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

what?” Allyn asked, her stomach growling as the scent of food being brought into the room catching her attention.
    “How I just elevated you in their eyes? Amazing what a little lying can do.”
    Allyn pursed her lips as she followed him to their seats.
    He had to rub it in that it was a lie. She wondered if she’d ever survive her ordeal to make it a truth.
    Once they sat down at the table, Lennox gave her thigh a squeeze and ordered them more drinks.
    As Allyn sat there, she stared at the centerpiece before her. A black tree wrapped in crystals and white flowers. All went quiet inside her head as she stared at it, until it started to bleed. Dark crimson blood left the creases of the tree’s bark and spilled onto the white table like a river.
    Shocked, Allyn was broken from her trance and blinked.
    Nothing.
    There was no blood, and everyone continued to chat and go on as if nothing happened.
    Her heart thumped in her chest as she clutched Lennox’s hand, thankful that she had something to grip, even if it was the hand of the man she should hate.

CHAPTER 17
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    D INNER ENDED AND everyone left the banquet hall to join the other guests for the ball.
    Surprisingly, Lennox hadn’t been as vulgar as she thought he would be. He ate. He drank. He told terrible jokes. But, other than that, he wasn’t awful to be around.
    They reached the center of the circular palace where the party was held and being around a whole new slew of guests made Allyn anxious. Too many cocktails and sugar made her adrenaline spike.
    Her full belly churned and she had to avert her eyes from everyone that they passed on their way to the main ballroom.
    Prince Lennox, however...
    He soaked up the attention as if it was his driving force.
    No wonder he was always on the front of the imperial papers every winter, getting into trouble, or in the middle of some scandal.
    He outstretched his arms when they reached the main balcony that stood between two staircases that led to the dance floor.
    Allyn lingered a few feet behind, wringing her hands with worry. She felt ill. She wasn’t prepared for this kind of attention. Despite the loud music that played, she could hear her own heartbeat thumping in her chest. She pressed her back against the wall.
    I can’t do this.
    She couldn’t even appreciate the beauty of the ballroom, with its golden chandeliers, and colorful streamers hanging from the ceiling with white lights along the fabric.
    Everyone was so attractive. Their faces were smooth, without age, and like dolls. Every beat of the music sent her closer to losing it. She stepped backward, into the shadows of the corridor, hoping Lennox wouldn’t notice.
    After a few minutes of adjusting to the setting, Igor approached. He handed her a drink as Lennox talked to a group of female fairies that seemed to pounce on the chance to get him alone.
    Allyn drank it down, watching Lennox charm the group of women. Her throat burned at whatever she’d just swallowed.
    She grimaced. “What was that?”
    He smiled, his face shimmering in the dim red light coming from the chandelier above. For a fairy, he was handsome. Too sparkly to be her type, but nice to look at, and with each passing second, her body warmed more and more with the strange liquor.
    Igor shrugged. “It’s just the special punch we serve at each party. We’re kind of known for it. They don’t have it in Elastria.”
    The flavor was pleasant, like tropical fruit, but it made her feel drunk way too fast.
    “So, I saw what you did earlier. I didn’t know witches were impervious to fire. How did you do that?”
    Allyn shrugged. “I don’t know.” She really didn’t.
    “Well, it was pretty cool,” Igor said.
    “Thanks.”
    “Tell me something, Allyn. What’s the real deal between you two? Are you really his date?”
    “Why do you ask?”
    Igor grinned. “You’re a pretty girl. Do I really have to spell it out for you?”
    Allyn frowned and glanced at him.