Chapter 95


    “You would deny the directmand of your prince?” he asked, voice firm. It was an act, I knew him


    enough to be able to tell. But he was giving me the reason I neededply with his wishes if I so


    chose.


    And I desperately wanted to.


    “Okay,” I said atst. He utilized his servants to draw attention away from us. When he was certain we


    were safe, he whisked me away, out onto the balcony where we were alone


    Night had set in. The moon was bright above us, illuminating the spacious balcony more than the


    candlelight could.


    Nichs maintained distance, not touching, though he stayed close enough to reach for me if I faltered.


    My twisted ankle felt much better now, though, so I walked steadily. It was only my hands that were


    shaking.


    We stopped at the railing, and together looked out over the darkness. I thought the gardens might be


    below, but I couldn’t be certain.


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    He stood beside me, looking at me rather than the view.


    “Piper,” he prompted.


    “Your father knows about us,” I said.


    He froze


    “He had you followed, all those years ago. He knows everything.” I sped my hands together. “He told


    me to stay away from you: He’s right, Nichs. I should stay away.”


    “No,” Nichs said,ing closer. He pressed his palm into the small of my back. I should have shied


    from the touch, but I melted into it instead.


    Despite everything, his closeness was thefort I needed.


    But I didn’t want to die. A tear escape my eye and tracked down my face.


    Piper A hint of desperation marred Nichs’s voice, tightening it a bit from its usual faise calm. He


    almost recognizable. “Elva told me you keep my picture in your wallet. Tell me, is it true?


    My breath caught in my throat. Elva had told him about that? When? Why?


    she had seen it so much Hed she recognized him from the start? Was that wh


    “It’s true,” he said, before I could decide whether or not to deny it. “I can tell just by looking at you.”


    I lowered my head, as shame crept in. I allowed myself onest picture of him. I’d purged everything


    else, but I could never get rid of my favorite. He’d been smiling so bright, just for me.


    I knew we couldn’t be together but I didn’t want to let him go, not all the way. I wanted to at least


    remember what it had felt like to be loved.


    “I don’t understand,” Nichs said, and he sounded almost as broken as I felt. “Why would you keep


    that


    picture?”


    “I don’t know.” I didn’t have a good enough answer.


    “If you care so much about me, how could you leave me for another man?”


    “I didn’t.” The words came out in my grief and my upset. I hadn’t meant to say them.


    His eyes were so expressive. Wide and confused. The flecks of green sparkled under the moonlight.


    I wished I had an answer for him that made sense.


    But the truth would only hurt him more… wouldn’t it?


    “But Elva…” he said, and it was an effective counterpoint for someone who didn’t know the whole story.


    He didn’t understand. How could he?


    Elva looked like me, because she looked like my sister. If someone didn’t know that connection, they


    would never guess Elva wasn’t mine.


    Nichs wouldn’t understand. Not until I told him the truth.


    My chest ached with longing. For years, I’d wanted him to know what really happened. But I’d held


    myself back.


    He deserved better. He deserved more.


    Maybe, thinking on it now, what he really deserved was the truth.


    So I said, “Nichs, do you remember my twin sister?”


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