Chapter 0312

“What the hell is going on in here?” Nicholas asked. “Julian?”

I was too stunned to speak, but when I looked over to Julian, I saw that he was smirking.

Nicholas turned his rage on the producers. “Why are you filming this?”

The producer jumped, then bowed much lower than was necessary. “It was approved by the crown, Your Royal Highness. The King himself commanded us!”

“Retract your claws before you hurt someone,” Julian said casually as he rose to his feet. This isn’t their fault.”

Nicholas reared back to him. “Then explain it to me, brother. And while you are giving that explanation, you can explain why you felt it necessary to summon me to witness this.” The way he say this, with such open disgust, made me want to crawl into a hole.

“Our parents thought we should utilize Piper’s popularity for the benefit of the whole,” Julian said. “Because nothing says, we’re worthy of being liked by commoners, than having one of those commoners make out with a prince.”

“A prince,” Nicholas said. “Why did it have to be you?”

I felt like Nicholas too easily accepted Julian’s explanation of why we were being filmed kissing, and jumped straight to why not me?

“Nicholas,” I said.

When he saw me, he seemed to remember the other things too. “Piper shouldn’t need to do this with anyone.”

“Tell that to Dad,” Julian said. “Or better yet, how about those protesters outside? I bet

they’d love to hear from you.”

Nicholas glowered. He frowned so deeply, I thought steam might come out of his ears. He turned to the producers again. “I want to see the footage. Whatever you do, you cannot use

that kiss.”

To Julian, I hissed, “Did you really summon him here?”

casually, like it didn’t

you do that?” I said, my own anger

didn’t have to

it on TV? Trust me, Piper. He was always going

way, it’s more fun.”

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cruel,”

took on a harsh edge. “He deserves

I was and what was happening. I so very much wanted to ask him for the

could, and I

is a terrible plan,” Nicholas said. His hands were

in his voice, likely because he kept glancing at Elva asleep on the chair. “If someone had come to

in the same terrible pit as before,” Julian said. He motioned toward me. “Piper agreed to

of eyes fall

that true?” Nicholas said. “Were you asked?

ago, I had pushed him away, wanting to shield my heart. Now here I was, so casually kissing someone

But nothing felt good

tried to keep my voice steady, so as not to betray the quaking emotion within me. “It is as

he was the only man that I held so dearly in my heart. That Julian and I were

I had to sit very

curled my hands around my knees, holding

do this, you know. No matter what Julian

I wouldn’t

Nicholas frowned.

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at my obvious lie. “We’re getting there. But it really is the best plan to quell all this talk of rebellion. Come on, Nicholas. You know it’s true. Like

to Piper alone,”

looked at me. His

you want?

of the room where

said. He dropped his gaze to me. The green

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