“I need you to come back here right after dinner,” Jules informed me as she helped me dress that evening. “So don't get any smart ideas about running off to fuck those teachers of yours, all right?”

My jaw dropped open. “What? Excuse me?”

“What?” she repeated. “I'm not judging. I'm just saying I need you back here, so give your greedy cunt a break just for tonight, okay? Absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that crap.”

“Jules!” I screeched. “I'm not fucking them!” Not yet, anyway. And not for lack of trying...

She frowned at me in confusion. “Why not? The gods gave you perfect tits and a tight vagina for a reason, babe. Use them.” I opened my mouth to protest, and she cut me off. “But not tonight. I'm serious, Ry. Straight after dinner.”

Something about the urgency in her voice had me frowning. “Why? What's going on that is so important?”

Pursing her lips, she took her time on the buttons of my bodice before replying. “Bloodeye wants to meet with you.”

That information dropped into the air like some sort of explosion, and my jaw almost hit the floor. “What?” I screamed at her. “Here? He's coming here?”

Juliana shrugged and looked uncomfortable. “I don't know, Ry. He just said to make sure we were both here after dinner because he needed to discuss your progress.”

“My progress?” I frowned, confused and angry all at the same time. “What progress? What the hell does he think I'm doing here other than staying alive?”

“I don't know!” Jules snapped back at me, losing her temper. “Do you honestly think he tells me anything? I'm nothing more than a common whore to him, remember?”

I took a long inhale, then released it while swallowing all the ranting and raging I wanted to do. “You're a shitload more than a common whore, babe, and you know it.”

Jules gave a bitter laugh and tossed my mask to me. “Not to him, I'm not.”

“He's an idiot.” I wasn't just placating her; I really meant it. Master Bloodeye was an idiot for not seeing the value in his “common whores.” Jules would be the perfect spy if he used her to her full capabilities.

Of course, it didn't help that Juliana had been harboring a not-so-secret crush on the crime lord since she had hit puberty.

“Okay, so come straight back after dinner.” I nodded, thinking about how I'd get word to Lee and the guys that I wasn't coming. “Got it. How do I look?” I tied the black lace mask over my face and turned to show her. My dress was a shorter one tonight, barely skimming the tops of my knees, but with cute little lace sweetheart sleeves to cover my wounded shoulder. Not that I'd need to cover it for much longer—whatever cream the medic had given me to keep applying daily was working wonders, and it had almost healed already.

“Like a damn princess, you bitch,” Jules joked, pouring herself a glass of wine from the carafe on the table. “I'll try not to get too drunk while you're gone.”

“And I'll try not to die. Fun times all around.” I gave her a tight, humorless smile and made for the door.

“Oh!” she called after me, “Hold up, I have something for you.” She disappeared into the enormous wardrobe and dug around for a bit before reappearing with a folded note in her hand. “Almost forgot to give this to you.”

Curious, I took it from her and flipped it open. “Flick?” I asked her with a frown. “You got a note from Flick? How?”

Jules shrugged, dodging my eye contact. “Told you I would sort it out. See, he's doing okay and knows you're going to get him out.” She tapped the page in my hand, and I nodded.

It was definitely Flick's writing. I should know; I was the one who had taught him how to read and write the year before. His note was brief but did indeed assure me that he was well and not wallowing in despair that he'd been abandoned.

“Okay, go now,” Jules instructed me, taking the note back and giving me a shove toward the door. “I really don't want you pissing anyone off any more than you really have to, so try not to be late.”

Rolling my eyes at her dramatics, I left her in our rooms and headed to the great hall for dinner. Before pushing the doors open, I crossed my fingers and sent up a silent plea to the gods—any gods—that there wouldn't be any more surprises tonight.

Jules hadn't been totally dramatic when she was hurrying me along, as I really only had a few moments to find my seat before the royal family made their grand entrance decked out in their fine clothes and masks.

Thankfully, I was again spared the torture of sitting next to the princes, but unfortunately, they were only a few seats away and well within earshot, should any of them feel inclined to chat.

Gritting my teeth, I very carefully kept my eyes on my plate and avoided Prince Alexander's burning gaze. I had definitely been too drunk the night before to even have considered kissing a monster like that. So if he could somehow take the hint that I'd rather never have it mentioned again, that would be ideal.

“Oh, Lady Callaluna.” A mocking sort of voice drew my attention from my empty plate, and I looked up to meet Princess Sagen's deep brown eyes across the table, “I almost didn't see you there. But how I could miss you with that horrific hair, I'll never know.” She dissolved into peels of cruel laughter, and I sighed inwardly. It was becoming painfully clear just how those ingredients had become mixed up on my work station today.

The new addition to our mix was seated between Prince Alexander and Prince Thibault, while Prince Louis was further down the table beside Lady Agatha.

In looking at Sagen, it was unavoidable that I could see two of the princes as well, so I couldn't ignore the curious looks they were giving my lavender locks.

Giving Sagen a tight smile, I twirled one of my loose curls around my middle finger and sighed. “I really was aiming for a dull, inconspicuous brown or black, but it just wasn't meant to be. Tell me, do you often fade into the background with that boring color you have? Because that's what I was hoping to achieve.”

Oops, so much for keeping my big mouth shut.

Sagen glowered, her mean smile slipping from her face, even as a few other ladies covered their smiles with napkins. “What a shame you passed today's test, Callaluna,” she murmured with eyes narrowed in a death glare. “With such sarcasm, you're hardly fit to be queen. Is she?” This last part was directed to Prince Thibault as she stroked one of his biceps with her red-clawed hand.

To my amusement, he gently peeled her paw off him and laid it on the table. “I wouldn't know,” he replied. “Lady Callaluna hasn't graced me with all that much of her time thus far.”

“Something we will need to rectify, brother,” Prince Alexander added. “But as for that hair...” He paused, and I shivered at the intensity of his gaze. I couldn't even see his eyes that clearly in the dim lighting, but holy gods’ balls, I could feel it. “I think it's lovely. Really suits you, Lady Callaluna.”

“Huh?” I spluttered, choking on a little bit of my own spit like a really classy bitch.

“What?” Sagen snarled almost in unison with Gracelin, who'd been listening in from her place down the table.

Prince Thibault coughed a noise that sounded suspiciously like a laugh. “I have to agree, brother. It's very eye catching; I think I'll have a hard time taking my gaze from Lady Callaluna all night.”

My teeth ground together hard, and I swallowed back the insults I wanted to spew. Sagen looked furious, but she had no idea how badly I didn't want the prince’s attention on me all damn night. It was really starting to look like I'd severely pissed off Aana somewhere along the way.

Any further banter was cut short by the nightly toast. Wine was placed in front of all of us, and by now we knew the drill. Before the soups were served, one of us would die.

It came at just the right time, reminding me exactly what kind of monsters held us captive in their obscene game. Unable to help myself, I cast a look of disgust at both princes, who still stared at me, then picked up my glass and focused on the bubbles.

I'd keep my head down and ignore everyone. I'd get through this night and the next and the next... until I found a way to free myself from the binding magic or won. Either way, I was getting out of this nightmare with my skin intact. I was too stubborn for anything else.