Chapter 61


    When he found the truth of what happened here, he would act ordingly. Seeing his anger, I could


    trust


    that.


    Yet whatever happened, from now on, I would be much more careful who I left my child with.


    “Prince Nichs?” came a soft feminine voice from behind us. His date stood there. She twisted her


    fingers together like she was shy, but annoyance marred her face. “Are we continuing our date?”


    Nichs turned to her. “I’m sorry, but –”


    “Nichs.”


    The Luna herself approached us then, her own features sharp with anger. At first, I thought she might


    be


    upset on Elva’s behalf, but she only red at the child in my arms before looking again to her son.


    “You will return to your date.”


    Nichs straightened. A direct order from the Queen wasn’t something to be taken lightly, even, I


    supposed, when you were the prince.


    When he hesitated, her eyes narrowed. “Do you not see the games that are at y here? Can you not


    understand that the child was never in any danger? This whole farce was orchestrated to ruin your


    date.”


    I was so shocked, I couldn’t believe what I had just heard. Surely, she couldn’t be serious? Yet she


    stood


    there firmly, glowering at me like I was the monster here.


    “I would never endanger my child! And for such a petty reason!” I couldn’t keep the incredulity from my


    voice. It never urred to me that I should maybe keep my voice down when speaking to the Luna, not


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    when she was insinuating such a terrible thing.


    For a moment, everyone looked at me with a wide–eyed gaze, except Nichs, who had moved a little


    closer to me and Elva. All too quickly, the Queen recovered, ring again. This time her re zeroed in


    on the closeness of Nichs to me.


    “Your date, Nichs. Now.” The Luna’s voice held ultimate authority. Nichs wouldn’t be able to


    disobey


    stepped away from us, heading toward his date. Once he was out of the Queen’s line of vision, he


    back at me. Though his face was emotionless, I could have sworn I saw concern in his gaze.


    into my shoulder


    “As for you.” The Queen returned her attention to me. “I have been patient with you. I have been kind. I


    have waived punishment which would have otherwise been perfectly reasonable. But you have


    continued


    to disrespect me.”


    She waved her hand toward my window. “Between this debacle and your raised voice, as well as your


    previous incidents, I would be well within my rights to expel you from thispetition. However…


    She sighed, like her next words weighed on her heavily. “As your presence is… a necessity, presently. I


    shall not be able to execute the deserved punishment. Instead, you will sustain the one previously


    suggested, that I had waived.”


    She couldn’t mean….


    “Piper, on the next stormy day, you will kneel in the rain from dawn until dusk, and reflect on all the


    atrocities you havemitted here. Hopefully, then, you will learn some manners.”


    I had no idea how she could be so sé in the face of my child’s near–death. Had she no empathy at


    all?


    this whole thing?


    Or did she truly believe, oundishly, that I had somehow?


    What kind of goings–on urred in this pce for that to be considered the norm?


    Yet as outrageous as it was, I had no power here. I had to respect the judgement of the Luna, even if I


    disagreed with it. To fail to do so would result in the worst punishment imaginable.


    Death.


    Behind the Queen, Nichs took a step toward us. I wasn’t sure what he was nning to do or say, but


    I


    wouldn’t let him interfere. If he did, he might be punished too.


    Subtly, I shook my head and he paused.


    With a chill in my heart, I held my ground and lifted my head.


    “I understand,” I said, and epted my fate.