Chapter l204

Chapter 0204

I rolled my eyes. I wasn’t exactly offended. They both had good points, and I would feel more

comfortable if I had more lessons. Still, I wanted to have my voice heard.

“What were you going to say, Piper?” Nicholas asked, after a moment.

I sighed. I wanted to rush things, to find out the truth about my sister. I wanted to save her, sooner

rather than later. But what they had said made sense, and when I took a moment to logically think about

it, going slow and cautious was the best course.

“I’m ready for my lessons,” I said. “So hurry up and teach me quickly.”

In the late afternoon, as Joyce’s date with his candidates occurred in the gardens, I played dolls with

Elva in our room. Two guards were stationed outside my door. Mark was inside with us, but he was

distracted. He’d positioned himself near the window, and was continuously glancing out.

After the sixth time I caught his attention wandering, I said, “Susie only thinks of Prince Joyce as a

friend. Any kindness she happens to show him will be based in friendship, and not romantic love.”

Mark stiffened. “It’s not her affections I’m worried about.”

Odd. Did he think Prince Joyce would choose Susie as his bride, whether she complied or not? Although

loveless marriages seemed to be the custom around here, Prince Joyce didn’t seem the type to be overly

concerned about such things.

To be fair, however, I didn’t really know him all that well. Mark had known him for far longer than me,

and in his position, he probably also knew many of the brothers’ secrets.

Did he know something about Joyce that would make the prince a danger to Susie?

I honestly couldn’t fathom it. He seemed to care more for his books than people. If anything, Susie was

only in danger of getting a paper cut.

Mark glanced out the window again.

I doubted anything more I could say would ease him, so I kept my thoughts on Joyce to myself.

Elva lifted her doll impatiently.

I’m sorry, honey. Where were we?”

We only played a few minutes more, when there was a commotion at the door. Suddenly Charlotte burst

through the door, one of the guards at her side. She looked paler than I’d ever seen her and all but fell into

I rushed toward her at once. Mark left the window to join us.

“What happened?” he asked, just as I asked, “Are you okay?”

“I saw her. I can’t believe it. She was right there, plain as day,” Charlotte inhaled a shaky breath. Her eyes met mine. “She looked just like you.”

I glanced behind me to where Elva was playing with her toys. She was curious about the sudden situation, but didn’t seem to be paying attention other than a few passing glances.

Still, I lowered my voice. “You saw her? You’re sure?”

Charlotte, following my lead, also lowered her voice. “I went into the kitchens. I knew you were up here, so I was surprised when I saw you snooping through the pantry. You said you were getting snacks for Elva. I might of believed it if it weren’t for the password.”

“She didn’t know it,” I said.

Charlotte shook her head. “She had an entirely blank look on her face. She didn’t know what I was

talking about.”

“The password system is effective, then,” Mark said. “Good.” He already had his phone in hand. I could only imagine who he was texting. Prince Nicholas, for one. The head of the guard maybe.

We had an intruder in our midst. One wearing my face.

Who knew what she was doing?

“Mark,” I said. “She’s still inside the palace.”

“I know,” he said. His thumbs moved quickly over the face of his phone.

He didn’t offer any comfort. Maybe there wasn’t anything to say.

My sister was part of the underground organization. Whether by choice or not, she complied with their bidding. And now she was here, using my face for some nefarious purpose.

I felt cold all over.

I had to stop her.

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