After the confrontation with Mark, I expected to be approached by Nicholas, so I wasn’t shocked when he called me away from the dining room at lunchtime to speak with me privately.

He started walking away from the dining room and I fell in step beside him. Eventually, in an empty

hallway, he turned to face me. A frown was firm on his face.

Mark told me that you and Julian started investigating the underground organization again, despite my

explicit instruction not to.”

“That’s correct,” I said. Maybe I should have denied it. I knew Nicholas only had my best interest at

heart, but that didn’t mean I could roll over to his every whim. He didn’t know all the facts. Maybe it was

time I told him the full truth, I wasn’t sure.

My answer made Nicholas’s face even more severe. This, I imagined, was the face he used to look down those that opposed him politically. It would be intimidating, if I had even an inkling of fear against

him.

“You have to stop, Piper. You must give this up and let it go. You are endangering yourself. I cannot allow that.”

I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter if I’m in danger. It’s worth it, if it helps bring them down.”

tensed. “If you

can’t convince me otherwise, Nicholas,

said, voice sharp. “What you are doing endangers

is already in trouble. Can’t you see

it again. “What do you mean?” The hardness in his face crumpled some into confusion.

own waist, offering myself as much comfort

the depths of my fear, he would see my side of things. I doubted it – he’d always been a stickler for the rules – but there was always a chance the threat to Elva could change

the time,” I said. “How long will it be before the underground organization

inched closer to me so that he

we’re under your roof? But what happens to us when we have to

our own?”

a way.

have your own life. Can’t you see that exposing

the rest of her

Making plans and statements. I knew he meant what

but I had to crack his fantasy to help him see he couldn’t protect us

how well–meaning

said. “Three years ago, when the

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