Beauty in the Beast Read Online Free Page A

Analyzer’s parts. From the very tip of the knight’s helmet, where a bird plume should be, curled a plume of smoke instead. Pistons along his legs slid short and long with each of the knight’s strides.
    “‘Sir knight, are you man or machine?’
    “‘My Queen, I am man enhanced by machine.’ The knight pressed the side of his helmet. The visor slid up and a man’s face looked out at them. He extended one arm before him and clenched the metal hand shut, showing the strength in that fist. ‘I am called Sir Coal, steam-powered knight of England.’
    “‘And can you defeat the dragon?’
    “The steam-powered knight bowed his head. ‘I will defeat the dragon or forfeit my life trying.’
    “These were not very reassuring words to the monarch and the parliament, but the Analyzer had called for a knight, so they did not turn him away. Instead they gave him a place to stay for the night because darkness was falling, and anyone who has ever dealt with a dragon knows that night is the worst time to try to slay one.
    “The next morning, at the very crack of dawn, a thunderous roaring noise filled the air, startling the queen from her bed. She ran to the window and threw up the pane, and found not the dragon, but the knight standing below, a billow of smoke surrounding him as his armor warmed up. While she watched, a compartment on his bulky back opened, and out slid a pole.”
    This was my favorite part. Miles pushed a wire hidden at the knight’s back. It protruded above the knight’s head and telescoped into a long antenna. From its tip, four blades unfolded.
    “The blades of the pole began to spin around very fast, and in moments, the knight was lifting into the air. He waved as he passed the queen. Pulling a lever at his waist, he disappeared over the buildings.
    “The knight flew over the ruins of London, following the destruction toward the center of the city, where it became worse and worse, until finally he found the dragon. It lay curled in a black crater, the metal hull of a bus pillowed under its claws.
    “‘Sir Dragon! Halloo!’
    “The great yellow eyes of the dragon cracked open.”
    I bent my wrist so that the dragon puppet’s head stirred and its neck slowly uncurled, looking for all the world like a creature waking from deep slumber. I peeked at Rolph to see his eyes widen, and wondered if he thought it looked as realistic as I hoped.
    “The dragon looked about until Sir Coal cried, ‘Up here!’
    “And then the dragon cast its horrible gaze upward. ‘A knight! A knight that flies!’
    “‘Yes, Sir Dragon! It is I, Sir Coal, and I have come to challenge you to an honorable duel!’
    “‘I will roast you in your shell and use your bones for toothpicks! Dragons do not fight in honorable duels!’
    “‘Yes, and knights do not fly.’
    “The dragon fell silent. It appeared to be thinking very hard. ‘You are a man! I will crush you like a fly and eat you as a snack.’
    “‘But I am no ordinary man! In me runs the blood of dragons.’ With that, the knight pulled one of his levers, releasing a great big burst of hot steam from the front of his helmet.”
    Here, Beth smiled apologetically and then ducked her head, for that was the cue for the smoke machine.
    “The dragon had never seen such a display. ‘Ai! It’s true! A knight who flies and breathes fire!’
    “‘Yes. And you have grown weak from centuries of sleeping, Sir Dragon. You should prove that you are still a strong, clever dragon.’”
    With the twist of one finger, I made the dragon’s head rear indignantly.
    “‘I have destroyed this city, roasted its people and used their bones to pick my teeth. I am still strong and clever.’
    “‘But they are just men. You said yourself that men are like flies, and it is easy to crush flies. I am no simple man. Your strength will be tested against me. Or are you afraid?’”
    The wings flared and the tips of the angry red fabric flapped from the rush.
    “‘I am not afraid!