Free Atone: A Fairytale (Fairytale Trilogy) by Jessica Grey

didn’t want to think about the mirror. Or the fact that she’d been standing in front of it with Nicholas a few hours before. Or that she’d been so fascinated by the difference between reality and the reflection that she’d run her hands across his face, that she’d pressed her body into his.
    And she didn’t want to think about what she’d seen reflected in the mirror.
    Or that she still couldn’t get the power in her chest quite under control.
    She closed her eyes, blocking out the sunbeams. That was a mistake. Now, instead of being reminded of the mirror, she saw the whole thing painted against the backs of her eyelids. She snapped her eyes back open and glared at the ceiling.
    It didn’t matter. As a man or a beast, Nicholas was a threat.
    He’d be less of a threat as a man. We’d have more plausible deniability if a regular guy accuses Lilia of being a magical fraudster than if an obviously enchanted, talking beast does. But then maybe he’d be less of a threat as a beast because…
    Becca refused to finish the thought. She suddenly noticed that she’d been absently rubbing her wrist—the same wrist that Nicholas had held in his paw. She snatched the fingers of her other hand away from the tender flesh and cursed under her breath as she reached for her phone.
    She tapped her fingers as she waited for Alex to pick up. She counted the rings. Three, now four. If she was lucky she’d get the voicemail.
    “Hey, what’s up?” Alex’s cheerful voice cut off Becca’s hopes. “Oh, before I forget, Luke and I are going to Magic Mountain Friday; want to come?”
    “I, uh, I might be busy Friday.”
    “Oh come on, what could top getting on death-defying roller coasters? I’m trying to convince Lilia to go. I’m determined to get her on one that goes upside down.”
    Becca laughed in spite of herself. “There’s no way in hell she’s gonna let you drag her on one.”
    “You never know. I’m becoming very persuasive in my old age. So what’re you doing Friday?”
    “Well, I don’t know for sure if I have anything planned, but I’ve a feeling I might still be here.”
    “Where’s ‘here’? Aren’t you at your mom’s?” Alex asked in confusion.
    “Um.” Becca took a deep breath. “Do you promise to not freak out?”
    There was a long silence from the other end of the phone. “That’s not a super encouraging way to start a conversation. Should I be freaking out?”
    Becca sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. “Well the thing is, I’m at Nicholas’s house.”
    Another long silence. “By yourself?”
    “Yes. Well, no. I mean…”
    “Becca, did you find Nicholas? Is he there with you? What is going on?” Alex’s voice got higher with every question.
    “Okay, stop. You promised not to freak.”
    “Actually, I didn’t. Are you okay?”
    “Yes, I’m fine. And I did find Nicholas. He’s here…he was here the whole time…at his house.”
    “Like he was there when we were and he didn’t say anything? He couldn’t have just been like ‘hey, I’m fine, thanks?’”
    “Well, that’s the thing. He’s not fine, per se . But I am. I’m not in any danger.”
    “ Danger? ” Becca winced at Alex’s near shout. “You’re making this worse.”
    “I know, I’m totally screwing up this whole conversation. The thing is, the mirror that’s here? It’s not the only enchanted thing in the house.”
    “Are you telling me that Nicholas is under some kind of enchantment?”
    “Yeah, and I don’t think it’s a very friendly one…I’d probably go with “curse” over enchantment. He, um, he’s kind of…a beast.”
    There was another pause on the other end of the phone. “I’m sorry, what was that? I thought you said ‘beast.’”
    “I did.”
    “Nicholas is a beast? As in he’s an animal ?”
    “Yeah, like a big, hairy cross between a wolf/bear type thing, but he’s got a mane, like a lion.”
    “Are you kidding?”
    “Do I sound like I’m kidding?” Becca