Chapter 36

Chapter 0036

Her fury, which I had caused to heighten for a moment, quickly smoothed out again. Her grin returned,

wide and sharp.

“I should have known you were the one who made that sad little gift. It was so simple, so… fashion-

backwards. I had been ready to apologize for its very existence, before the prince made his small mix up.”

Nhad spent hours crafting that wrist guard for the prince. I had purposefully made the design simplistic, knowing Nicholas would prefer it that way. Flashy clothes were never his style.

That Kirsten didn’t know that only showed how little she understood the prince she chased.

“If you wanted him to know it was from you, you should have given it to him directly,” Kirsten said. “That

you didn’t only shows that you knew he would reject it. Just like he’ll reject you, very soon.”

“You shouldn’t have taken credit –”

“It’s too late, Piper. No one will ever believe you made it. Not now. Not against my word. Although…” She

tapped her finger to her chin and looked at Lena. “I think I know a fitting punishment.”

“Oh?” Lena lifted a brow.

“She should continue making gifts for Prince Nicholas, Kirsten said. “Gifts that I would then give him, of

course. Only one gift might arise suspicion eventually. But many gifts would surely lead me into his good.

graces.”

She turned her sharp grin on me. “And then I will be Luna.” She laughed. “Maybe I’ll keep you making

gifts, locked down in the dungeons. My little secret.”

A crunch sounded from behind me, in the trees.

Suddenly, Lena’s whole posture shifted. She lost her spiteful arrogance and become small.

The guards continued to hold me, but their grip loosened.

Only Kirsten seemed unchanged, her vicious eyes searing into mine. “Then I can get rid of your brat –

“You will be doing no such thing.”

I knew that firm, male voice.

Kirsten’s eyes went wide. She straightened. “Your Royal Highness!

Turning my head, I watched Nicholas push through the trees and come to stand beside us. Holding his

His face was a mask of cool indifference as he took in the scene before him, looking from the guards, to

their hands on me, to Kirsten, to Lena standing behind.

Only his eyes gave away his inner fury, gold flashing.

“Mommy!” Elva tugged at Nicholas’s hand. She pointed at one of the guard. “Let go of Mommy, your

meanie!”

The

guard frowned at the girl, then looked up at Nicholas, who was watching him expectantly.

“Well?” Nicholas asked. “You heard her.”

At once, the guards‘ hands fell away from me. They’d held me roughly for some time now, so I wobbled

unsteadily when they released me so quickly.

I wasn’t truly in danger of falling. I just needed to readjust my footing.

Even so, Nicholas closed the distance between us in a heartbeat. He placed a steadying hand on my

waist, and kept it there even after I repositioned.

This close, I could see the green flecks in his eyes, bright under the sunlight.

“Are you hurt?” he asked me. His eyes drifted down, as if looking me over. Quickly, his gaze found mine

again.

“No,” I replied in a whisper, afraid to speak too loudly and pull us from this rare moment of peace.

Thank you.

He shook his head once, a dismissal of my gratitude.

“Is she okay?” Kirsten’s whiny voice sliced through the air. “I’m the one who was wronged!”

“Hush, girl,” Lena hissed, but it was too late.

Nicholas lowered his hand away from me, and shifted his full attention onto Kirsten.

“Kirsten” His voice devoid of any and all emotion. Dangerous. “I have one question for you.”

She swallowed thickly. “Yes, Prince Nicholas?”

He lifted his right hand, showing the wrist guard. “Who made this?”

Kirsten paled