a frying pan in his hand.The candlemaker was badly beaten, but it’s obvious he isn’t going to stop. Hewould fight until the guards kill him. Litha cries and runs to him. He fallsinto her arms.

“Get your husband inside, Litha. Tell everyone you see tohide. We will take care of this.” I will. One way or another. I won’t allow thewomen of our village to be rounded up and slaughtered.

Litha nods, tears in her eyes as she helps her husband up.“Thank you, Your Highness, but we will fight. You are our hope. Now that wehave hope again, we will not give up.”

I take a deep breath. This is what Niall wanted of me, buthe wanted a china doll whose face could grace banners, who would be protected.That isn’t who Bronwyn Finn is anymore. Goddess, I’m not Bronwyn Finn. I’mBronwyn McIver.

A small crowd gathers, lending aid to Litha and her husband.I hear them talking about me. Calling me princess and wishing me luck.Promising to follow me.

“Do not worry,” Litha says to the crowd. “Our princess willsave us as she has saved me. Gather what weapons you have. We will followPrincess Bronwyn and her shanimal!”

Kaja growls before changing.

I get the message. It’s time to join this fight for real.

ChapterTwenty-Five

Shim

I pound on the door, cursing the fucking sunlightthat’s keeping me inside.

What in all the planes happened? I feel stronger than I canever remember feeling, and yet something as completely and utterly harmless asbeams of light are keeping me out of the fight.

And damn it all, I really want to fight.

“Where did Gilly go?” Duffy asks, his small body strugglingunder the weight of that sword.

“Upstairs, though if she’s become like her charge, she’sprobably tied the sheets together and run.” None of the women in my life seemto want to allow me to protect them. And I can’t blame them since I’m stuck inthis damn house.

There’s a loud boom, the sound of a sonic weapon beingdischarged.

I can feel my brother’s adrenaline. It pumps through my ownveins.

“They’re fighting. I thought they were doing a recon.” Duffyrushes to the door and out into the street. “Can’t see anything.”

Of course he can’t. Duffy is barely four feet tall. I’m sixand a half, but I can’t see a damn thing since I’m blinded by sunlight now.

Gillian hurries down the stairs, holding her skirt in onehand. She rushes into the room and toward a small closet.

“You told Roan you would stay here.” The thought of mysister out in the battle while I’m stuck here rankles.

Gillian looks up, her dark eyes narrow. “I’ll lie to Roanall I like. As it happens, I think I’m likely best served here.” Her armdisappears into the closet and when she pulls it back, Gillian is holding a bowand quiver of arrows. “Reymon likes to hunt. He’s quite good, and he’s beenteaching both me and Bron. The upstairs window has an excellent view. If anyonetries to sneak up the back street, I can take them out.” She stops in front ofme. “Don’t worry about it, Shim. You’re half vampire. It’s inevitable you wouldhave some of their weaknesses along with all that strength. I can fight. I’mexpendable. I’m not even a true heir.”

Gillian is a bastard by all the rules of our society. Shecan’t inherit since her mother wasn’t married to King Fergus and died inchildbirth. But my mother didn’t see things that way. When she married Fergus,she insisted Gillian be addressed the same way her own children were.

“Our mother loved you.”

Tears fill her eyes, and she looks over at Duffy as shenods. “Queen Constance had a heart big enough for everyone. The Unseelie wereblessed with her reign. Do you know how many queens would have thrown me out?How many queens would have taken in Duffy?”

Not many, but then my mother was an extraordinary woman. “Itdidn’t matter you weren’t her blood.”

“And it doesn’t matter that Bron isn’t mine. I know what Isaid. I meant it. You needed to make sure your claim to Bron was unassailable,but I love that child. Child. She’s a woman, but she’s also my daughter. Not byblood or birth but by sacrifice. I seek to honor my true mother, Queen Constance,in all ways, and she would never have sat idly by while others suffered. When Ispoke of taking over Tír na nÓg, it is because I love these people. I woulddefend them with my life. Please tell Bron that. Please don’t let her hate me.”

“No one can hate you, Gilly.” Duffy looks awkward standingthere, looking up at the woman none of us saw for thirteen years. I rememberhow Duffy would blush every time the princess would say hello to him.

Gillian gets to one knee, placing her at eye level with thegnome. “Thank you, sweet Duffy. I did not say it earlier, but it is so good tosee you again.”

Duffy’s face flushes and his eyes turn down. “It is good tobe able to place me eyes on you once more, Your Highness.”