I glanced back at Susie. Looking at me, she crossed her fingers. If we could somehow manage to be together, that would be most ideal. But no. Too quickly, Susie was called to be paired with someone else. “Next we have Piper…” I sucked in a breath. My remaining options weren’t great, but hopefu

When Linda said she knew enough, I knew she was referring to her blackmail. What she knew was that Nicholas and I had been campus sweetheart three years ago. Unfortunately, that was enough to get her everything what she wanted. She picked up one of the cookbooks. “Since I know everything, I expect

Yet would the public questioning be enough to deter the King? I had to think so. After all, public opinion was swaying much of what happened here. As long as I continued to earn the public’s favor, then I should be safe. I hoped. “I have an idea,” I said. “But there’s one thing I have to tell

Nicholas and I sat in a pair of chairs in front of a camera. Behind the camera, a producer stood ready to ask us questions. But first, we needed to finish our statement. “Piper and I ended our relationship three years ago, when Piper dropped out from the academy. It was entirely coincidental that

Later, I had to attend another meeting with Linda, this time to coordinate our outfit choices with the tailor. Linda was so furious, she was practically on fire. Her entire face was a bright red. Her lips were twisted into a snarl. Her brow was lowered. Nicholas and I had taken away all of her p

I forced myself to my feet. The tailor, after making sure I was upright and unharmed, immediately rushed from the room to retrieve a towel and a servant to clean the mess. My soggy notes were beginning to fall apart in my hands, to wet to even maintain their paper shape. “Linda,” I said, going t

I went carefully still. Oh, I was starting to see now, where his anger came from. Dating a commoner was one thing, a mistake that could be easily forgotten, but for a noble and a commoner to share a child was a grave error that usually ended in someone’s untimely demise. The King leaned forward in

The King’s whole face went pale for a beat, and in the next, he became very red, like he might explode. Julian let the lie linger for far longer than was comfortable, until the King seemed like he might choke to death on it. Then Julian laughed, and said, “Just kidding! Nicholas isn’t the father

“He’s saving your bacon, Piper. Elva’s too. By publicly decrying this theory, he’s giving you a shield. The King can’t touch Elva now without public uproar.” Oh. I looked back at Nicholas in awe. I had suggested the public statement before, but for him to continue that idea, to protect us… My ches

“It wasn’t what it looked like,” I said on reflex. “You said before what you felt for Julian wasn’t serious,” he said. “It’s not.” Nicholas crossed his arms. His jaw tightened and he didn’t say anything else. I didn’t know what else to say, how to ease his worries, than to tell him the truth