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.

She recovered

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

to his chin. “Piper, you

“Yes, but-

access to all the royal resources? Including our medical staff and

I froze.

hadn’t thought of that. Would the royal family truly be willing to use their

face. “While you are here, you are under the care of

away a sick child would surely

horrible, be said, smile adding

be being so generous with

to know the

asked him, Julian laughed. A roguish light danced in his eyes. They were

than gold, with no flecks

not so different than I

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