Chapter 18


    I blinked, stunned into silence. Me? A front runner in thepetition?


    No. Clearly those people didn’t realize how much Nichs hated me. Once the cameras were allowed


    into the pce, and they saw the two of us interacting, they would learn the truth.


    Nichs hated me.


    Julian only wanted to use me in his games.


    And Joyce seemed utterly disinterested in the whole thing.


    I wasn’t a front runner. I was someone barely hanging on.


    Regardless, I thanked my maid for the information.


    “Now,” the maid said, turning toward the closet. “It is time to prepare you for the banquet.”


    The banquet. Right. Tonight was the first official banquet with all three princes and the candidates. We


    would formally dine in the dining room.


    The trainers had reinforced the required etiquette for mealtimes that I had forgotten over the past three


    years. I feltfortable enough to eat with the others casually, but to do so in front of the royal family


    and potential cameras, made me nervous.


    Elva was requested to stay behind. A nanny had been hired for her, and was set to arrive s


    soon, I had


    mixed feelings leaving her here, but she seemed content enough, ying with her dolls under her


    nket


    fort.


    “Wait until you see your dress,” the maid said, and led me toward the closet.


    I wasn’t sure why I needed another dress. I liked my pale green one with the flowers.


    But then the maid held up a velvet evening gown. Deep emerald in color, it was sleeveless with a v-


    shaped neckline.


    I couldn’t remember thest time I had worn something like this. For work, I’d worn white button–up


    shirts and ck pants. On days off, I wore cks and t–shirts, with an asional high–necked


    sundress.


    Nothing like this


    The maid noticed my hesitation.


    Try it on she said. And you won’t want to take it off.


    She was right.


    Looking in the mirror, I barely recognized myself in the dress.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Even Elva looked at me withically wide eyes. “Mommy, are you a fairy princess?”


    “I don’t know,” I admitted.


    She seemed certain. “You are.”


    Elva’spliment gave me the confidence I needed to keep my head high as I entered the ballroom.


    The princes had priority when choosing seats. Julian selected a spot near the center of the table. Joyce


    imed a seat at the far end. Nichs wasn’t in the room yet. The King and Queen took opposite ends


    at the head of the table.


    When it came time for the girls to sit, Julian instantly called me over. “Piper! Here!”


    I was immediately suspicious, but didn’t dare deny his request, especially with the cameras watching


    from theers of the room.


    Ignoring res from Linda and Olivia, I crossed the room and took the seat Julian offered beside him.


    “You look gorgeous,” he said.


    I blushed a little, but mostly wondered what he was up to.


    The other girls filed in then, iming seats. Susie took the open seat beside me. We smiled at each


    other.


    As thest girl found her seat, Nichs appeared in the doorway.


    Dops. It seems I’ve stolen my brother’s seat.” Julian started to rise.


    I looked at him in urgency. “What?”


    He shed me a devilish grin “Oh? Nichs said he was going to bete and reserved this seat. Did t


    hot mention that?


    Not He hadn’t mentioned that!


    brother Julian said as he passed Nichs to take his own seat further up, near the Queen’s endble


    Here we are her loyously announced as he plopped down. The girls beside him cheered


    atore behind the back of the now empty chair. The one he’d reserved, apparently