Chapter l342

Chapter 0342

Later, in the safety of my room, I asked Mark to summon Nicholas. Yet, just as he arrived, Veronica arrived too. I wasn’t unhappy to see her, exactly, but there were things I had hoped to speak with Nicholas about that I hadn’t wanted others to overhear.

When I heard Veronica’s reasons for visiting however, I quickly decided that what I wanted to

talk to Nicholas about could wait.

“I want to check on Elva,” Veronica said.

“She’s playing,” I said, and motioned where Elva played dolls with Charlotte and the nanny.

“I don’t need to interfere. I can observe from a distance.”

I waved her forward, and she moved closer to Elva and the rest. Nicholas stepped into the

room behind her.

“You alright?” he asked. He must have seen how shaken up I was. I’d been rattled since those flyers dropped on Julian and I. But I couldn’t worry about that now.

“I’ll feel better if Veronica tells us Elva is okay.”

We both wait and watch while Veronica quietly studies Elva from a distance halfway into the room. She watches only a few minutes before turning away and returning to us.

“She is okay for now,” Veronica said, and I exhaled the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. “But…” she added, and I sucked that breath straight back in.

“The curse is still a threat,” Veronica said. “I’ve pushed it down as far as I can, but it will continue to eat away at her immune system until the curse wield is either killed or permanently removes it.”

My chest felt hollow. Jane wouldn’t remove the curse willingly. I sideways glanced at Nicholas. His face was grim. He’d agreed to end Jane’s life if it came down to it. I hated having to make him do that, just as I hated the thought of anyone killing my sister.

But she wasn’t my sister anymore, I reasoned. She was a monster who wanted to kill a child.

Her own child.

“One more reason for us to trap Jane, then,” Nicholas said. “The sooner the better.”

I agreed. Even dormant, the curse would eventually kill Elva. I couldn’t let that happen.

“Jane will likely attend the next event in an effort to wreak havoc,” I said. “That might be the best place to lure her out.

Nicholas crossed his arms over his chest. He couldn’t make this easy. I knew he was about to

argue.

+15 BONUS

“Then you will sit this event out,” he said.

“Nick…”

“I will not have you endanger yourself, Piper. Not this time.’

“But it’s okay for you to endanger yourself?”

“I’m a prince. My life will always be in danger.”

That did not make me feel better. In fact, it only stoked the fires of my anger. “Jane has been purposefully targeting the people I care about. She came for you, and then came for Elva. I am not going to sit on the sidelines and let her get away with it.”

“She came for us to get to you,” Nicholas said. “She wants you, Piper. You can’t just deliver yourself on a platter for her.”

I lowered my voice, so we would not accidentally be overheard. “She is my twin. She has my wolf. If anyone should trap her, it should be me.”

Nicholas lowered his brow. He frowned. But he did not argue further.

Veronica glanced between us impassively. “I’ll be prepared by then for the wolf exchange.” She waved as she pushed through us on her way to the exit.

Nicholas looked after her until she was gone, then turned his attention back to me. He wasn’t done arguing, I knew. Not by far. But for now, at least, he seemed to be letting the matter rest.

“Nick-lass?” Elva called.