Nicholas held Elva safe and secure in his arms as he stood to his full height. Elva buried her face into the corner of his neck and shoulder. He gently patted her back.

He glanced down at Elva, his gaze so tender that it made my heart clench.

“There, there,” he whispered. “You are safe now.”

“Oh my God,” said one of the other girls in the room, fanning herself. “Of course he’s good with children.”

“Someone pinch me,” said another. “I think I’m dreaming.”

Nicholas’s soft expression hardened as he glared out at the rest of the room. “Whose child is this? Why is she here?”

I started forward, but the girl in the pink dress spoke before I could reach him.

“An outsider sneaked in, unless she’s a maid.”

Some of the other girls snickered at my expense.

“She can’t be a participant,” another girl fake-whispered, loud enough for half-the room to hear. “I thought we had to be virgins, and she’s got a kid.”

I wanted to disappear into a corner. Whether virgin or not, I was nothing compared to the rest of these girls.

My clothes weren’t as nice as theirs, and my figure wasn’t like what it had been at the Academy. I’d lost much of my musculature. I was skinny from too many nights of skipped dinners.

Elva’s wellbeing had always come before my own.

Her sake was the only reason I continued forward rather than hide in embarrassment. I stopped only when I reached Nicholas.

He looked at me, and I looked at him.

I’d forgotten how gorgeous his eyes were, golden brown with flakes of green. When we’d dated, I had spent hours looking at them, trying to memorize that color, but it had seemed different each time.

Before, when I’d stared long enough, I could earn a bashful smile from him. Now, his face was totally devoid of emotion. He looked at me like I was a stranger.

Did he… not recognize me?

had changed, sure, but not enough to become unrecognizable. Unless he truly had sealed me

pretending, to save face. I could be a great embarrassment to him, showing

Maybe he hated me.

outsider.” The girl

Another moment of staring at me blankly, then he turned

still held Elva, so I followed him. He led me to an adjoining room, separated by a

a suit hurried toward him. “Your Royal Highness, please remember that

the man,

an

sir. Of course, sir.” The man bowed twice

A servant stepped forward and closed the door behind us, leaving Nicholas, Elva, and I alone in a small

stomach churned. I thought I might be sick. I had never imagined I’d meet Nicholas again, and especially not like

to see me as I was? To see me here, as part of the selection?

against his chest. She must have cried herself to

and at once, his perfect façade cracked. He frowned. His golden eyes filled

his hands stayed gentle on Elva, his arm

my child from

once, twice, but, no, I couldn’t make sense of what

Eloquently, I said, “Huh?”

at Elva, softly sleeping in his arms. She was three

so young then,

where he was when he’d

to

said, hoping to give him

to hide a child from

name. But she’s

moment, before

struggle to get it out. He swallowed

me and Elva.

identical twin sister. But I wouldn’t tell that to Nicholas. Elva was mine in every way that mattered.

to answer some unspoken question for him, and he started

straightened, startled. What

arms, and he immediately cut

onto one of the

Mommy,” came

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