Beast in Shining Armor (11 page)

Knoss
looked back at Avenant.  “If I were you, I’d give up this quest and realize
what is truly valuable.  A real beast knows when he already holds prize.”  He
turned and vanished down one of the endless halls.

Belle
let out a shaky breath.  “Okay.  That was weird.”

“Well,
you came out of it okay.  Seems like you have a date lined up for later.” 
Avenant scowled over her.  “You kiss me and then you flirt with him.  Admit
it.  It’s an actual
plan
to drive me insane, isn’t it?”

“I
wasn’t flirting, you ass.  I was being
nice
to him and it worked.  I
told you we should try talking first.”  She hesitated.  “And I didn’t kiss
you.  At least, not on purpose.  It was an accident.”

“Oh
for fuck’s sake…”

“It
just accidently happened.”  Belle insisted.  “I didn’t
plan
for it to
happen.  I didn’t
want
it to happen.  It was just a heat-of-the-moment,
accidental thing that sort of,” she made a vague gesture, “
happened.
”

“Well,
it’s about to happen again, because we had a deal.  If we survive, I get a
kiss.  And too bad for you, we survived.”

“I
never actually agreed to that deal.”  She informed him quickly.

“Don’t
be a welsher, Bella.”

“I’m
not.”  She swept her hair behind her ears.  “I just don’t think…”

“Good. 
Don’t think.”  Avenant interrupted.  He crooked a finger at her, his voice
dipping lower.  “Just come here and don’t think about anything except how damn
much I want you.”

Belle
chewed on her lower lip, debating.  It was really, really hard to resist him
when he stopped being a jerk and used that soft tone.  Even knowing it was a
mistake, she still found herself taking an instinctive step forward.

On
the ground, the flare continued to burn.  It must have melted enough of the ice
to make the floor unstable in spots.  As she edged towards Avenant, the block beneath
her gave way and Belle toppled into nothing.  It was some kind of shaft that
dropped down to another level of the maze.  Belle’s hands scrabbled to find
purchase on the slick walls, but there was nothing to hold onto.  She went
freefalling through the darkness and landed at the bottom, hard enough to drive
the air from her lungs.

“
No.
” 
Avenant roared.  “Belle!”

She
gave a wheezing cough, unable to gather enough oxygen to answer him.

It
wouldn’t have mattered, anyway.  Avenant was already following her.  The
filament clipped to their belts still connected them, but that wasn’t what
pulled him down.  He jumped after her.  “
Belle!
”  He dropped into the
room a lot more gracefully that she did.  “Belle, look at me.”  He crouched
down beside her, scanning for injuries.  “Are you okay?  Are you hurt?”

She
shook her head, trying to sit up.  “I’m alright.  I just got the breath knocked
out of me.”

His
hand found the side of her face.  “Are you sure?”  He seemed more shaken than
she felt.  His beautiful eyes glowed electric blue.  She’d seen that happen before,
but she was never sure what it meant.  “You fell pretty far, my love.”

“No
kidding.”  She looked up at the passage they’d come through.  “Good thing
Excalibur is this way, because I don’t think we’re getting back up there.”

For
better or worse, they’d made it to the second level of the labyrinth.

Wee Willie
Winkie:
  And do you have any idea how
many times he made fun of my name?

I was
fucking scarred for
life
.

Prince
Avenant: 
How is it my fault that his
name sounds like low-grade pornography?

Blame his
dumbass parents.

Prosecution:
  Objection! 
The defendant is out of order. 
Again
.

Testimony
of Mr. Wee Willie Winkie- The People of the Northlands v. Prince Avenant

“The
journal has another passage about this level of the maze.”  Belle followed
behind Avenant, flipping through the pages of that stupid book.  “It says, ‘A
prince must have faith in those around him and not in a mirror.  Otherwise, he
will be lost in the darkness for all time.’”

Avenant
rolled to his eyes.  No wonder Belle was so enamored of Grandpa Adam.  They
were both too soft.  “I hate mirrors.”  He muttered.  “Does he say anything about
how princes should carry machetes?”

The
ice walls had given way to a jungle.  The subterranean world must have worked
like a biosphere, keeping this part of the labyrinth safe from the cold.  It
was warm enough here that Avenant and Belle had taken off their coats.  The
forested humidity pressed down on them as they walked through the tight
corridor.

Thick
tangles of brush and vines grew straight to the ceiling, creating the walls of
the maze.  The foliage blocked out most of the available light, so Avenant and
Belle had to use flashlights as they made their way along the path.  It was
dark and oppressive and sticky with heat.

Avenant
didn’t like it.

Someone
had planted the dense vegetation in organized rows, but there were far fewer
passages here than there had been upstairs.  Once you chose a direction, this
level forced travelers to stay on course.  There was no way to go except
forward or back.  It felt like the labyrinth was herding them into a trap.

