Chapter l164

Chapter 0164

By the next morning, the drug had worked its way through my system and I felt like my old self again. I

went down to breakfast, where I was reunited with Elva, who had stayed with Susie the night before by

order of Nicholas.

I was grateful for his foresight. Mortified as I was by my actions and sounds, I was at least spared the

embarrassment of explaining any of this to Mark or the nanny myself. Or worse still, to Elva..

A thought so stomach–churning, I dared not even think of it.

So when I did finally greet her, it was with a tight hug and big smile, the same as always.

Susie and I didn’t always sit together, but we chose to that morning. There were still many empty chairs with the previous elimination, and I was feeling vulnerable from what had happened the night before. I needed my friends.

Around us the girls were chattering about the curiousness of the evening’s events. Terry was to be one of the main judges of the night, but he never came to ballroom.

Also as curious, both Nicholas and Julian disappeared sometime in the night, only to reappear this morning, one with a black eye and the other with an injured hand.

“You don’t suppose the princes got into a fight with each other?” one of the girls asked.

“No,” Lilliana said flatly. “He is too mature to take part in such childish antics.”

“Julian does love to tease,” said someone else.

“Not enough to tempt a prince away from his decorum,” Olivia added. “Prince Nicholas been around Prince Julian for years. He’s surely built up a tolerance.”

“Well, then what happened with Sir Terry?“”

“Maybe he started the fight,” someone said, and another laughed. A third shushed them.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Olivia said, rolling her eyes.

As they continued to argue, Susie turned in her seat to face me. I had Elva in my lap, but she was busy stuffing her face with all the delicious pastries.

“Are you okay, Piper? I heard some truly terrible rumors.”

I shook my head, pushing away her concern. I felt hungover some, with a cloudy head and tired eyes, but otherwise okay Except for my continued embarrassment over my b*dy’s reaction to Nicholas the

I swallowed down the bile rising in my throat, and left my half of the breakfast uneaten on the plate for

Elva to pick at.

“Has Terry left the grounds?” I asked. It took great strength to keep my voice from shaking.

Susie nodded. “Word is, Terry left at some point last night and returned to his own mansion.”

Her words filled me with a sense of relief and for the first time that day, I took in and exhaled a deep

breath. For now, at least, I was safe.

Yet thoughts of last night continued to linger in my mind, even as we broke from eating to amuse

ourselves for the day. I couldn’t help but feel Terry’s cold hands on me or smell his terrible alcohol–laden

breath.

Then there were thoughts about that girl in the black dress who seemed to have my wolf. Who was she? Where had she come from? How had she gotten it? And why was she teasing me with it now??

I had so many unanswered questions. It felt worse now, somehow, because I would never be able to find the answers. Not since Nicholas had forbad Julian and me from continuing our investigation. 1

I knew in his heart he was only worried for me and for the kingdom, but it frustrated me that he could not see the importance of discovering the truth.

If the underground organization was exposed, it would protect people like me from ever being manipulated into giving away their wolves and their abilities. It was the only true way to keep Elva safe.

No. I wouldn’t be cowed by Terry, or by Nicholas. I had my own heart and my own beliefs.

No matter what Nicholas condemned, I wouldn’t let him stop me from protecting my daughter or any of those innumerous other souls out there who just wanted to do the right thing, and lost their wolves for it.

So, after seeing Elva safely into the care of her nanny and Mark, I set off on my own to find Julian.

I searched through most of the palace before I thought to check the empty ballroom. I found him sitting alone on the bottom stair, deep in thought.

It wasn’t like him to be so isolated or so reflective.

When he heard the click of my heels on the tile steps, he turned back to look at me. “Piper.

“Did you want to be alone?” I asked him. I had questions and demands, but he seemed almost… lost sitting there.

He blinked and his look of vulnerability faded. In its place was the same sort of cocky expression I’d

“I don’t mind company if it’s you,” he said.

I rolled my eyes at his flirtatious charms and took a seat on the same step he was sitting on.

I hadn’t forgotten that Julian was also there last night. He had bome witness to the full extent of my

émbarrassment, though he had the decency both to tell me it wasn’t my fault, as well as to make sure

Nicholas moved away.

Not that Nicholas would have taken advantage. He wouldn’t have. But Julian’s being present helped him.

realize the circumstances of my desire much quicker.

I was still

still so angry about it. I did have desire for Nicholas. I had wanted him to k*ss me on the balcony. In time, I might have wanted to have him do more.

To have that choice ripped from my hands was horrible kind of violation. Terry had taken my pure feelings of want for Nicholas and mutilated them into something ugly.

I hated him for both for what he tried to do to me and for what he did do. I could only hope, in time, I

could reclaim my own passions once again.

And see Terry punished.

“How are you feeling?” Julian asked.

“Better,” I said. “Worse, too, in some ways.”

Julian touched the ring of his black eye and winced, “I know what you mean. Though I don’t regret mine.

I kind of wished we could have done worse to that bastard.”

I nodded. I didn’t know the full specifics of what had occurred. But I could fill in the blanks fairly well, I thought. Enough to know Terry had given Jullan his shiner.

“Maybe we can,” I said.

Julian glanced at me. He had to tilt extra far to look at me with his good eye. “What are you thinking. Piper?”

I straightened, hoping Julian would be able to see all the conviction I carried. I wanted him to know that

I had no intention of backing down.

He looked at me with curiosity, one brow lifting.

He had to know that I was serious about this. And that I would continue to pursue this whether he

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decided to help me or not. I hoped he would make the choice to help me. Going alone felt

No, I couldn’t be gripped with the fear of defeat. If he didn’t immediately agree, I could convince him.

That was that.

My confidence was my strength. My love for my daughter was my drive.

‘So I met Julian’s gaze with my own and told him,

“We should continue our investigation.”