"No," he answered. "I serve you only because I serve him. He would not appreciate my stealing you away."

I'd known even before asking that the answer would be "no." Still, I twitched my nose to hold back the fresh tears I felt coming on.

"Do not despair, Psyche," he said, and then was gone. As Favonius left, the haze that had filled the valley lifted as quickly as if it was being pulled away on the tail of a comet. The sun now radiated all around me and the magnificent palace that lay before me glittered invitingly.

Which reminded me of another one of Mother's sayings: if something appears too good to be true, it probably is.

Chapter 17 - Psyche.

I looked around the valley for escape, but there was nowhere to run. Up behind me was the impossibly sheer cliff I'd just been standing on. Ahead of me lay the palace. And all around was thick, dark forest. The trees looked so tightly woven together that I wasn't even sure I could pa.s.s through them, much less run away.

Besides, why run now? I'd accepted my fate. I told myself there was no more cause for alarm walking toward this palace than there was looking out over the hilltop and waiting for death. If the palace was some sort of opulent trap, so be it. There had to be worse places to die.

Moving to the entrance, I paused in front of the palace doors. Solid gold and tall as trees, they were decorated with a gem-encrusted garden scene. Flowers of rubies and sapphires bloomed amidst beds of emeralds. If nothing else, I couldn't complain about the exterior of the place.

I lifted my fist to rap on the door, but then pulled it back. Was I supposed to knock? If this was going to be my home, then knocking wasn't really necessary. Still, I couldn't imagine just barging into this palace like I owned it. I lifted my hand again, but the door swung open before I could touch it.

"Greetings, my lady. We've been expecting you."

I peered inside the door and all around the palace hall, but no one was there. At least, no one I could see.

Then a strong hand took hold of my forearm and steered me inside. "Don't be frightened. Come in." Whoever it was, he was apparently invisible.

The ma.s.sive door pushed shut behind me and the sound of it closing echoed through the seemingly endless hall. My chest constricted with the painful thought that I'd just been sealed inside the world's most elaborate tomb.

"I'm Mathias," the voice told me. "You may call on me for anything you need." His hand was still wrapped around my arm and he guided me further inside.

Too dumbstruck by everything that was happening, I couldn't even respond. The deeper into the palace we walked, the more elaborate it became. The walls were covered in impossibly detailed tapestries of G.o.ds and creatures romping through forests and swimming in rivers. The mosaics on the floors were made of tiles barely bigger than a pearl.

We stopped walking when we reached a sitting room. Awash in the morning light, the s.p.a.ce glowed with warmth. Couches overflowed with silky pillows and wool blankets dyed in creamy yellows and soft oranges and juicy limes. It was as if summer had arrived early and was welcoming me into the folds of its cozy arms. In a million years I couldn't have dreamt up a room that suited me more perfectly.

I slid onto a couch and sank into the pillows, drawn to the enticing oblivion of comfort. And sleep. I didn't think I'd slept since Father had returned with the prophecy.

"Forgive my intrusion," Mathias said, "but perhaps you might enjoy a warm bath before napping in your room."

I looked down at myself and immediately wrinkled my nose. I was still wearing the horrible black shroud and my skin was covered in dust and dirt from the wagon ride.

"Sorry," I said, clambering back to my feet, "I didn't mean to get the couch dirty."

No sooner had I spoken the words than a beautiful female voice spoke up. "No worries. All you need is a nice soak in the tub. I have everything ready."

The invisible person behind the pretty little voice eagerly grabbed my hand and began leading me away. The palace was a maze of hallways, alcoves and rooms.

"I can't tell you how excited I am to have you here. We're all excited, of course. But I'm really excited. It'll be so much more fun now that you're here. And trust me, you're going to love this place."

This invisible girl talked way too fast for my bewildered brain. I just nodded and let her lead me into the maze. "I can already tell you'll fit in wonderfully here," she chattered on. "It'll be like this palace was made for you. And I'm sure you and I will be great friends."

A friend?Now that would be something.

"Oh, I shouldn't be talking so much. Like I said, I'm just so excited. Anyway, here it is," she said as she pushed open an ornate golden door.