“If
we leave the path, I think we’re just going to get lost.”  Belle slipped the
journal back into her pack.

“We’re
already lost.”

“I
mean
more
lost.  I know you want to start hacking down the plant life
and heading off for parts unknown, but let’s just do this the easy way,
alright?”

“We’re
not going to be the only ones who find our way down here, you know.”  He shook
his head.  “As stupid as the others are, they’re not
that
stupid. 
They’ll bumble their way onto this level eventually.  If we stay on the only
path, we’re vulnerable to an ambush.”

“So
you’ve said.  Repeatedly.  But if we leave the path, we’re vulnerable to
whatever’s lurking on the other side of those trees.”  She gestured to the
thicket of brambles and grasping branches.  Something moved beyond those green
walls.  They could both hear it.

“I
don’t like this.”  Avenant muttered, but he kept going.  “Ez is still
upstairs.  She has no idea where we are.”  There was no way to get back up to
the ice level, though, so they really didn’t have much of a choice but to go
on.  He just wanted to get through this section as quickly as possible.

The
Beast agreed, pacing in agitation.

“Are
you okay?”  Belle asked.

Avenant
shined his flashlight overhead, searching for a way out.  “I’m fine.”

“You
don’t sound fine.”

“I
said
, I’m fine.”

That
was a lie.  He wasn’t fine.  He’d been able to keep his claustrophobia under
control in the cavernous ice level, but this narrow path was getting to him. 
It felt like there wasn’t enough air.  Everything was closing in on him.  He
scraped a hand through his hair and tried to stay in control.

Belle
stopped walking.  “Alright, that’s it.  You’ve been snapping at me for an
hour.”  She crossed her arms over her chest.  “What’s going on?”

“I’m
always snapping at you.  Why would anything be wrong this time?”

“Because,
I know the tones of your snapping and this time is different.  What’s wrong?”

Fuck.

“I
don’t like this.”  He repeated grudgingly.

“I
don’t like it, either.  But…”

Avenant
cut her off.  “No, I mean,” he struggled to find the right words, “the walls
are too close here.  I can’t…”  He trailed off and ran another hand through his
hair, feeling like an idiot.  She was going to laugh at him.  He could feel it
coming.  “Just give me a minute.”

Belle’s
jaw dropped.  “You’re claustrophobic?”  She sounded stunned.  “Jesus, Avenant! 
Why would you come into a labyrinth if you’re freaked out by small spaces?”

“I’m
not freaked out!”  The claustrophobia was a personal failing.  One that he
could deal with, as soon as the tiny pathway stopped shrinking.  “I came in
here because I knew I could handle it and I
am
.”

That
was a lie, too.  He came in here because it was the only way he could win.

Belle
chewed her lower lip.  “What can I do?”

“Nothing.”
 He told himself he wasn’t suffocating.  It was all in his head.  “I’m
fine.
”

“Avenant,
shut-up and let me help you.”  Her hand came out and took hold of his. 
“Please.”

Aw,
fuck.

He
let out a long breath as her fingers tightened around his.  He couldn’t stand
being weak.  Not in front of her.  But he still gripped her palm like it was
the only real thing in the darkness.  He knew it was crazy, but the panicked
feeling in his chest eased.  The Beast whimpered, wanting to be closer to her. 
Needing her comfort.  It felt the claustrophobia even more than Avenant did. 
It was locked away inside of him all the time, unable to get free.

“How
did you get through eight months in jail if you’re claustrophobic?”  Belle
asked.

“When
you’re in jail, you don’t really have much of a choice.”  His thumb traced over
the back of her hand, amazed at how soft she was.  He could feel his heart rate
slowing as he focused on Belle and not the smothering sensation of the confined
space.  “Besides, it got progressively worse the longer I was in there.  It was
bad when I was kid and my parents…”

“Used
to lock you in closets.”  Belle finished for him when he stopped short.

He
hated that she knew that.  That she saw him as pathetic.  Avenant squeezed his
eyes shut.  “The closets were only for special occasions.  They locked me in my
room just about every day, though.  Whenever they were home, I was confined. 
They didn’t like looking at me.”

“Jesus.” 
She sounded appalled.  “Avenant, you should’ve told someone.”

“Who? 
My father was the Prince and I was Bad.”  He shook his head.  “No one cared. 
No one ever tried to help me.”

Except
Belle.

She’d
once lost a spelling bee so he’d be safe.  As much as it had pissed him off,
he’d never forgotten that.  The do-Gooding little oddball was the only one
who’d ever done anything nice for him.  Even if he knew that she’d never love
him, at least he could pretend she cared.

Until
last year, anyway.

“The
claustrophobia mostly faded when I got older, but then
you
framed me for
embezzlement and sent me to a tiny little cell.  Then, it started coming
back.”  He muttered, angry at her for seeing him like this and for stealing
what little warmth he’d ever known when she’d set him up.

