Beauty's Cursed Prince Read online

  Also by Mary E. Twomey

  Cursed Beauty

  Beauty's Cursed Sleep

  Beauty's Cursed Beast

  Beauty's Cursed Prince

  Savage Hearts

  Savage Hearts

  Dangerous Hearts

  Twisted Hearts

  Damaged Hearts

  Wicked Hearts

  Sinfully Sacrificed

  Sins of the Father

  Sins of the Mother

  Sins of Mine: A Paranormal Prison Romance

  Territorial Mates

  Vengeful Prince

  Wicked Prince

  Malicious Prince

  Vengeful King

  Wicked King

  Malicious King

  Undraland

  Undraland

  Nokken

  Fossegrim

  Elvage

  The Other Side

  Lucy at Peace

  Lucy at War

  Lucy at Last

  Linus at Large

  Undraland Books 1-3 Bundle: Including Undraland, Nøkken and Fossegrim

  Standalone

  Liberating Mr. Gable

  Unraveling Molly

  Heart of the Woods

  Keeping Cole for Christmas

  Ugly Girl Sample

  Undraland Sample

  Watch for more at Mary E. Twomey’s site.

  Beauty’s Cursed Prince

  A Cursed Beauty Novel: Book Three

  Mary E. Twomey

  Contents

  1. Henry and Henry

  2. Bad Boy Henry

  3. A Lethal Among Them

  4. Two Henrys in the Car

  5. Cheeks and Feet

  6. Pinpricks of Possibility

  7. Tea and National Security

  8. The Danger of a Kiss over Lunch

  9. What the Baron Requires

  10. Four Dozen

  11. Remus’ Offer

  12. Big Mouth Henry

  13. Who Are You?

  14. Hearing and Seeing

  15. House Rules

  16. Reading between Remus’ Pages

  17. Henry’s Bedroom

  18. The Center of Too Much Attention

  19. Peace from Rory

  20. Cordray’s Secret

  21. Comfort and Chaos

  22. Red and Rafe

  23. Guadalupe, Connor and Errol

  24. Part of the Pack

  25. Because You’re My Sister

  26. Sick, Sick, Sick

  27. The Darkness of Remus and Ella

  28. Comfort to End the Darkness

  29. Someone to Lean On

  30. Finding Her Role

  31. A Word from the King

  32. The Bigger Picture

  33. Remus’ Conspiracy Theories

  34. Howling in the Night

  35. Eavesdropping

  36. Standing on Her Own

  37. Ella’s Scandal

  38. Remus’ Secret Lover

  39. Ella’s New Job

  40. Locked in the Dark

  41. Remus’ Date to the Ball

  42. Always and Only You

  43. Happily Ever After

  Ugly Girl

  1. Winning and Total Loss

  Copyright © 2018 Tuesday Twomey

  Cover Art by Shayne Leighton

  of Parliament House Book Designs

  * * *

  All rights reserved.

  First Edition: January 2019

  * * *

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.

  * * *

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  * * *

  For information:

  http://www.maryetwomey.com

  For Maybee

  * * *

  Forever my princess who conquers whole kingdoms with her gentleness.

  1

  Henry and Henry

  Henry stared at his phone, his face a wash of indignation. Since he had no audience, he spoke to his phone as if was his best friend’s stubborn face. “The nerve! You can’t hang up on me just because I check in on you, Rory. You married a man whose Pulse had to be taken away, it was so deadly. I’m not overreacting.”

  Henry wanted to say more, but slid his phone into his pocket. He tried not to let the frustration affect him, but that seemed to be a losing battle.

  Rory Johnstone had married a Lethal, which meant Henry felt no shame in calling her more often than usual. He’d felt a mild pang of chagrin when he interrupted her honeymoon, and even permitted her new husband, Cordray, to chew him out for a good five minutes before he’d agreed to back off. That, of course, meant only one phone call per day, as opposed to nearly a dozen. As her best friend, Henry felt it was his duty to make sure Rory was, at the very least, alive.

  Henry ran his hand through his blond hair, glancing around the foyer of the palace before his eyes landed on his father’s raised eyebrows. “Oh, I didn’t see you there.”

  The King of Avondale was known and beloved for many things, and rarely spoke out of turn. He closed the leather-bound day-planner he was holding and tucked it under his arm, adjusting his tie. “How is our dear Rory doing? Settling into married life well, I hope?”

  Henry took in a long breath through his nose before he answered. “She’s fine. I’m fine. We’re fine. I’m glad she’s happy and all; I just didn’t expect her to settle down with a Lethal. I’m worrying more than I was expecting to.”

  The king smoothed his hand over the buttons on his pressed shirt, looking every bit the part of the professional. Since they were on the main floor of the palace, important officials were permitted to walk through with the escort of a guard. King Hubert’s hair, angular jaw, high cheekbones and easy smile matched his son’s perfectly. The only difference was that the king had a few wrinkles around the corners of his pale blue eyes, and his chest was slightly less barreled than the late-twenties prince. “Cordray is still on the pill, yes? His magic is muted?”

