Chapter 291


    Chapter 0291


    “Stop this at once,” the King said.


    It was then that I noticed, Julian had swiftly moved around the stage without catching his mother’s


    attention. I hadn’t seen him move either.


    Yet there he was, standing behind the King like he had been there all along. Like he had just been


    whispering in the King’s ear.


    The Luna turned toward the King, frowning. “What is the meaning of this?” She spoke with indignation,


    but in a reserved, demure kind of way that kept her from raising her voice to her husband.


    The King ignored her. To the guard that was holding me down by the shoulder, he said, Remove Terry’s


    shirt.”


    Terry, who had been standing stoic, suddenly took a step backwards. His eyes widened for a half-


    second before narrowing. “What are you talking about?” He smiled but his voice was too tight for any


    calm to seem genuine. “You can’t be serious?”


    The guard looked to the King. The King waved him forward.


    The guard moved his hand from me and walked toward Terry instead. Terry started to pale.


    “But,” the Luna began to say, but a quick, sharp look from the King silenced her.


    “You can’t do this to me,” Terry said. “D-don’t you know who I am?”


    Nichs came up onto the stage, to my side. He gently eased me up onto my feet.


    Terry stood ramrod straight, facing off against the guard. “Don’t you dare touch me!”


    The guard lunged. Terry attempted to dodge but his pampered body moved slower than that of a


    trained soldier. The guard gripped the back of Terry’s shirt and held fast. Terry himself pulled away and,


    the shirt tore away.


    As he turned to face the crowd, whose eyes were wide watching the unexpected action unfold, his bare


    torso was on disy. On the right side of his body, along his ribs, was a tattoo of an upside down wolf


    skull.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Someone gasped. A few of the candidates covered their mouths. I nced at Nichs for exnation.


    He was stunned speechless for a moment. Then he spoke, “The upside down wolf skull is a symbol of


    the underground organization. I didn’t know someone would… tattoo themselves with it.”


    The producers seemed uncertain. G od knew what the camera feeds were actually capturing.


    Julian cleared his throat as he stepped toward the center of the stage. With his confident swagger, he


    imed the attention of everyone in the room, including the cameramen. ‘How odd, uncle,” Julian said.


    “Why in the world would you have a symbol of the underground organization tattooed on your chest?


    Surely you’ve heard that obtaining such a mark is a rite of passage for any new members of the


    organization…” “Oh, Terry,” the Luna said, despair breaking her voice. “What have you done?” She


    must have felt terribly helpless. With Terry carrying such an obvious dark mark, the Queen could not


    hope to save him without tainting herself.


    Terry must have realized the same. The blood drained from his face. The mischief vanished from his


    eyes. For once, he was the one trapped, backed into a corner, unable to escape the fate heid for


    himself. Panic seemed to take hold of him. He tried to cover his chest with his hands, but the damage


    was done. Everyone had seen. He had nowhere to hide. “I was forced to get this!” Terry cried out.


    “They forced me. I had no choice! You have to believe me, sister. Brother.” “You are no brother of


    mine,” the King said, voice cold as ice. There were more guards heading onto the stage. The King


    spoke to them, “Put him in chains.” The guards began to surround Terry. Terry backed up, perhaps


    thinking he might escape, but there was a guard behind him. Terry bumped into him and was


    immediately righted. The guards wasted no time mping handcuffs onto Terry’s wrists. The ck of


    the cuffs being tightened, seemed to snap something awake in him. The panic dimmed, reced now


    with hatred and brimstone. He straightened to his full height, lifted his chin in defiance, and spoke


    loudly. “You think you can hold me. You doubt my importance. When I am free, you all will suffer. I will


    see to it personally.” “Get him out of here,” the King snapped. The guards pushed Terry forward. Terry


    moved, but he did not silence himself. “The kingdom will fall!” The guards pushed Terry nearer to me,


    on their trek to remove him from the stage. Instinctively, I inched closer to Nichs. Nichs wrapped


    his arm around my waist. Nichs red at us both. “Piper will be mine.”


    Nichs snarled.


    Terry smirked. Softer, he said, “Enjoy this victory while you can, nephew. It will gut dat After Terry was


    removed from the ballroom, an ufortable silence settled over the The excitement had dimmed, but


    the overall mood remained lense. No one seemed qui about to process what they had seen.


    I was trembling like a leaf, even with Nich s’s arm around me. I knew Terry for where was. I wasn’t


    surprised that he had been caught, but the overall suddenness of it left un feeling uncertain.


    I could scarcely believe what had happened. It didn’t feel real.


    And Terry’s warning left a chill deep down in my bones.


    “He can say whatever he wants,” the King said. “His words are empty.


    The Queen stood nearby, her arms wrapped around herself. She stared at the floor. Herface was


    expressionless now, as if she were in shock. Her handmaidens began to offer her contur. urging her to


    move to the edge of the stage.


    Behind them, I saw a familiar figure at one of the far doorways of the room. A figure that looked just like


    me.


    Jane. “If you’ll excuse me,” I said, and slid away from Nich s’s side. “Piper?” He seemed hesitant to


    let me go. He followed me as I walked down off the st didn’t have it in me to try and stop him. Instead, I


    picked up speed as Jane disappeared into the hallway. “Piper, wait!” Nichs kept speed with me.


    I rounded the corner of the hallway.


    “Piper!”


    Nichs immediately tackled into me, pressing me down. He caught me in his arms, protecting me


    from the hard floor. His body entirely covered me.


    I could feel the racing beat of his heart in his chest. It thundered as hard and loud as my n


    Slowly, he eased off of me, and helped me up to my feet.


    “Are you okay?” he asked me. His eyes were wild with worry.


    I nodded. My attention was snagged immediately by a spot on the wall.


    A spot level to where my head had been only a few mere seconds before.


    And in that spot, was the sharp edge of a knife.


    Had Jane thrown that? Had she meant it for me?


    If Nichs hadn’t been here… Would she have killed me?


    My blood ran cold. I shivered.


    Nichs, seeing the knife, grabbed me around the waist and pulled me against his chest.


    “Nick…”


    “I’ve got you. You’re alive. You’re safe.”


    I knew Jane hated me. I knew she wanted to do me harm.


    But to… kill me? Like this?


    “She won’t hurt you,” Nichs said. “I won’t let her.”


    I wanted to believe him but she had been so close this time.


    Next time, Jane might be luckier.