Page 29 of Ruins
The dress falls before I can cover myself.
I suck in a breath, suddenly hyperaware of my exposed skin.
Cassandra doesn’t seem to notice—or care.
She keeps her eyes locked on mine through the mirror as she gathers the dress.
Then—casually, almosttoocasually—she asks, “Who is that boy out there? The one with the pale hair?”
I blink, confused. “Pietro?”
“Yes, him.”
Cassandra’s eyes narrow slightly, her expression shifting—sharp, accusatory.
“Who is he to you?”
I blink at her tone, caught off guard.
“My sister’s guard.” The words feel stiff, unnatural under the weight of her stare. “He used to be mine… my guard, I mean.”
A quiet hum slips from Cassandra’s lips as she watches me in the mirror, considering my words carefully.
“Were you two ever together?”
I shake my head. “No. Never. We’re just friends.”
Her lips press into a thin line, unimpressed. “The way he looked at you says otherwise.”
A flicker of unease crawls down my spine.
“Does Santo have concerns about him?” she asks, her voice deceptively light.
I hesitate.
Not because I have something to hide—but because I don’t know how much to say.
“No… I don’t think so.”
Cassandra scoffs, the sound dismissive, disbelieving.
“I find it hard to believe Santo didn’t ask about your guard.” She studies me through the mirror, eyes sharp. “Has he met him?”
“Wehaven’t even met yet.”
The words slip out quieter than I mean them to, but she hears them anyway.
Surprise flickers in her gaze. “You haven’t met Santo?”
I shake my head. “It’s an arranged marriage.”
For the first time, her perfectly poised demeanor cracks. Her jaw drops slightly, lips parting in disbelief before she lets out a laugh—dry, knowing.
”Anarrangedmarriage?” She shakes her head, amusement dancing across her features. “That makes sense now.”
The words sink deep, twisting something inside me.
A wave of shame and confusion washes over me, tightening around my ribs.