Inside was a ma.s.sive marble tub. Thick, brocade curtains covered the windows, blocking out most of the sunlight. Hundreds of white candles surrounded the tub, casting dancing light everywhere. Steam rose invitingly from the bath water.

"Do you need help getting undressed?" she asked.

"No," I blurted before I realized I'd just snapped at the girl who wanted to be my friend. "Thank you, but no."

After untying my sandals, I gingerly stuck a toe into the tub to make sure it wasn't too hot, but it was perfect.

"I won't look," the girl said. "Go ahead and get in."

Ditching the shroud, I sank below the surface, closing my eyes. The scent of lavender enveloped me and I felt the stress of the past several days slowly releasing my muscles from its painful grasp.

"I'll leave you in peace for a little bit. If you need anything, just call me."

"How?" I asked. My eyes barely managed to stay half-open. "I don't even know your name."

"Oh G.o.ds! I'm such a goof sometimes. I'm Alexa. Just call for me whenever you need anything. If you're in the palace, I'll hear you."

"Thanks, Alexa," I mumbled as the door clicked closed.

I soaked in the tub for what felt like hours. I'd expected the water to cool, but it stayed warm the entire time. I relaxed as best I could, but my head started swimming with questions.

Why were the servants invisible?

How could Alexa hear me from anywhere in this huge palace?

How much information would Alexa give me? And could I trust it?

When would I meet the beast who may or may not eat me?

Did my parents know I was okay?

Was I okay?

Would I ever see them again?

I couldn't sit still anymore. Rising from the tub, I looked around, but there were no towels in sight. I sighed.

"Alexa," I called softly, feeling self-conscious talking to an empty room. "Could you please bring me a towel?"

The words were hardly out of my mouth when the door swung open again. Luxuriously thick, white towels floated into the room.

"Here you are," she said. She wrapped one towel around my shoulders and gently rubbed the water from my pruny skin. Then she carefully wrapped my dripping hair in another towel. "Feel better now?"

"A little," I said. And it was true. As many questions as I had, I still felt better than when I'd arrived.

"Let's get you dressed then," Alexa said and grabbed me by the wrist again to lead me to an adjacent room. "This is your room," she said as she swung back the heavy wooden door.

My jaw dropped when I looked inside. The banquet hall at my parents' palace wasn't even as large. To the right, and against the wall, was a bed layered with plush silk blankets. The ma.s.sive headboard was a deep, rich mahogany and rose half the height of the wall.

Above the windows, gossamer-like fabric hung from golden rods. A breeze coming through from the gardens blew back the curtains in a way that looked almost ethereal.

Opposite the bed was a fireplace so large that my bed at home easily could have fit inside. The hearth was already prepared, with the grate holding mature trees for fire logs.

I didn't have time to take in any more of the room before I saw Alexa coming toward me. Well, I didn't see her of course, I saw what she was carrying: the most beautiful red gown I'd ever seen. I could only stare.

"He had it made special for you," Alexa told me, and I heard the smile in her voice. "It'll fit you perfectly."

I gasped. In a flash, Alexa had s.n.a.t.c.hed away my towels and was pa.s.sing the soft gown over my head. I wasn't sure I would ever get used to having invisible servants since I couldn't tell what they were about to do. But Alexa worked quickly, and I was fully dressed before I could even complain.

Then I felt her hands softly pushing my shoulders in the direction of a golden vanity. Before I could see myself in the mirror there, she flipped it around. Like so many other things I'd seen in the past few hours, the back of the mirror contained an intricately-detailed scene forged in gold.

"No peeking," she teased.

I was starting to be put off by the unabashed opulence. I'd never liked any of the people I knew who were so flashy with their wealth. Every last one was egotistical, rude and self-absorbed. Maybe he was planning on making me choke to death on my own disgust.

"Is everything in this place made of gold?" I asked.

"Well, no. Of course not." Alexa answered quickly. She must have heard the edge to my voice. "It's just ... well ... you're a princess after all. Don't you like gold?"

"Sure, who doesn't? But this is a bit much. Is he really that full of himself?"

"None of this is for him," she said, and I heard her smile had returned. "This room exists only for you. If you don't like it, we'll have it changed."

"For me?" I gasped and spun around. "What do you mean this is for me? How long has he known I've been coming? A room like this doesn't just spring up overnight."

