A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers, #1)

by Brigid Kemmerer

I bow low as she approaches, taking her hand to brush a kiss against her knuckles. I infuse my voice with false charm. “Good day to you, Lady Lilith. The morning light favors you, as always.” At the very least, that is true. Soft skin, pink cheeks, rose-colored lips that always seem to be keeping a secret. Hair the color of a raven’s wing, perfect curls falling over her shoulder. An emerald silk dress clings to every curve, accentuating her narrow waist, the soft rise of her breasts. The color brings out the green in her eyes. In the sunlight pouring through the windows overhead, she’s exquisite. She turned my head once, for all the wrong reasons.

I'm sometimes asked why I made Lilith beautiful, when she's so cruel, but I think one of the things I love most about the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale is that no one is really what they seem. All of my books have some exploration of the fact that you can't judge someone based on their appearance -- or even have a true understanding of who they are the first time you meet them.