  Henry nodded. “He can’t hurt Rory by accidentally Pulsing his deadly electricity into her with a stray touch. I get that.” He shook his head at himself, his shoulders slumping. “The whole thing is throwing me, is all.”

  “Did you wish your betrothal to Rory had held? Is that what’s really bothering you?”

  Henry’s eyes widened as he leaned back against the closed front double doors, glancing up at the elaborate crystal chandelier. He recalled running around the palace with Rory and Adam when they were children. They’d chosen the ornately tiled circle under this chandelier as the safety zone when playing tag.

  How he wished for a safety zone now, one where he could tell his oldest friend anything, and she’d truly hear his heart. Henry studied the golden loops and twists above, wondering where things had fallen so far off the track that he couldn’t make himself understood to the one woman who’d always known his mind. “No, I don’t want to marry Rory. She’s like a sister to me. It’s that she just barely woke from her coma, and now she’s diving headfirst into what could be a dangerous situation.”

  The king nodded sagely. “Ah. The papers are still printing pictures of the kingdom’s Sleeping Beauty. Her wedding was months ago, Henry. Perhaps you should let her go a bit.”

  Henry snorted at the name the press had given her. Before, they’d called her “the Chancellor’s daughter,” or th
e snarkier papers, “the Chancellor’s shamed Deadpulse daughter.” When true love’s kiss had woken her from her coma, Rory’s magic was finally awakened. She could perform all the spells she’d failed at before, and finally won the respect that should’ve been hers all along.

  When her father passes away someday, she would sit in the Chancellor’s chair as head of the council. When Henry’s father passes someday, he would rule Avondale. The two got along better than most President and Vice President pairings did.

  Henry shoved his hands into the pockets of his khakis. “What if Cordray forgets to take his pill? What if he rolls over in bed one night and electrocutes her by accident? I like him and all, but this whole thing is going to give me an ulcer.”

  The king chuckled at his son’s consternation, letting his folder go and floating it in the air at his side, so he could reach down and tug at his sock that had slipped to discomfort. “I guess I know how you’ll be voting on Proposition 7,” the king said as he stood. He looked every bit like his son, only with brushes of silver lining his temples. While his glory days playing rugby were far behind him, he was still almost as imposing as his tall, broad-shouldered son, especially when he went head-to-head with members of the council who occasionally got out of hand.

  Henry shrugged. “I had my opinions before, but now I don’t know. I keep going back and forth.”

  “Forfeiting all of one’s magic to mute one’s Lethal abilities is a steep price to pay, but that’s the only option I can offer them. The pill has its shortcomings, but it took so long to get it where it is now. It’s a viable option if you want to keep your loved ones safe when your Pulse is deadly. I’ve invested all I care to in the project. The Baron thinks privately-funded companies might be able to take the pill to the next level—muting the deadlier aspects, while still allowing Lethals to perform perfunctory magic.”

  “And what do you think?”

  The king met his son’s gaze with a tight smile. “Henry, it’s the Baron’s idea. When have I ever not trusted the Baron?”

  The two shared a loaded chuckle. The Baron was a snide, sniveling weasel who was always vying for more power. It had been the Chancellor’s seat he’d had his eyes on for too long, but now it seemed the Baron had moved on to wanting control over the pill. “Fair point. So you’re saying I shouldn’t vote yes on Proposal 7?”

  The king shrugged, a wizened look softening his eyes, making them crinkle around the edges. “I’m saying I have faith in your decision-making process. I know you’ll steer the country well someday.” He glanced at the watch on his wrist. “The guests will be arriving soon. Remind me again why I host these dinners?”

  Henry gripped his father’s shoulders, looking him in the eye as if he were a football coach. “Dinners for the Elite are important rituals for the council and other officials to get together in a non-political setting. They’re supposed to use the opportunity to make friends with people who have opposing views, and not talk politics, so we have a more unified nation, even when we disagree.”

  “Right. That sounds exactly like something I’d say—wise but taxing. Tell me that each day only holds twenty-four hours, and this one won’t drag on beyond it.”

  “This evening will feel like an eternity, but it’s worthwhile. This is a good thing you’re doing—encouraging the leaders to see beyond their own agendas.”

  “Yes, I’m very smart. One day when the throne is yours, I hope you have a son of your own who can talk you through each of the brilliant ideas you hate.” King Hubert and Henry shared a smirk as Henry slapped his father hard on the shoulder twice. The king checked his watch. “See that you make it to the dining hall before the Baron, otherwise I’ll be forced to sit next to him. He’s been taking garlic pills.” He shuddered, and then grabbed his folder out of the air and tucked it back under his arm, kissing his son’s cheek before leaving for his study.

