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.

coughed and immediately reclaimed my attention. She recovered quickly this time, thank

wouldn’t overhear, I said to Julian, “My daughter is frail and sick often. I have to work hard to care for

finger to his chin. “Piper, you realize this is the royal palace,

“Yes, but-

access to all the royal

I froze.

that. Would the royal family truly be willing to use their

the care of my family. We

him. Turning away a sick child would surely

would be horrible, be said, smile

being so generous with what

know

asked him, Julian laughed. A roguish light danced in

brown than gold,

not so different than I was in the Academy,” he

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