I needed Derrick. I was going to be the next Duchess of Lycaster. That horrible man could not take him away from me!
He pulled Derrick behind a stone column, but I was not too far behind.
“The hell are you doing?” The scary man hissed. “Where are your clothes? Why are you letting other men get fistfuls of your wife?”
“Leave me the hell alone for once!” Derrick yanked away from the man. His face glistened like he just rose from the lake. “Do I not get one night—?”
“No! Baron Amberfield’sgrandsonjust announced that he has an heir on the way and here you are with that stupid violin and no shirt! The damn Amberfields look stronger than us tonight!”
I pressed my fingertips against the cool stone. Maybe I could push the column over and knock the scary man on the head. I would save Derrick from the monster.
The monster wouldnoteat my Midnight!
“It tookyounine years to make an heir!” Derrick argued.
“And I almost lost the throne over it! I do not want to use Adalia like that again, so please fuck Serafina all you want. Just remember youcannotlook like you love that girl in front of the Barons. Youcannotshow that weakness—”
“I do love her!” Derrick shifted, but I could not see what he was doing. “And I know something you do not know...”
“Boy, put those back on—!”
“Attention, everyone!” Derrick stepped around the column, gesturing with his violin bow.
The crowd gasped, but too many people blocked my view for me to know why. I pushed my way between two men and then I saw it.
Impressive.
I pointed at Derrick, naked as the day he was born. “That is no little rabbit!”
Everyone laughed for some reason, but Derrick smiled and spread his arms wide—proud as he should be.
The scary man appeared behind him and smiled tightly. “Behold, the…virility of the House of Hyton!”
I clapped. Only a few people clapped with me.
Derrick’s teeth gleamed as he smiled. “I dedicate this song to the newest member of the House of Hyton!”
I gasped. Who could that be?
“The Beast is defeated! Her blood bond is gone!” He raised his violin to his shoulder. “My darling Serafina is a HYTON!”
Gasps and cheers echoed around me. My fingertips flew up to the coronet on my head, savoring the warmth of the gold.
I was a Hyton—I won.
Derrick’s bow flew across the violin strings. The music lifted my feet and I bounced with each quick note. I spun around and around, twirling my skirt in the way I knew he loved.
The words of the nobles danced around me though their bodies kept still.
“How is it possible? Was it the magic of the North?”
“Does it matter? Bloodstone will have no heirs!”
“The North has fallen!”
I stopped mid-turn when my eyes found General Hyton’s. He stared at me, unblinking.
He probably hated me. Oh, well. Back to dancing.
