I followed Lilliana further into the gardens to a small rod–iron table with two chairs. Lilliana motioned for

me to sit and then sat in the opposite chair.

“I’m glad we could finally have a chance to talk like this,” Lilliana said. She rested both hands on top of

the table.

I’mirrored her for a moment, but it felt unnatural having my hands lifted so high. I lowered them into my

lap instead.

“What was it you wanted to

talk to

me about?” Nervousness prickled at my skin. While it wasn’t unusual for the candidates to talk to each other, this still felt like a special event. Lilliana had called me out in front of Nicholas himself. She very nearly broke character to do it.

She gave me a sour kind of look. The way a disappointed principal would make to a rowdy student in. their charge. “Prince Nicholas. I want to ask you to please leave him alone. You are a distraction to him.”

we are friends.”

“I’m not doing anything to bother him, or at least, not trying to. But we

Nicholas had come to my rescue more than once now. And somehow when I needed things or support, Nicholas was always around to help. But that’s what friends did.

Lilliana narrowed her eyes. It was unusual for her to show any emotion. Tiny alarm bells started sounding in my head.

“What is your problem, Piper?” she snapped, voice suddenly much sharper than it had been before. Her narrowed gaze had become a fully blown glare.

I opened and closed my mouth like

Julian, you should stick with him

chasing anyone.” I lifted my hands now, palms forward in

is supposed to

“It’s true!”

pick you in the next elimination, Piper. Focus your efforts on Julian, who I shouldn’t need to remind you that you have been dating, and

to understand was that I wasn’t a threat to her so much as she was a threat to herself. Nicholas might say now that he will marry whoever the King wants, but I refused he would be

deserved a partner. Not a

am friends with Nicholas. That is all. But because I

I want him to be with someone he actually likes and

the time.”

then threw her head back and laughed. “Piper, you are

think

was making fun of me but she didn’t

for love.” She didn’t even look sad about it. She had simply just

just for the sake of the princes, but for the girls

all, huh? Oh, Piper. You need to just accept this is

refuse to accept that, and

riot,” Lilliana said, chuckling

eye, she shifted from

to know that Nicholas had approached

told quite the joke,” Nicholas said. “I’ve never heard you

hand over her mouth and cleared her throat.

to be.”

frowned. Nothing I had

it.” He walked to our table, a small smile on his lips. Yet one look at me, and that smile dimmed into an expression of confusion. “I know it was probably a fool’s

include me in that statement, when everyone in the

was common.

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