She raised an eyebrow. “I shoved it into the back of Derrick’s wardrobe after…after it was removed. Why?”
The words flew out of my mouth as my thoughts raced. “What if you were not the first person to cry in that dress?”
Her brows furrowed and her voice dropped. “Does this have something to do with sor—”
“Magic holds memories.” My heart raced as my white flame danced. “And magic is everywhere water is—in our bodies, in our tears. If I can just touch the dress, maybe I can find—”
“No time tonight.” She glanced at the closed door before turning back to me. “We have to go straight to dinner with the House of Hyton and then Derrick and I get locked in his room for another night. But tomorrow…”
Then a smile finally broke through Brietta’s lips. I smiled back, my chest alight with righteous white fire.
Tomorrow, we would get acquainted with Duchess Ilsa.
By the time Brietta and I had arrived back at the palace, the Hyton daughters were already entering the dining room. Each of the beautiful, blue-eyed women were dressed in dark fabrics with fine embroidery, wearing tiaras studded with gemstones corresponding with their names.
I quickly counted the women. Amethyst, Emeralda, Garnet, Sapphira, Rubia, and Pearl were all there. No Annalisa.
Derrick was chatting with Amethyst when his eyes met mine. He left his sister and quickly stepped over to us. Before he even had a chance to say anything to Brietta, she turned and entered the dining room without so much as a blink.
Derrick ignored the rebuff and smiled at me. “You look splendid.”
My cheeks heated and I ran my hands down the front of my bodice. “You mean underdressed?”
“Nonsense—this is just a normal dinner.” He took my hand in his. “I have to enter with my father, but find me after. We have much to discuss.”
He gave the back of my hand a soft kiss and left.
A normal dinner. As long as I leaned into my years of etiquette training from Ashmore, no one would suspect that a sorceress was at their table.
I clasped my hands, my thumb tracing the warmth that lingered on the back of my hand, and entered the dining room.
The dining room was silent as all the women stood behind their chairs. Apparently, I was to sit at Freya’s left and Brietta would sit at her right.
I quietly took my place.
Rubia and Sapphira glared across the table at the empty spot between Pearl and I—Annalisa was nowhere to be seen.
Freya entered the dining room dripping in regal splendor. She glided across the room with flawless poise to her place at the end of the table. Her eyes were cold and clear, as if her breakdown at tea had never happened.
She smiled. “What a delight to have all my kittens in one place.” Her eyes flicked to the empty chair. “Well, almost all of you.”
I tightened my hold on my hands. I was not a kitten, I was a serpent in the herd of Hyton bulls.
The door to the dining room opened again and Derrick entered. He gave me a quick glance and a warm smile before taking his seat at what would be the Duke’s right-hand.
General Hyton entered the room, the candlelight skating across his white hair as he stood at the spot across from Derrick.
A gleam of gold caught the corner of my eye and my back stiffened—the Duke had arrived wearing the golden crown of Lycaster atop his greying hair and gold chains studded with gems across his chest. I turned to face Alastar Anders Hyton as he entered the dining room but then my stomach dropped. He was not alone.
Next to the Duke was my mother, wearing a simple Hyton Blue dress with her dark hair swept up on top of her head. DukeHyton’s hand was on her back as he led her to the table. Her dark, heavy lashes veiled her eyes.
My chest caved in like I had been punched. Since Duke Hyton had stripped Father of the Baronage of Ravenwood as punishment for high treason, Mother was no longer Baroness Ravenwood.
Even though she had been bought and sold, she did not even have the dignity of a title. Nothing separated her from a common whore.
Mymotherwas just a Hyton whore.
Mother silently took her place between General Hyton and Garnet. Duke Hyton sat and the rest of us followed, the carved chairs groaning as we all took our seats.
