What I did see through the windows, however, was Grigory and Riyan having a tense conversation in the garden. Curiosity pulled me over to the windows and I pressed my hands against the glass to get abetter look.
Riyan and Grigory talked in the shadows of the palace. Grigory smirked and said something. Suddenly, Riyan picked him up and slammed his back against thepalace wall.
I gasped. Riyan held Grigory up high so their eyes were at the same level. Grigory’s eyes were wide with terror and Riyan’s face darkened with rage as he snarledat him.
The urge to go out in the garden pulled on my chest, but I did not move. If Riyan was an angry drunk and thirsting for blood, it was better for him to unleash his wrath on Grigory than me. I just wanted to survive, not bea hero.
I took a single step back from the window and hugged my arms as I witnessed Riyan’s rage—all the more reason to annulmy marriage.
A loud cheer cracked through the ballroom like lightning. “He hasdone it!”
I whipped my head around. Duke Hyton was on the other side of the ballroom, grinning madly and holding up Derrick’s arm. They were standing just outside the open doors to the sitting room we had waited in mere minutes ago. Derrick’s face was scarlet and he was frantically trying to put his breeches back over his hips. Brietta was nowhere tobe found.
“The marriage is consummated! Duke Hyton announced. “The House of Hyton shall have anew heir!”
My stomach dropped like I fell through an endless black hole. Derrick slept with Brietta. In the middle of the ball. Their union was sealed for eternity. I fell further and further into the blackness as my thoughts continuedto race.
They went back on their agreement. They ruined our plan. I would never behis Duchess.
My Derrickwas gone.
“Now this is a real party!” Duke Hyton cheered. “A real reason to throw a ball! Bring out the good stuff! The House of Hytonis strong!”
The crowd chanted the Hyton name. Derrick was still locked in his father’s grip with horror and confusion burning on his blanched face. Duke Hyton shot Derrick a look out of the side of his eyes—he really would do anything to keep everyone under his control, especially hisrebellious heir.
Derrick and I were no match for Alastar Anders Hyton. We were all mere puppets under his hands, playing our silly games until he decided he did not want toplay anymore.
I held my hands by my sides in tight fists as the cheering pierced my ears. Had Derrick said nothing to his father about us, Duke Hyton would not have gotten Derrick so drunk that he would slip up and ruin the plan. That stubborn and arrogant Derrick thought he was doing me a favor by standing toe-to-toe against his father when my situation was so delicate? Damn him straight to the high hallsof hell!
My throat hitched as I fought back a sob. I hugged my arms as my eyes burned. I had planned and schemed and lied for seven fucking years to become the Duchess of Lycaster and it was allfornothing.
I spotted General Hyton standing next to Mother against the far wall in the shadows. He was also out of his military uniform and wearing his Hyton Blue cape to match his brother. Mother handed him a goblet of wine, which he accepted with a smile and a long sip. General Hyton’s eyes met mine from across the ballroom before he turned and walked out of the room, his workapparently done.
I hissed out a breath. Of course General Hyton was involved! He and his brother must have planned the whole spectacle to secure the Hyton lineage and get me out ofthe way.
“What is going on?” Grigory asked behind me.
Apparently he had survived his encounter with Riyan. Fucking good for him. Hopefully I would be so lucky now that I was stuck with the giant,raging asshole.
Annalisa’s voice cracked as she answered. “He ruined my ball. Derrick could not let me haveone thingfor myself.”
“Annalisa,” Grigory said quietly, but not gently, “did you really think your father would throw an entire ball just for you? Don’t be sucha brat.”
I whipped around. Annalisa was a brat, but she wasourbrat, damn it. As soon as I opened my lips to match Riyan’s wrath with my words, Annalisa turned from Grigory and ran tothe garden.
Riyan leaned against the wall near the garden doors as Annalisa cried past him. His eyes scanned the crowd after Annalisa left, but then they lockedon me.
I wobbled on my feet as the wine hit me like a fist, but my eyes were still as I stared across the room at the half-giant. I forced myself not to scowl at him, the piece of shit who chose me and ruinedmy life.
Riyan’s throat bobbed and he swallowed. He lifted his massive shoulders off the wall and took his first step toward me when the third barrel of wine appeared athis feet.
“Bloodstone!” cried Baron Amberfield. He and a small group of nobility crowded around Riyan. “I just bet Lance Pebblebrooke fifty marks that you cannot finish this barrel faster than I can unlace hiswife’s bodice!”
An older woman next to Baron Amberfield cackled and smacked his arm playfully. Riyan took the barrel in his hands and starteddrinking again.
Disgusting. I scoffed and looked away, but the frenzy of House colors in the crowd made my head spin. Purple. Yellow.Grey. Pink.
Butno crimson.
