Chapter 246


    Chapter 0246


    For too long, I watched Nichs across the room, as he greeted a benefactor and then introduced


    Olivia. As it wasn’t Lilliana’s turn with the benefactor, she had been asked to stand back. She red at


    Olivia behind Nichs’s back.


    Nichs turned on the charisma for the elderly benefactor. Olivia, beside him, did the same. They looked


    like a matching pair, working together to charm the benefactor. With the way the benefactor


    blushed and smiled, it was clearly working.


    I didn’t want to hate Olivia. Compared to Linda and some of the others, she had never physically done


    me or Elva harm. But watching the way she kept touching Nichs’s arm… Or how she smiled at him…


    Or


    once, she winked….


    My heart had emotions all its own that had little to do with logic or reason. My heart hated Olivia out of


    sheer jealousy. She had closeness to Nichs now. She could smile andugh and flirt, and might even


    be sessful.


    I imagined Nichs choosing Olivia as his Luna and my gut squeezed tight. She was a good choice.


    She’d make a respectable Luna.


    But I didn’t want her to marry Nichs. I didn’t want anyone to marry Nichs.


    Except me.


    I sighed. What a foolish notion. One I had to let go of, the sooner the better.


    Nichs might be the one for me, but I would never be the one for Nichs. I had to ept that and


    move on, for both our sakes.


    “Mommy. I’m so sleepy,” Elva said, mumbling the words against my shoulder. “Can I go to bed now?”


    I had other benefactors to talk to yet. I really shouldn’t leave. But my heart was sore and lonely, and I


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    worried Elva might be getting sick again. Her exhaustion didn’t entirely seem natural.


    “Okay, honey. Let’s go back to our room.” At the very least, I could have the doctor check her out. Then I


    could leave her in Mark’s care and hurry back to the party.


    No one stopped me as I carried Elva out of the ballroom. The guards at the door didn’t even look at me


    twice.


    The hallways were empty, with the candidates at the g, and the servants likely enjoying their free time


    until the g was done.


    With all my sneaking down to the cers, I was used to seeing the hallways so barren. Though typically, I


    would have Julian or Nichs at my side. On my own, my nerves prickled on high alert.


    When I turned the corner, I nearly jumped out of my skin seeing another woman standing in a purple,


    shimmering gown at the end of the hallway.


    Odd, that dress was made of the fabric that Jane had stolen from my room.


    The woman turned toward me, exposing her face. My breath caught in my throat.


    The woman was Jane.


    I stopped walking, feet nted firmly.


    I was frozen at one end of the hallway and Jane at the other. We stared at each other across the


    distance.


    If I didn’t have Elva in my arms, I would have moved closer. I would have confronted her and maybe


    even fought her.


    But I did have Elva in my arms. She was vulnerable, sleeping and likely sick. I couldn’t risk her, not for


    Jane. Not for anyone.


    Jane smirked at me. Then she turned again and disappeared around a corner.


    My every instinct wanted me to give chase. Instead, I clutched Elva to me more fully and went my own


    way.


    Once I had reached the safety of my room, I roused Elva enough to change her into a pair offortable


    pajamas. Then I tucked her into bed. When she was resting, I walked to the door.


    One of the guards looked back at me. “Please send for the doctor. I believe Elva might be sick.”