But Julian would know, because he was there.
In another life, being near Nicholas would have given me enough reason to want to stay.
But he’d made his feelings about me clear. And I had other priorities.
My gaze slid to Elva, playing with her dolls at the foot of the bed.
“I don’t want to play house,” I said. “Nor do I want to partake in this game of undercutting nobles and
chasing princes.”
I had been away from nobility for a long time, but I hadn’t forgotten their cutthroat politics, where an action as small as selecting the wrong utensil at dinner could start a blood feud. Backstabbing, betrayals, pretending to be nice just to make someone vulnerable…
The memories made my already tired body even more exhausted.
recovered quickly this
overhear, I said to Julian, “My daughter is frail and sick often. I have to work hard to care
chin. “Piper, you
“Yes, but-
have access to all
I froze.
thought of that. Would the royal family truly be willing to use
the care of my family. We wouldn’t simply stand
Turning away a sick child would surely be bad for public
horrible, be said, smile adding
be being so generous
to know the real
roguish light danced
gold, with no
than I was in the Academy,”
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