Before I could ask him what he meant, a loud ripping noise and a gasp echoed throughthe hall.
I looked around Grigory. Myles was frozen in place, his face as scarlet as his hair, and his foot on Brietta’s skirt that pooled on the floor. The white skirt had completely torn from the bodice, leaving Brietta standing on the dance floor inher undergarments.
“Brie!” I gasped, pushing out of Grigory’s hold and running to her. I picked up her skirt and held it up to her waist to coverher up.
Myles sputtered out apologies, but I ignored him and took Brietta out of the Great Hall and upstairs as quickly as I could. Once we were safely in the Senior dorm, Briettabroke down.
“They all saw me!” she cried. “Lord Hyton, the other suitors, even theDuke himself!”
“No,” I lied, “everyone was too distracted with each otherto notice.”
I held back an angry breath as I thought of the leering General Hyton enjoying the view of Brietta in her undergarments. I dismissed the thought and continuedcomforting Brietta.
“Really?” Brietta sniffed throughher tears.
“Of course,” I replied, expanding on the lie. “In fact, Grigory and I were having such an engaging conversation that I did not notice anyone else inthe room.”
Brietta rolled her eyes. “Grigory can really go on. Especiallyabout himself.”
“He actually was not talking about himself,” I said with a smile, happy to distract her. “He mentionedthe Beast.”
Brietta snorted out a small laugh. “You mean the alleged half-brotherof mine?”
“Grigory said he was a violent half-giant with a beast’s heart.” I swallowed. My attempted distraction only opened up more questions. “He only had one short dance to talk to me, and he chose to talk about this…Beast character? Do you have anyidea why?”
Brietta’s brown eyes rolled around in thought as her tears dried. “A few weeks ago, Grigory sent a letter to Julietta asking about the girls in the Senior class. I think he knew he was in Selection Night and wanted information on the brides. I helped Julietta with the reply letter and we told him that you and I are friends, gave a quick description of Camille and Dinah, and then told himeverythingabout Annalisa.”
I furrowed my brow. “Was he just looking for a bride who hates the Beast as much ashe does?”
“I can see that,” Brietta replied. “Grigoryhateshim. We do not even know his name because Grigory only calls him ‘the Beast’ or ‘that monster’ inhis letters.”
Whatever obsession Grigory had with the Beast was no concern of mine. What did concern me was that I had new competition for the Duke’s heir. As I looked at Brietta’s flushed cheeks and auburn hair that shone like a warm glow around her gentle features, I could not help but wonder if she had the beautiful face Derrick preferredover mine.
“Brie, what did Derrick say to you to make you laugh?”I asked.
“You will not believe it,” she replied with a smile. “He took me by the hand and said, ‘So, you are the famous Brietta.’ Anyone could have overheard, but he did not care. We talked through the whole dance as if we wereold friends.”
I silently cursed myself for mentioning Brietta so much in my letters. Of course, I could not have pretended that my best friend did not exist, especially since she was involved with my scheme to make Derrick fall in lovewith me.
I had been so stupid. I should have just learned how towrite poetry.
Maybe all was not lost. Brietta had helped me with the most romantic parts of our correspondence, but I still wrote to Midnight as myself. I had stars in my belly any time a guard slipped me a new letter. I enjoyed reading about his life at school, news from the palace, and musings he had throughout the day. I knew him better than anyoneelse did.
A tiny bite of guilt tainted my confidence—I knew Derrick, but Derrick did not really know me. I was not a romantic like he was, I did not really think his lessons about wartime strategy were interesting, and I did not actually believe I was about to get my happily ever after like in a faerie story. I just needed to marry him so I could pull his strings andsave Ravenwood.
Regardless of my silly feelings about Derrick, I needed to return to the ball and put the plan backin motion.
Before I could make an excuse to leave, the dormitory door flew open and Annalisastormed in.
She pointed an accusatory finger at Brietta. “This is all your fault! The ball was canceled! I only got to dance with that brick-footed jackass, and now all the other suitors are gone becauseyoucould not keep yourclothes on!”
Camille was right on Annalisa’s tail and gently contradicted her. “That is not fair, Annalisa. Sir Two-left-feet stepped on her dress and destroyed it. You would think after seven years of training he would have learned howto dance!”
Dinah ran in after Camille with her fists on her hips. “You cannot blame him! It was aclear accident!”
As the four girls squabbled, someone banged on the door. The knock did not come from the small hands of any Ashmore student, but the knuckles of a grown man. I cautiously walked over to the door and cracked it open. On the other side stood twoAshmore guards.
“Miss Ravenwood,” one of the guards said, “you must come withus immediately.”
