Beauties of the Beast (The Yellow Hoods, #4): Steampunk meets Fairy Tale by Adam Dreece Read Free Book Online

he said, “You shouldn’t have had to go through all of that. I… don’t know what to say.”
    “I’m stronger for it, right, Dad?”
    He turned to her, nodding. “Incredibly so. I’m going to say it again.”
    “What’s that?” asked Tee, confused.
    “Proud. I’m proud of you,” he said with a grin.
    Tee sighed. She squeezed his hand. “Can we go home now?”
    His eyes darted around the room, which had gone from cozy to confining. “No. I’m sorry, little love. It’s not safe,” he said, his voice trembling slightly. “You need to stay with Christina and the others.”
    “But I can help,” said Tee, frowning. She squinted. “What’s going on?”
    “Everything is fine, and you’re amazing, but I can’t have you come. Not yet. I need you here,” he replied. 
    “Christina’s not even here,” said Tee.
    “Actually, the Abbott told me Christina and Mounira arrived last night. I’m surprised Mounira hasn’t bolted into your room to wake you up.” He stared out the window. “Listen, I know Christina can be a bit… intense sometimes, but she’s a good person. I’ll send word, probably in a month or two, for you, Elly and Mounira to come home.”
    “Okay,” replied Tee reluctantly. “Are you sure Christina won’t mind?”
    “I’m going to have a talk with her. It’ll be okay,” he said with an odd smile.
    Tee glanced about. “I’d like to go do my exercises now, if that’s okay. You’re not going to leave without saying goodbye, are you?”
    “No way,” he said, giving her a kiss. “And you know what, if you don’t mind, I’d like to join you for that workout. Maybe you could show me some of your moves.”
    “Okay,” she replied with a big smile. “I’ll meet you in the courtyard in ten minutes.”

    Elly laid on one of the abbey’s courtyard benches, propped up with pillows. The black wooden wheelchair was on one side, a table with the remnants of a breakfast of tea and toast on the other.
    She put down her book on the mountain of pillows and gazed at the manicured gardens. The surrounding old-world buildings protected the courtyard’s beauty from the rest of the world. She loved the serenity of the abbey in the early morning, and the fireflies at night. 
    “Do you have need of anything?” asked one of the monks.
    “No thanks, Jayne. I am fine, thank you,” said Elly with an appreciative smile.
    “It is our duty, and our honor,” replied the red and gold robed monk. He bowed and left.
    Elly glanced around, feeling something was missing. It had been there since she’d arrived that morning, and now it was gone. Then it hit her. She couldn’t hear Tee and William sparring any more. She glanced up at the sun, her hand over her eyes. She wasn’t very skilled at telling time from the position of the sun, but she knew it wasn’t lunch time yet.
    “Is everything alright?” asked another monk. “It is nine o’clock and twenty minutes, if you were curious about the time.”
    “Thank you… Malcolm?”
    The monk nodded and left.
    Every day had been similar, and though she’d expected to get quickly tired of it, Elly still loved being spoiled. Tee had started teasing her about the extent, which Elly took as a sign that the days of the dark and brooding Tee were going to pass.
    “Hello, Elly,” said William, walking up and wiping his flushed face with a towel. A monk quickly took it from him and disappeared. “I was just on my way to talk with Christina and noticed you out of the corner of my eye. You’re looking comfortable.”
    She smiled. “Did you manage to keep up with her? I heard the two of you.”
    He glanced over his shoulder. “She’s really good. Honestly, I’m surprised, and exhausted. I don’t remember her always being that intense. Is that new?”
    “She’s just… um…” Elly wasn’t sure how to answer and then stopped, noting the look in his eyes didn’t align with his question. “Is everything okay, Monsieur Baker?”
    “Yes, yes.