The Twist | ✓

six.

The letter is gone before dinner. There is no reply.

Despite not wanting to go down to dinner and despite not wanting to eat, I sit between Mason and Clara and choke down my food. Clara leans towards me. "I know it isn't formal," she whispers, "but Lady Cassiana wishes to speak with you after dinner."

Lady Cassiana. My stomach twists in a way that I'm unfamiliar with. "Very well."

"Will the gardens at eight work?" Clara whispers. "I can let her know."

I shake my head. "I'll meet her right after dinner and walk down with her."

Clara stands up and hurries over to Cassiana. They whisper back and forth for several minutes and then Clara returns. "She said that's fine," she says. She nudges me and grins. "It's your first date!"

"It's not a date." I argue. "She's wants to talk. That's it."

"Sounds like a date to me," Mason says with a grin.

"It's not."

"Sure it isn't." He's still grinning. My mother, staring at her plate, smiles. She keeps her head down to cover it.

After dinner, I stand up and head over to Lady Cassiana. Several girls give her dark looks when I offer her my hand and she accepts, letting me take her away from the rest of them. Her cheeks are pink. "I could have met you at the doors, Your Highness."

"Nonsense," I say. "It's no problem, Lady Cassiana."

We step into the cool night air. I know the two guards at the door--Sampson and Leason--are exchanging an amused look behind us, because most of the guards and I are close and they know my feelings about this whole thing.

"Prince Alexander," she says, "would you mind if I asked you a personal question?"

"That depends," I reply.

"You really don't want this, do you?"

"No, I don't." I say. "Why do you ask?"

"Do you feel all right?" She asks. "I'm sorry if this is invasive, but you've barely eaten and you seem to be sleep deprived and stressed."

"Are you worried about me, Lady Cassiana?"

Her face flushes. "Yes, I am." She smiles at the ground. "Is that all right? Or am I overstepping boundaries?"

"It's fine," I say. "I'm just not used to people really worrying about me." My mother and Clara worry, sure, and so do Mason and our father, but they don't really question why I don't eat as much or why I haven't slept. They assume I'm just overworking myself.

"You should get used to it," She says. "I worry a lot about people."

"You don't need to worry about me." I assure her. "I'm fine."

"Are you?"

"I am." But now that she's pushing it, I'm doubtful. She raises her eyebrow at me. "Really, I am."

"Of course." She nods her head once.

She's beautiful in this lighting. Her bright eyes and pale skin are the only things that keep her from blending in with the shadows. She looks at me and smiles, and something in my chest warms. I feel...light? It's a strange feeling. Is this how I'll feel with all of these girls? If so, maybe I'll enjoy this Selection. I mean, I probably won't, but it's a possibility.