She laughed, but I was angry. How long had this monster been lying in wait for me? Was my whole life just some cruel joke? Had I been led to think I could live a normal life but really been destined for this beast since birth?

My nostrils flared as I took deep breaths trying to control my temper. The only sound in the room now was my huffing. If it weren't for the fact that a golden hairbrush was floating in front of me, I would've thought Alexa had bolted.

"Tell me how long he's known," I repeated through gritted teeth.

"If I tell you the truth, you'll think I'm lying. If I lie, you'll be angry. I'm sorry, Psyche. I don't know what do."

"I'll believe you," I said cooly. "I've been driven to my own funeral, flown down a hillside by the West Wind, greeted as the mistress of an ornate palace, and am being attended to by invisible servants. All in one day. Try me."

"Fine," she sighed. "Two weeks."

I looked around again at the room. The fireplace would've taken longer than two months to construct. "Two weeks?"

"If you really want to know the truth..." she added hesitantly.

"Yeah."

"Actually, well ... the whole palace was built for you about two weeks ago - three tops." She sped through the words as if I might not focus on them if they pa.s.sed me by in a blur.

"That's not..." My voice trailed away as I stared down at the floor. I was going to say possible, but none of this was possible. Everything that had happened was so unbelievably impossible, I had no choice but to believe.

After moments of silence, Alexa started working on my hair. I think she might've even warned me that she was going to start brushing, but I was too numb to hear her. I felt her tug and pull at the strands of my hair, but I barely noticed. Then she dusted my face and eyelids and cheeks with make-up and glossed my lips. When she was finished, she spun me around and flipped the mirror back over.

"There!" she said proudly.

I looked into the mirror and saw the reflection of a person I barely recognized. Alexa's talent for primping others was breathtaking. She'd expertly twisted my hair up on top of my head and nested it around a silver crown. In place of the heavy golden jewelry I'd been forced to wear for my funeral, delicate silver twists dangled exotically from my ears. I no longer wore a necklace at all, but the dress didn't need one.

The silk draped over my right shoulder and cut down under my left arm, so that my left shoulder was bare. The fabric was ridiculously soft, and although there was enough of it to create delicate ripples, it clung to my body, revealing every curve. I'd been laced into the gown with silver cord, crossing back and forth around my waist, to where it finally ended in a bow in the small of my back, the tails hanging down almost to the floor. The tail of the gown flared into a tiny train.

I had grown up a spoiled princess, but never in all my life had I had a dress like this.

"Thank you, Alexa," I finally said. "Not for this, I mean," and I gestured to my face and body with a circling motion. "But for being so nice. Today was supposed to be the worst imaginable day of my life ... granted, it could still end that way, but ... What I mean is, you've made a bad day better. Really better. And I might not be here tomorrow to thank you, so ... thanks."

"What do you mean you might not be here tomorrow?" she gasped. "You're not going to run away are you?"

I let out a nervous laugh. "I hadn't figured I'd live long enough to have a chance to run," I said, as I picked at the skin around my fingernails.

Alexa sighed in a way that I knew would've been accompanied by an eye roll if I could've seen her. Then she wrapped her soft, invisible arms around me.

"Psyche," she said, "you believed me when I told you this palace was just built for you, right?"

I thought for a moment before answering. "Yes."

"Then please, please, believe me when I tell you that you worry too much. The truest thing I could ever tell you is that he loves you with all his heart - all his being. No harm will ever come to you here. Not from him."

Nervous laughter played from my lips as I wrung my hands together. He didn't even know me yet - how could he love me? As badly as I wanted to trust Alexa, the idea was absurd.

I stared out the window and saw the sun beginning to set below the tree line. Closing my eyes, I took in a long, deep breath. Then I slowly exhaled. Alexa was waiting for me to answer.

"I believe you," I whispered, finishing in my mind "that he won't hurt me." Not in a million years did I think a monster could love.

She hugged me again, tighter this time. "You're just as wonderful as he said you would be."

Now I was the one who rolled my eyes. She grabbed my hand and tugged at me to follow her out of the room.

"Wait. Where are we going now?"

"To get dinner, of course," she answered. "You can't meet him on an empty stomach."

Chapter 18 - Eros.