Chapter l148

Chapter 0148

The servants brought out soup bowls for each of us seated. Terry and Julian both received theirs before

too hot to eat.

I couldn’t look at Terry anymore. I didn’t want to see the way he was looking at me.

“I’m surprised you decided to stay with us so long, Uncle,” Julian said, speaking around me. “I’m sure your mansion would be much more comfortable for you.”

“As I am to be a judge at the next Ball, I thought it best to arrive early and assess the candidates on their own merits first, before I am given the specific criteria for the event.” Terry tilted his head. “Besides, my mansion has had some issues of late.”

“Oh? I’m sorry to hear that. Have you been letting in the wrong sort of guests again?”

“Quite the contrary. I’ve had a few uninvited guests.”

“How strange,” Julian said, maintaining his smile. Meanwhile, my heart was threatening to beat straight. out of my chest.

“It is quite unfortunate, you see. These specific individuals would have been welcome in my home, had they gone about their arrival in the correct way.”

“Unfortunate then, I agree.” Julian lifted his own soup spoon now. “Perhaps they had some urgent reason. for not making their presence immediately known.”

Terry laughed lightly. “I am eager to hear what such a reason could be.” He leered at me again. “Aren’t you, Piper?”

Unsure how to

to answer, I glanced at Julian, yet before he could speak, the King chimed his fork against his glass, reclaiming the table’s attention.

“Some of the young ladies here at the front were inquiring about the Second Ball. It is only fair that I share with all of those present.” The King cleared his throat. The Second Ball will be a masquerade. You will need to dress up in an attempt to hide your identity.”

A few gasps sounded around the table, quickly followed by soft murmuring

“We’ve had some clear frontrunners in this competition so far,” the King continued. “This is your chance

to make a second first impression with the princes, and earn yourself their favor, to be saved from the elimination”

“Interesting,” Julian said. He smirked at me. “I wonder if I’ll recognize you.”

I rolled my eyes at him, but his teasing did help set me more at ease. I’d been incredibly nervous since Terry sat down beside me.

“I wonder what my role will be,” Terry said. “Perhaps I will determine how well everyone’s costume conceals them. People have so much to hide. Don’t you agree, Piper?”

Julian leaned forward. “Not everyone hides everything, Uncle. Perhaps you are projecting?”

Terry hummed in distaste.

The servants took away our empty soup bowls and brought out the next course.

Terry and Julian continued to trade polite jabs at each other for the rest of dinner, with me caught in the

middle.

After dinner, Julian immediately stood and offered me his arm. “May I escort you to your room, Piper?”

I was eager to escape, so quickly accepted his arm.

With a glance, I noticed Nicholas watching, a dark look on his face. But I had no time to smooth over his potential misunderstanding of Julian’s feelings. I was too busy trying to get as far away from Julian as

fast as I could. 1

Julian tugged me from the room. Once we were far enough away from anyone else, I hissed at him.

“He knew everything, Julian. He knew we were at his house. He basically called us out.”

He replied in a similar tone. “Need I remind you that I was the one who wanted to stay hidden,

were the one who rushed forward?”

and you

He was right, as much as I hated to admit it. I attempted to smooth some of the ire from my tone. It wasn’t based in anger anyway, especially not toward Julian. It was built from fear.

“Why is he here?” I asked. “He didn’t need to stay to judge the Ball. He could have just come in the day. of. Unless you think he actually wants to spend time with the candidates?”

“I’m not sure,” Julian admitted. “He does enjoy spending time with beautiful young woman.”

I frowned, a touch disgusted.

“Do you think he is involved in the underground organization?” I asked. It would make sense, since it was

at his mansion that I felt his wolf

It could be a coincidence. The person with your wolf was in a car driving away, not within the mansion

That didn’t make me feel any better. Even if he was a pawn, that did make him involved, knowingly or not.

I also sensed that Julian wasn’t telling me everything. That was nothing new, of course, but in this case, it especially irked me. Terry could be dangerous. If Julian knew, he should tell me.

He tapped my hand on his arm. “Just be careful, okay? I’m serious.”

“Julian…”

“Listen to me, Piper. Don’t be alone with him.”

“Please tell me what you know. Maybe I can help.”

He shook his head. “I don’t know anything for sure.”

I sighed. That was his usual deflection. Julian played dumb quite often, but truly, he was a brick wall concealing many of his true, inner thoughts. I knew he was observant and intelligent. He was likely three

steps ahead of anyone else in the palace.

I just hated that he excluded me.

“How can you expect me to trust you when I know you are keeping secrets?” I asked.

We h

had reached the hallway outside my room, so we stopped a ways away from my door. Whatever he was going to say, he likely didn’t want the guards to hear. Or Elva. Or Mark.

He faced me then, and his eyes held an earnestness that I had never quite seen in them before. In that

moment, he looked so much like Nicholas that my heart ached.

“Piper, I know we have our disagreements. I know you prefer my brother and I enjoy teasing you both.

But that does not mean that I want to see you physically harmed.”

Truthfully, I believed him, and not just because of his similarities to Nicholas. I had seen the way he had

jumped toward Linda when she had come at me with the knife. He hadn’t needed to step in, but he did

anyway, with no real benefit to himself.

“Terry wears a mask, the same as all of us,” Julian continued. “What lies underneath his is not something

I ever want you to see”

“I can handle myself,” I said, standing a bit straighter,

I could read between the lines here, and I had seen Terry staring down the front of my dress. I knew he lusted for me. It unfortunately wasn’t the first time I had been in this position.

Still, Julian’s continued seriousness gave me pause. The more I considered his words, the more my

mind considered the actual truth to this danger.

Terry was one of the most powerful men in the kingdom. He was potentially involved in the underground.

organization.

I was tough as nails and could handle myself in most situations.

But I’d never stood up to a man like this one.

Julian held my gaze.

“Whether he is working for the underground organization or not, Terry has set his sights on you, Piper.”

My whole b*dy chilled, even down to my bones.