The Luna Choosing Game by Jane Above Story

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 flipped 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

1. 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.

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

arms again. For a few more blissful moments, I closed my

if we continue to delay, we risk being so late

regret.

couldn’t afford to lose even one more rank, so I leaned back as well.

the street. Then

we continued on.

at most. We were the last car to pull into the

I said

his eyes down and did not engage me at all,

as a servant very seriously. I wouldn’t

the car.

out for me, and I laced mine around

door for us. “Thank you very much,” I said to them both. Both ignored me, eyes low, as if they had

their gazes from Nicholas

at Nicholas

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 staff aren’t here

suspect blackmail.

have done something about it

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, let alone come forward about their

when I looked at them, their gazes were on the floor, their bodies still as statues. I doubted they would speak to me either. Perhaps the only way to help them now, was the same way to help

to bring

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

the room.

under lights and sometimes cases. I had little doubt that

with the bottom of my shoes.

Servants, their downcast gazes in place, walked around the room carrying

when he spots us, waves Nicholas and me closer. Nicholas holds tightly to my hand as

approach.

gaze drifts down to my lips, and his eyes narrowed. “Why, Piper. It seems you have smeared

lipstick.”

from his pocket and passes it over to me. I hesitate a

dap at the corners of my