Belle
pulled her palm away from his.

Fuck.

“I’m
sorry.”  He automatically reached for her, wanting her fingers intertwined with
his, again.  She’d never held his hand before.  He didn’t want to lose the
connection.  “I’m over that.  I am.  It wasn’t your fault that the WUB Club was
such a pit.  Please don’t…”

She
cut him off.  “You really think I framed you.”  She seemed astonished by that
revelation, even though he’d been saying it for almost a year.  “Don’t you?”

“You
did
frame me.”  She’d been part of the stupid independent audit of the
kingdom’s finances and she’d used her position to make him look like a thief. 
A child could’ve seen it.  He forgave her, though.  He would forgive Belle
anything.  Nothing she could do would ever make him turn on her.

“Avenant,”
she met his eyes, “you know me.  You
know
I would never cheat like
that.”

“What
I
know
is that I
didn’t steal any money, but somehow there was
slush fund leading straight back to me.  Then, you used the computer trail it
left as evidence to depose me and takeover the kingdom.”  In his calmer
moments, he almost admired the audaciousness of the plan.  “Look, it doesn’t
even matter, anymore.  You thought I’d sent men to attack you, so you had a
right to…”

“I
didn’t frame you.”  She interrupted firmly.  “You just got through telling the
minotaur that I don’t lie, so pay attention.  If you were set up, it
wasn’t
by me.  I swear.”

Avenant
hesitated, studying her earnest face in the dim light.  “You didn’t frame me?” 
His voice was less steady than he would’ve liked, as a terrible hope filled
him.

“No,
you moron.  I don’t do things like that.  I play rough, but I follow the rules
of our game.  You
know
that.”

He
did
know that.  Avenant’s mind raced, the truth dawning on him.

Belle
hadn’t betrayed him.

She
couldn’t have.  The woman was incurably Good.  She wouldn’t do anything that
was morally wrong, no matter how far she was pushed.  It was why Avenant would
beat her in the end.  Because he would do whatever it took to have victory and
Belle was trapped by ethics.  Relief flooded Avenant’s system as he realized
he’d been an idiot.  Belle was innocent.

The
Beast howled with satisfaction.

“I
believe you.”  Avenant got out.

She
hadn’t betrayed him.  Of course she hadn’t.  The girl was too soft to do
anything so underhanded.  The oppressive claustrophobia faded away and all
Avenant could feel was an overwhelming sense of happiness.  Belle hadn’t left
him in that prison to die.  Everything she’d said to the judge before they
dragged him off to jail had been the truth.

He
hadn’t realized how much he’d
needed
it to be the truth until this
moment.

“Why
wouldn’t
you believe me?”  Belle looked annoyed that it was even a
question.  “When have I ever lied to you?  How could you accuse me of…?”  She
stopped short, suddenly realizing the deeper ramifications of the argument. 
“Hang on.  You didn’t take that money?  Really?  All this time you’ve been
saying someone framed you, someone
actually
framed you?”

“Yes.”

“Holy
shit.”  She blurted out.  “But, there was so much evidence against you.”

“That’s
the whole problem with being framed: There’s evidence that
frames you
.”

Chocolate
brown eyes blinked up at him.  “Oh God…”  She was horrified.  “Avenant.  I am
so
sorry
.  I didn’t know.  I swear.  I overthrew you because I thought…”

He
cut her off.  “I don’t care that you overthrew me.”  That was just part of the
game.  “It was the rest of it that pissed me off.  It felt like betrayal.  Like
it must have felt to you when you thought I’d sent those men to attack you.”

Belle
swallowed.  “Neither of us betrayed the other.”

“I
know.”

“But
someone wanted us to
think
we did.”  She swept her hair back.  “It has
to be someone who hates
you
.  I’m not important enough for anybody to
target.”

Avenant
frowned, unsure which of them she’d just slighted.

“Whoever
sent those men to my house knew it would start a chain reaction and that I’d
come after you.”  Belle continued.  “That I’d find the evidence they planted
and use it to depose you.”  She shook her head.  “But, why would someone go
through all that trouble to set you up?”  She paused.  “Besides the fact that
you’re a terrible ruler and a Bad person, I mean.”

Avenant
disregarded that last part.  “Did you ever find the embezzled money?”

Her
eyebrows drew together.  “Some of it.”

“Whatever’s
missing is part of the reason, then.”

Not
all of it, though.  Someone had wanted him to suffer.  Whoever was behind this
had used Belle to come after Avenant, knowing that would hurt him the most.  Knowing
it would gut him to lose her.  Knowing he wouldn’t harm her, even if it meant he
allowed her stupid rebels to chain him.  Someone saw that she was his biggest
weakness and they’d exploited that.

This
was a personal attack.  They didn’t want him dead.  They wanted him disgraced
and locked away.  They wanted to keep him from Belle.  They wanted to steal
away everything that mattered to him.