After receiving Susie’s news, I needed a moment to catch my breath. I didn’t understand. The royal doctor had already examined Elva, as recently as the day before. How could she have a fever again? Wouldn’t the doctor have detected any anomalies before they fully formed? Those questions would have

Forcing my voice level, I asked, “Why wasn’t I previously informed that Elva was suffering from a terminal illness?” The pitying one pushed his glasses up his nose with his index finger. “Perhaps we were optimistic before. But she has since taken a turn for the worst. We aren’t fortunetellers, ma’

When I returned to the bedroom, Elva was missing from the bed. I nearly screamed, were it not for both of maids, who quickly approached me. “W-where’s Elva?” I asked them, panic quaking my voice. “You caused a right commotion, running around,” the talkative maid said. “It was enough to catch the

He watched me but he didn’t say anything. “Thank you, Your Royal Highness, I –” “I didn’t do it for you.” His gaze fell to Elva, who looked so small in her hospital bed. “No harm will come to any child in this palace.” “Even so.” I was grateful for his help, no matter the reason he gave it. “T

Holding Elva, Nicholas winced as he bent his right wrist. He had tried to hide it, and maybe would have been successful if I had been anyone other than his ex-girlfriend. He’d told me the story himself, when we had been dating. Nicholas had excelled for his age. His werewolf abilities were some

I read through it all. “This invitation includes Elva…?” Could that be right? But there was her name, clear as day, directly beside mine. Perhaps this was some kind of apology for the doctors’ behavior last night? Or was this something else – another publicity stunt? I supposed I couldn’t be picky

During the next official banquet, I stopped just inside the entrance of the dining room. The girl who had shoved Elva that first day was sitting in my seat beside Nicholas. Julian, sitting nearest the door, rested his elbow on the table and his chin in his palm. He grinned at me with a toothy smil

Yes, and the other girls seemed to feel nothing but resentment toward her for it. “Julian said Kirsten made him a gift,” I said. “I wonder what it was.” “A heartfelt one, I assure you,” said a voice from beside us. I jumped. Susie half-hid behind me. But it was only Mark, Nicholas’s beta. “The p

I wanted to storm over there and demand Kirsten apologize for accepting thanks for a gift she hadn’t given. But I couldn’t do so without revealing to Nicholas that I was the one who had given it. If Nicholas knew the truth, he’d assume the worst. He’d think the gift was disingenuous, and that I wa

They both nodded, finally in agreement. They removed the dress they had been working on and added it to the scrap pile. “What are you doing with that?” I hurried to the discarded dress. “It’s all wrong,” the talkative maid said. “The color’s too dark, and it’s not shapely enough. We can do bet