Academia of the Beast: A Dark Retelling of Beauty and the Beast by K.N. Lee

queen of Faustinia. Yeah. We’re good.”
    Allyn gulped. Of course, they were in the fairy palace. Why did she expect any less?
    “Well, come on. Let’s make our appearance. Dinner, dancing, a little debauchery. I hope you’re ready.”
    Allyn put a hand on his arm, stopping him.
    “What do they know about me?”
    Lennox checked his silver watch. “That you’re a witch. Enough with the questions. Let’s go.”
    Without another word, he turned his back on her and led the way down the hall.
    “You could have told them that I’m your prisoner,” she said under her breath. Could a fairy be an ally? Could anyone help her?
    The thought of pulling Igor aside crossed her mind and faded. She was in a foreign country. She didn’t stand a chance. Best to keep quiet and calm until she and Prince Lennox returned to Elastria.
    As if by invisible chains, Lennox pulled her along through the fairy palace where the staff and other guests stared at the two humans like they were flying fish.
    They made their way to the banquet room where everyone gathered with their drinks and socialized while the long table set with the colorful centerpieces of flowers Allyn had never seen.
    Prince Lennox put his hand on the small of her back. “Try not to catch any fairy dude’s eye while I get us a drink. Deal?”
    Allyn didn’t have a chance to reply as he left her to go to the bar in the center of the large room with chandeliers that resembled blue icicles.
    Self-conscious, Allyn’s face started to flush as she noticed that the majority of fairies in the room were staring at her. They were the ones hovering above the ground, with their winds flapping like hummingbirds, but she was the most interesting person in the room.
    A witch in a maroon dress, with an arrogant prince that could shift into a Wolf.
    The whispers didn’t take long to start, itching her ears as she caught some of what was said.
    At least they weren’t speaking ill of her. Apparently, magic wasn’t frowned upon here the way it was in Elastria.
    Hope that they’d accept her dared to rise within her belly.
    A woman flew over to her, her crystal shoes barely touching the flood. With bright lavender hair that was pinned up in a style that resembled a pineapple, she had the most intriguing coffee-colored skin that shimmered like tiny diamonds had been crushed and dusted onto her.
    Two other women were close behind, their white hair flowing long behind them and their elaborate gowns.
    “Hello there,” the one with the lavender hair said, a smile on her full lips. She tilted her head as she looked Allyn up and down with large gray eyes.
    Allyn swallowed. Don’t be awkward. She forced a smile. “Hello.
    “I’m Laxmi. These are my sisters, Sonali and Richa.”
    “Nice to meet you,” Allyn said, nodding to Laxmi’s sisters that stood so close that she could smell their floral perfume, and the way the cool wind whenever they flapped their smaller translucent wings.
    Allyn noticed how Laxmi’s were much bigger and fuller. She wondered what that was about.
    “So,” Laxmi said, leaning close to Allyn. “Tell us. Are you really a witch? Prince Lennox can be a bit of a—“
    “Liar,” Sonali and Richa said in unison.
    “Storyteller,” Laxmi corrected.
    Allyn didn’t know how to answer that question. Witch was such an odd term for her. She’d never cast a spell in her life. She’d never read a spell book, or conjured hexes. Her power was innate, and...different.
    “I guess you can say that,” Allyn said. “Yeah, I’m the witch.”
    “Well, that is refreshing,” Laxmi said. “You know that witches come here often for sanctuary, right?”
    Allyn’s interest spiked. Her brows lifted. “Really?”
    “Yes, but they can’t stay here. They use Faustinia as a half-way point, and pass on through to the Americas. Since we face the sea, they hop on a ship and continue their journey.”
    Allyn stared at Laxmi, desperate to ask her how she could do the same. But, she