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.

immediately reclaimed my attention. She recovered

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

tapped a finger to his chin. “Piper, you

“Yes, but-

you are here, wouldn’t you have access to all the royal

I froze.

that. Would the royal family truly be willing

my face. “While you are here, you are under the

away a sick child would surely

would be horrible, be said, smile adding

so generous

to know

A roguish light danced in his eyes. They

than gold, with no flecks of

so different than I was

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