I turn back to Mr. Beast. “He’s really sorry,” I say meekly. “He didn’t mean to. The rose is for our mother. It’s her birthday tomorrow. I made her a painting already, but apparently it’s not good enough for my brother.” I grumble the last part.

“I don’t care what his excuse is,” Mr. Beast yells. “He has no right to take anything in my garden!”

Mr. Beast shoves his giant, hairy finger in Jonah’s face.

“You have stolen my rose, little man! Now you must pay.”

Pay?

“We didn’t bring any money,” Jonah says, his voice trembling. He turns to me. “Did we?”

“No, we didn’t.” And I have a sneaking suspicion Mr. Beast doesn’t want money.

“Pay you must,” Mr. Beast roars. “WITH YOUR LIFE!”

Chapter Six: Let’s Make a Deal

Whoa! “Hold on there,” I say. I wedge my way between Jonah and Mr. Beast. “That’s crazy talk!”

“Excuse me?” Mr. Beast hollers.

My mind is racing. This is what happened to Beauty’s father! “You can’t hurt my brother!”

“Why not?” asks Mr. Beast. He crosses his furry arms. “What will you give me in return?”

“Um … ummm …” I don’t know what to say. I don’t even have a watch to trade anymore! I have nothing at all!

Except …

I do have something. I have information. “I know how to break your curse!” I announce, my hands on my hips.

Mr. Beast gasps and then narrows his eyes. “You know about the curse?”

I nod. “I do. And I know just the girl who will break it. Promise not to hurt my brother, and I’ll prove it to you.”

Mr. Beast grazes his fangs against his lower lip. “How do I know you’re telling me the truth?”

“I am! I swear!” I hold up my hands. “We know your whole story.”

“Jax must have told you,” Mr. Beast grumbles. He stomps his foot into the soil. “That purple-haired pipsqueak.”

Who’s Jax? “It doesn’t matter who told me,” I say. “What matters is what I know. I know you used to be very handsome before you got cursed.”

Mr. Beast furrows his brow. “Thanks, I guess,” he says gruffly.

“And,” I continue, “I know that a girl named Beauty is supposed to come here. She’s beautiful. Just like her name! She’ll fall in love with you, and she’ll agree to marry you! And then you’ll return to your normal, nonbeastly self.”

He crosses his hairy, beastly arms. “That’s all pretty hard to believe. No one wants to marry me. Trust me.”

“It’s the truth. I swear.” I think fast. “Let us go find this Beauty for you. We’ll bring her here and you’ll see. She’s the love of your life. Your soul mate. The person who ends the curse. Come on, Mr. Beast. What do you have to lose?”