That’s when I realize where I’m at.
A… spa. I think. It looks very spa-y.
Elexa is untying my hands and then I am free again. “Cadee, I don’t make the rules. I was told to be here at noon sharp. Apparently, I’m your attendant for the day and I have to get you ready. You might have stolen the fucking crown—twice, I might add. First Lacy Pendleton’s scholarship and now this! But the rest of us plebs have to earn tomb points before we’re allowed to go to the parties.”
“I didn’t steal that stupid scholarship. I paid my own tuition, thank you. And… oh. You’re not going to the harvest thing tonight?”
“Rub it in a little more, why don’t you?”
“Sorry, I didn’t know. I thought we were all going.”
She sneers at me. “You would think that.”
“What’s that mean?”
“As if.” Elexa snorts. “Cadee, you’re a fucking freshman. And you’re living in the Cygnet’s bedroom!”
I feel a little defensive about this. “It’s kinda my bedroom, Elexa. It is my building.”
“Whoa!” Elexa says, holding up both her hands. “Excuse me, my queen! Not everyone had buildings named after them. Especially when they were nobody last year.”
“Jesus Christ, Elexa. Jealous much?”
She sighs deeply, then pouts. “Sorry. But I really want to go to that party.”
“How many points do you need to attend?”
“No, this is out of the question. The Chairman said—”
“Fucking Chairman! He was in the car with me! He was—” I stop. Because ewwww. Just come on, Chairman. Why? Why do you have to be so creepy?
“Can you not interrupt me?” Elexa shoots me a dirty look. “I was saying… the Chairman said if we do our jobs perfectly, we should earn enough points to attend the next one.”
“Which is when?”
“How the fuck should I know? Do I look like the goddamned Fang and Feather calendar girl?”
I point at her. “You know what? You’re a bitch.”
“So?”
“So… when I get that little card at the end the night that says, ‘How did we do?’ I’m gonna give you one star. And no tip! Good luck getting an invite to the next tomb party!”
She scowls and tilts her chin up. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“I would so dare, Elexa. Stop being a bitch to me!” She huffs as I look around. “What is this place?”
“Your dressing room, my queen.” She says this in a soft, demure humble servant voice.
“Where’s Isabella? She set me up!”
“She’s next door with Sophie.”
“OK. Well. What do we do?”
Elexa walks over to the door where a fluffy white robe is hanging on a hook, one that looks like a more luxurious version of the one she’s wearing. She takes it down and walks over to me. “Get naked. We have an appointment with a bathtub.” Then she just stands there and shakes it to emphasize her demand. “Well? Hurry up! Oh, wait. Let me guess. You want me to take your clothes off like the servants in Downton Abbey?” She actually growls, probably picturing this. “Take your own fucking clothes off.”
OK, that’s it. I’m so done with her. I narrow my eyes and glare at her. “Take your own fucking clothes off… what?”
She curtseys. “Take your own clothes off… my fucking queen.”
“That’s better.” We both laugh a little. “Seriously, Elexa, whatever’s happening, it’s got nothing to do with me, OK? Save your attitude for the people responsible.”
“I’m just so mad. What is the point of going through all that shit over the summer if we don’t even get to be a part of the rites?”
I make a face at her. “The point was to not have to go, remember? How did everyone just forget that we have a plan and it involves getting out, not in?”
“Ivan and I have always wanted in. You guys just talked us in to Dante’s stupid plan.”
“How can you even say that? Didn’t you hear everyone telling me it’s only going to get worse that first week? This secret club they have is dangerous, Elexa.”
“So? I can handle it. Ivan is on my side. And maybe he’s no Cooper Valcourt, but his family has power here.”
I scowl at her. “So you’re out of the plan? We’re not going to dethrone Cooper and give it to Dante so he can rule the school?”
“What makes Dante so qualified?”
“Ohhhh. I get it. You and Ivan think you two deserve it, don’t you?”
“Just undress and put the robe on, Cadee. They’re waiting for you in the tub room.”
“Who’s waiting for me?”
But she doesn’t answer. Just walks over to the door where the robe was hanging and waits.
I give in and just take off my clothes, then slip the fluffy robe on. “OK. Let’s go.”
Elexa frowns, then sighs, smiles, curtseys—and finally opens the door for me.
“It’s about time.”
The first thing I see is Isabella sitting inside a giant freestanding tub filled with bubbles.
“Oh, sorry! Do we have the wrong room?”
Then I see Sophie walking over to Isabella with one of those long wooden-handled back washer things. Naked.
“Nope,” Isabella says with a smirk. “You’re in the right place.”
That’s when I realize there’s a second free-standing tub right next to Isabella’s. “We’re taking a bath together?”
“Not together,” Isabella snaps. “Side by side.”
“Why?”
Elexa kinda pushes me forward, then closes the door. Like she’s afraid I’m gonna try to escape and that might cost her tomb points.
“Because I’m still technically the Queen, Cadee.” Then Isabella waves her hand at me. “You’re just a stand-in.”
“Funny. I’m the one living in the Cygnet’s room, though. Aren’t I? And that doesn’t really answer my question. Why do we have to bathe in the same room?”
“Because this is the Queen’s room, sweetie. So we have to share.”
“Says who?”
Isabella stands up in her tub, piles of soapy bubbles dripping down her body. “Are you trying to kick me out?”
“No!”
“Then what is your problem?”
“I’m just…” I look at Sophie. She rolls her eyes at me.
“Shy?” Elexa offers, then slips out of her robe and walks over to the tub. “Come on, my queen. Let’s get this show on the road.”
“No one else thinks this is weird?”
“Which part?” Isabella asks.
“All of it, Isabella. But for starters, the fucking Chairman brought me here.”
“I was wondering why he didn’t bring me.” She takes a moment to pout. “So that’s it then. You’re the favorite and I’m out.”
“You’re not out. Cooper and I talked about it already.” I look over at Sophie and Elexa, then quickly avert my eyes. I’m not used to standing in a room filled with naked women. I mean, none of them seem particularly upset about this situation. Not even Sophie. And is that weird? “He already explained that he and I will go to homecoming together, but that you two will be together for the harvest thing.”