Read Online Depravity: A Beauty and the Beast Novel (A Beastly Tale Book 1) by M.J. Haag - Free Book Online Page B

stayed focused on my own meal, but from the corner of my eye saw my sister’s face flush at Father’s blunt words.  Part of me wanted to cheer him in his softly worded criticism of her shallow nature, but I squelched that part, knowing it unkind to Bryn.  As Father stated, she did work hard, most of the time, to keep the cottage a home.  What would happen when she and Blye both wed?  Who would mend for Father and cook for him?  I could do a fair job at a meal if a person didn’t mind a lack of variety.  Mending bored me to tears, but I could sew a straight line.  I’d never have the skill of either Bryn or Blye, though.  Unless my future husband was a tailor, I didn’t see that my lack of skill would matter.
    “If you have no preferences, I’d like to announce your intent to marry and see what offers we receive,” Father said into the silence.
    “How soon?” Bryn whispered.
    “In the morning, I’ll talk to the baker.  By evening, the rest of the village should know.”
    *    *    *    *
    A flat-faced sheep farmer from the south came to offer for Blye after Father returned home.  The short, muscled man spoke plainly of his need for someone who could weave and sew well and promised himself to be a soft-spoken, gentle man.  Given his propensity to gaze at the ground when speaking to Blye instead of meeting her gaze, I agreed with his self-assessment.  After listening to his offer, Blye kindly declined.
    Bryn consoled Blye after the man left, saying at least someone had come for her.  Though Father had discounted Tennen, I felt sure Bryn still held out some small hope that he would appear and offer for her nonetheless.  She quietly served another dinner of vegetable soup; and I knew, dress or no, I needed to attempt to set traps the following day.
    *    *    *    *
    I crept from bed during the twilight hour when the birds sang gustily before the dawn.  Shaking out my dress, I frowned at its dingy, pale blue color.  It needed a washing desperately, but I put it on anyway and hustled out the door before Father rose from bed.  The cool air prickled my skin; and I set out toward the estate, carefully placing traps on my way, to check the enchanted dirt that spilled from the wall.
    When I reached the rough patch of soil, I wasn’t disappointed by barren earth.  A single line of turnips thinly dotted the expanse, starting from the edge to lead toward the tumbled rock.  The row didn’t stop there but continued with uprooted turnips lying on their sides over the rocks and into the darkened woods within, a blatant invitation that struck me as very wrong.  I stared at the roots while biting on my lower lip.  My stomach growled.  I wanted the food, no doubt about it, but I wasn’t willing to fall into some sort of trap, which was how it appeared to me.  I recalled all of the other times I’d harvested there and walked the boundary, looking to pluck any bounty I could find.
    Rifling through my bag, my hand clasped around a spare ribbon I used to tie back my hair.  The color had faded and the ends were frayed, but I laid it down on the ground anyway.
    “It’s not much, but all I have,” I whispered, “for the things I’ve taken in the past.  Thank you.”
    Before I changed my mind, or my hunger changed it for me, I darted away.  Behind me, I heard the vines moving and ran faster, hoping the estate wouldn’t hold a grudge over everything I’d taken.  It was the only explanation I had for its odd behavior.
    I should have known I couldn’t outrun magic.  The vines flew along the ground and caught me by the ankles while others stretched down from lofty heights within the canopy to curl around my upper arms and lift me high.
    “Please,” I whispered as they shuffled me back toward the wall.  “I meant no offense.”
    Ahead I saw the turnip filled dirt and crumbling wall.  The vines didn’t set me down there.  They kept shuffling me forward over the wall and through the