Desecrated Beauty (Twisted Fairy Tales #1) by Kyleigh Castronaro Page A

violence anyways. She just didn’t know what she wanted, she had never had the opportunity to ask herself.
    She figured she never would now either what with her life being handed over to that beast. She didn’t know what to expect from his patronage, but she hoped he didn’t expect her to be a docile little lamb who fell over at his every command. She didn’t intend to make his life that easy for him. He seemed to think he could get anything that he wanted without having to even lift a finger to do it. She planned to show him she wouldn’t, ever, fall for that.
    “Izzy?” She turned to look at her sister, blinking at the name. It had been a long time since someone had called her that. She smiled though, looking up at Orion, who was looking at her with a keen interest. He hadn’t known her real name. Then again, it was rare for any of them here to know each other’s real names.
    “I go by Quill now,” she said, correcting her gently. “It’s a new life, a new chance, so we take on new names to go with our new identities. You’re welcome to take a new name too if you want.”
    Rose scrunched up her nose a she thought about it before shaking her head, “I wouldn’t know where to start. You’ll have to give me some time to come up with something. Quill… Why Quill?”
    “I’m good with knives.” She shrugged her shoulder.
    “Oh, I was thinking the old-fashion pen.” She laughed and Quill smiled although it didn’t reach her eyes. Her father used to have a quill, why didn’t she think of that?
    “Well, take your time. I’m not planning on introducing you to anyone tonight. I’m going to hog you to myself and then you can figure out your name in the morning right before you meet everyone.” She turned to look back at Orion and nodded her head, “I’m going to go back to my room with Rose. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
    “Alright, Striker is going to want to talk to her tomorrow.”
    Quill nodded her head again, “yeah I know. Just make sure he’s gentle with her.” Orion nodded and she turned, guiding Rose through the looping hallway that broke off into each individual self-contained apartment.
    She had never actually considered her own apartment before. It was scant and depressing . With its whitewashed walls and stone floor, she hadn’t even bothered to scavenge a rug to throw down to keep her feet warm. She just wasn’t around enough for that to be a problem. She had never found anything to use for decoration or anything that might add character to the small space. Even the kitchen was basic - a fireplace to cook from (because finding and getting electricity in this place was damn near impossible) and enough crockery for herself because she never expected guests.
    It would be perfect for Rose once she was gone.
    It was a clean slate from which her sister could paint all the beautiful colours of her life on. This place would be looking like Rose in no time and there wouldn’t even be a trace of “Izzy” left. Whoever Izzy was. She had forgotten about Isabelle when she left behind the city and came here. As soon as she walked in and they asked her name Quill had floated off her lips like a gift from God. That was who she was.
    And her name was as much about that person as she knew.
    “Home sweet home.” Quill dropped her hand to a lantern on a side table and twisted the pilot light watching it flicker on. It was a dull kind of light that didn’t shed much of its source on its surroundings.
    “It’s… nice.”
    “Don’t lie.” Quill smiled at her sister before moving over to the shabby couch she had forced Tate and Orion to drag in for her. It was her bed, and her sitting room.
    “Where do I sleep?”
    “You can have here. I have a few more things I’ll have to do after you go to bed.”
    “Oh?”
    “I have to report in with Orion about what I found at the auction house, see if we’re going to come up with a rescue plan… Talk about what I saw.”
    “Oh right.”
    “You won’t