The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 0264

“Didn’t Julian mention the pendant to you?” I asked.

“No,” Nicholas said curtly.

“He gave me this.” I lifted the pendant higher, for Nicholas to see. “He said that all I have to do is press down on the moon, and my location would be sent to him. I asked him to include you in on it…”

“Conveniently he failed to mention it to me.” Jealousy dripped like venom from his voice.

“He must have forgotten.”

“Doubtful.” Nicholas accepted the pendant and examined it closely. He fl*pped it over to look at the back of it. “I would have felt better if he had told me about this, but… I can’t deny it gives me some measure of comfort to know you have it.”

“It does?”

Nicholas nodded. “I want you protected, even if I’m not the one doing it. Julian is many things but he is not on Terry’s side. If he gave you this to protect you from him, that offer was genuine. As is the threat. If even Julian is worried about you…”

Nicholas and Julian seemed to have skewed ideas of the other. I had seen Julian’s concern before, in albeit fleeting moments. But Julian was not so rambunctious and carefree as Nicholas assumed him to be.

I doubted that defense of Julian would be welcome right at this moment, with Nicholas barely containing his envy, so I withheld it. Julian would probably prefer the misconception anyway, since he so often sought to cultivate it.

“I will be speaking to Julian about this, however,” Nicholas said, his voice lowering with dark promise.

I laughed a little, nervously, hoping I didn’t get Julian in too much trouble. Though, knowing him, he could handle himself just fine against his brother.

forward and pulled me into his arms again. For a few more blissful moments, I closed my eyes and enjoyed his warmth and closeness. But

if we continue to delay, we risk being so late that it will affect your standing,” he said with regret.

even one more

into reverse and returned us to the street. Then he

last car to pull into

much,” I said as I exited.

and did not engage me at all, not

particular gentleman took his position as a servant very seriously. I wouldn’t hold it against him. I simply stepped away

for me, and I laced

pair of servants opened the door for us. “Thank you very much,” I said to them both. Both ignored me, eyes low, as if they had been instructed not to look at me. No, it wasn’t just me. They deferred their

at Nicholas

“They say Terry treats his staff kindly and pays well. Neither of those things are true. His cruelty knows no bounds, and I suspect, though I have no proof, that many of his

have done something about it by

blind eye. I’ve broached the topic with my parents before, but they will not hear me. His cruelty breeds loyalty, unfortunately. The servants won’t speak to me,

on the floor, their bodies still as statues. I doubted they would speak to me either. Perhaps the only way to help them now,

to bring Terry

a greeting room at the base of a grand staircase. Gold adorned nearly every surface from the banisters

lights and sometimes cases. I had little doubt that over them, let‘

candidates and a few other guests were scattered throughout the room, with Terry standing in the center of the room. Servants, their downcast gazes in place, walked around the room carrying trays of

closer. Nicholas holds tightly to my

his eyes narrowed. “Why, Piper.

l*pstick.”