Chapter 148


    The servants brought out soup bowls for each of us seated. Terry and Julian both received theirs


    before


    1. me. To do something with my hands, I was eager to lift my soup spoon and stir, even though it was


    ye


    too hot to eat.


    I couldn’t look at Terry anymore. I didn’t want to see the way he was looking at me.


    “I’m surprised you decided to stay with us so long, Uncle,” Julian said, speaking around me. “I’m sure


    your mansion would be much morefortable for you.”


    “As I am to be a judge at the next Ball, I thought it best to arrive early and assess the candidates on


    their own merits first, before I am given the specific criteria for the event.” Terry tilted his head.


    “Besides, my mansion has had some issues ofte.”


    “Oh? I’m sorry to hear that. Have you been letting in the wrong sort of guests again?”


    “Quite the contrary. I’ve had a few uninvited guests.”


    “How strange,” Julian said, maintaining his smile. Meanwhile, my heart was threatening to beat straight.


    out of my chest.


    “It is quite unfortunate, you see. These specific individuals would have been wee in my home, had


    they gone about their arrival in the correct way.”


    “Unfortunate then, I agree.” Julian lifted his own soup spoon now. “Perhaps they had some urgent


    reason. for not making their presence immediately known.”


    Terryughed lightly. “I am eager to hear what such a reason could be.” He leered at me again. “Aren’t


    you, Piper?”


    Unsure how to


    to answer, I nced at Julian, yet before he could speak, the King chimed his fork against his ss,


    reiming the table’s attention.


    “Some of the youngdies here at the front were inquiring about the Second Ball. It is only fair that I


    share with all of those present.” The King cleared his throat. The Second Ball will be a masquerade.


    You will need to dress up in an attempt to hide your identity.”


    A few gasps sounded around the table, quickly followed by soft murmuring


    “We’ve had some clear frontrunners in thispetition so far,” the King continued. “This is your chance


    to make a second first impression with the princes, and earn yourself their favor, to be saved from the


    elimination”


    “Interesting,” Julian said. He smirked at me. “I wonder if I’ll recognize you.”


    I rolled my eyes at him, but his teasing did help set me more at ease. I’d been incredibly nervous since


    Terry sat down beside me.


    “I wonder what my role will be,” Terry said. “Perhaps I will determine how well everyone’s costume


    conceals them. People have so much to hide. Don’t you agree, Piper?”


    Julian leaned forward. “Not everyone hides everything, Uncle. Perhaps you are projecting?”


    Terry hummed in distaste.


    The servants took away our empty soup bowls and brought out the next course.


    Terry and Julian continued to trade polite jabs at each other for the rest of dinner, with me caught in the


    middle.


    After dinner, Julian immediately stood and offered me his arm. “May I escort you to your room, Piper?”


    I was eager to escape, so quickly epted his arm.


    With a nce, I noticed Nichs watching, a dark look on his face. But I had no time to smooth over


    his potential misunderstanding of Julian’s feelings. I was too busy trying to get as far away from Julian


    as


    fast as I could. 1


    Julian tugged me from the room. Once we were far enough away from anyone else, I hissed at him.


    “He knew everything, Julian. He knew we were at his house. He basically called us out.”


    He replied in a simr tone. “Need I remind you that I was the one who wanted to stay hidden,


    were the one who rushed forward?”


    and you


    He was right, as much as I hated to admit it. I attempted to smooth some of the ire from my tone. It


    wasn’t based in anger anyway, especially not toward Julian. It was built from fear.


    “Why is he here?” I asked. “He didn’t need to stay to judge the Ball. He could have juste in the


    day. of. Unless you think he actually wants to spend time with the candidates?”


    “I’m not sure,” Julian admitted. “He does enjoy spending time with beautiful young woman.”


    I frowned, a touch disgusted.


    “Do you think he is involved in the underground organization?” I asked. It would make sense, since it


    was


    at his mansion that I felt his wolf


    It could be a coincidence. The person with your wolf was in a car driving away, not within the mansion


    That didn’t make me feel any better. Even if he was a pawn, that did make him involved, knowingly or


    not.


    I also sensed that Julian wasn’t telling me everything. That was nothing new, of course, but in this case,


    it especially irked me. Terry could be dangerous. If Julian knew, he should tell me.


    He tapped my hand on his arm. “Just be careful, okay? I’m serious.”


    “Julian…”


    “Listen to me, Piper. Don’t be alone with him.”


    “Please tell me what you know. Maybe I can help.”


    He shook his head. “I don’t know anything for sure.”


    I sighed. That was his usual deflection. Julian yed dumb quite often, but truly, he was a brick wall


    concealing many of his true, inner thoughts. I knew he was observant and intelligent. He was likely


    three


    steps ahead of anyone else in the pce.


    I just hated that he excluded me.


    “How can you expect me to trust you when I know you are keeping secrets?” I asked.


    We h


    had reached the hallway outside my room, so we stopped a ways away from my door. Whatever he


    was going to say, he likely didn’t want the guards to hear. Or Elva. Or Mark.


    He faced me then, and his eyes held an earnestness that I had never quite seen in them before. In that


    moment, he looked so much like Nichs that my heart ached.


    “Piper, I know we have our disagreements. I know you prefer my brother and I enjoy teasing you both.


    But that does not mean that I want to see you physically harmed.”


    Truthfully, I believed him, and not just because of his simrities to Nichs. I had seen the way he had


    jumped toward Linda when she hade at me with the knife. He hadn’t needed to step in, but he did


    anyway, with no real benefit to himself.


    “Terry wears a mask, the same as all of us,” Julian continued. “What lies underneath his is not


    something


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    I ever want you to see”


    “I can handle myself,” I said, standing a bit straighter,


    I could read between the lines here, and I had seen Terry staring down the front of my dress. I knew he


    lusted for me. It unfortunately wasn’t the first time I had been in this position.


    Still, Julian’s continued seriousness gave me pause. The more I considered his words, the more my


    mind considered the actual truth to this danger.


    Terry was one of the most powerful men in the kingdom. He was potentially involved in the


    underground.


    I was tough as nails and could handle myself in most situations.


    But I’d never stood up to a man like this one.


    Julian held my gaze.


    “Whether he is working for the underground organization or not, Terry has set his sights on you, Piper.”


    My whole body chilled, even down to my bones.