  Henry deflated against the doors the moment his father left. He always hated when his father made comments like that, bringing to attention that the adored king might not always be around. Many people in Henry’s position would be happy to inch closer to the crown, but that would only mean his father wouldn’t be there—a concept that sat heavy in his stomach. He knew that when the time came, he would rise to the occasion. But no one seemed to realize that the day he put on the crown would mean that his father was no more.

  Henry couldn’t think of a worse thing.

  His secondary cell phone buzzed with a text from his date last night. He thumbed the nude photo she sent him to entice him into another night out, at which he merely chuckled. That was far beyond his level of commitment. No matter how much fun they’d had during their night together, a second date felt like a marriage, which made him itch to delete her from his contacts.

  His primary cell phone rang, and he answered immediately. Only his family, the palace staff and his small circle of true friends had his real cell phone number. “I’m sorry, Rory. I was overbearing.”

  Rory’s gentle voice came out in a rush. “I don’t like it when we fight. Let’s be sorry and forgiving, and forget it ever happened.”

  A lazy grin swept over Henry’s handsome face. “Darling, telling the kingdom I’m amazing in bed means never having to say you’re sorry.”

  Rory giggled through her nose at the innocuous flirtation. They’d never slept together, though the tabloids had entertained the masses with many stories countering the truth. “I’ll be careful. Cordray doesn’t have a problem taking the pill. We both have alarms set to make sure we don’t forget.”

  “For what day? I’ll set one, too. Then you’ll only get a territorial overprotective phone call from me once a month.”

  “I can’t imagine you’ll show that much restraint.” Henry could hear the smile in Rory’s voice. “First of the month. But if you’re not barking at me about things I’m already on top of, then I’ll miss out on all of your fantastic apologies. I’m not sure it’s worth the trade-off.”

  “I miss you,” Henry admitted. “Tell me you’re almost here.”

  “I am. Be nice to Cord.”

  “Fine. I’ll offer to make out with him first, and then you second, so he’ll feel all important.”

  “What a gentlemanly proposition.”

  “Pass!” Henry heard Cordray shout in the background.

  Henry sighed as he walked through the walls of the palace that were outlined with gold-painted wainscoting and baseboards. He passed the portrait of his deceased mother on the wall and blew her a kiss, as he always did whenever he happened by it.

  “That was our longest fight yet,” he commented. “I didn’t care for it. In fact, I wrote whole oceans of sappy poetry in the two minutes we were at odds. Would you like to hear some of it?”

  Rory groaned good-naturedly. “Not even if it’s in song form.”

  “Of course it’s in song. How else does one apologize to a fine lady like yourself?”

  “You’re too much,” Rory chuckled.

  “You’re exactly the right amount of everything. Tell your husband the second he drops the ball, I’ll be marking my territory, peeing all over you to tell the world you’re mine.”

  Cordray sounded bored, if not mildly irritated when he chimed in. “You realize I can hear you, right?”

  “Oh, Cord. Don’t be jealous. I can pee on you, as well. I had no idea you were so fond of such things.” Making Rory laugh was easy enough for him to accomplish but it was satisfying every time. “See you soon, sweetheart. You too, Rory.”

  “Please don’t pee on me when you do,” she requested through her laughter.

  “I make no promises.” Henry ended the call and moved into the kitchen, pinching Carlotta’s pudgy waist just to make her jump and shriek with indignation. She’d burped him as a baby, but didn’t hesitate to get out the dish towel and whap at the prince’s caddish grin.

  “Henry, I swear! I’m putting the finishing touches on the rolls. What if I’d messed up the Baron’s?”

  “Whic
h one is the Baron’s? I’ll rub it under my armpits for good luck.”

  Carlotta narrowed her eyes, her flour-covered hands on her generous hips. “I swear, you make me crazy some days.” The doorbell rang, and her eyes widened. “They’re already arriving! Move out of the way. I have to get these in the oven.”

  “You have to relax, otherwise people are going to think we run too tight a ship around here. Dinner will be served when it’s ready. You’re looking at this all wrong. The stuffy officials don’t hold the power; you do.”

  “Said the stuffy official himself.”

  Henry scoffed, his hand over his heart. “Dad and I adore you. Dinner is served when you get to it, and we’re grateful every time.”

  Carlotta shoved the rolls in the oven and sighed. “I know. I love you, too, you sweet boy. It’s not you; it’s the others. The Baron’s date has called three times with different specifications on how her meal is to be served. I’m half-tempted to rub her portion in the dirt.”

  Henry’s eyes danced with mischief. “Which one is hers? Come on, let me mess with it.”

  Carlotta’s round face was red with sweat, but she grinned for the boy she’d always adored. “You can mess with her all you like, but not her food. That will come back and bite me, for certain.”