Beastly

Chapter One

Flurries of white descended from up high where clouds littered the skies and landed upon the soft strands of Etta's hair. She wanted to dance in the six inches of blinding white snow like she would as a child and then take a handful and throw it up high to watch it fall back down in a glittering cloud. Instead, she stood there with her hands tucked inside the warmth of her long fur coat. Even with wool socks and thick leather boots, she could feel the cold leaking in. There were always things she missed about being a child: having no worries, not caring if it was warm or freezing out, and eating the snow even if it was so cold it hurt her brain.

As the snow and clouds began to fade over time, it became easier to tell what time of day it might be. The sun was partially visible through the fading clouds; it was around noon now. The hunters were expected to return before lunch. She'd told her personal maid, Kenzie—who no doubt told her mother as well—that she would be gone only an hour to visit the outfitters to check on a dress they were making for her.

There were several shortcuts to get back to the house before anyone noticed she'd been out longer than promised, so she took one of the quicker routes.

On her hike around halfway home, there came loud cracking noises from the left. What could that be? Etta wondered with a worried expression and looked all around. Her knuckles turned white from gripping the handle of the bow so firmly, and her face turned equally as pale when she saw a slight movement. Away from the small trail, the trees were thick with spruce needles. It would be impossible to tell what was lurking within the woods even with the keenest of eyes.

Heart pounding rapidly, she quickly made her way through the woods, dodging every branch. Etta was panting shortly after she began. If it was a bear, she couldn't climb a tree to escape, and she would have to find a way to make her short self seem bigger to, hopefully, scare it off. Whatever it was, it moved quickly. And as she listened she could tell it was coming for her.

Animal or no, Etta moved quickly as well—perhaps not as fast, but maybe enough to save her life. Her feet hit the ground lightly as she sprinted through the woods with her longbow still in hand. She stopped for a second and grabbed a red-feathered arrow from the quiver, drew it back on the string, then released.

Then she turned and ran again.

She heard the whistle of the arrow flying through the air then a thud. She didn't know if it hit a tree or the animal—whatever it was. It was too hard to tell. Her one priority was to get home, hopefully in one piece.

"Wait!" demanded an unfamiliar voice, one that came from behind her.

Briefly, Etta turned her head and slowed down for a moment. Not an animal, eh? It couldn't be one of the hunters staying as guests at the house because they were much farther south than she was. Her eyes widened a little as she remembered something Mum had told her some time ago to keep her from the woods.

Monsters playing as men lurk and they will take you if you stray too far, and they will kill you. Eventually, that is. She had glared with every word. Do you understand why I demand you stay away from there, girl?

Yes, Mum, Etta answered within the boundaries of her mind and swallowed hard with fear.

She continued to sprint, but her ribs were burning now. It was hard, so hard to keep going. She considered the possibility it would just be better to stop and be dragged away by monsters, then reconsidered. Had she ever actually decided to do so, Mum would find a way to revive her, scold her, then kill her, and—if forgiven—brought back again only to be a slave rather than a daughter. The outcome of that decision would be more appalling than the burning sensation in her ribs.