Chatper 324


    Chapter 0324


    Despite what Nichs had said, by the time Julian came rushing back with an onught of guards,


    Nichs and I were back in his rooms. Nichs had gone into the bathroom to shower and change. I


    sat just outside, a towel in my hands, wiping the blood off of my face.


    Julian stayed with me while the guards descended into the open passageway. He took one look at me,


    shook his head, snat ched the towel from my hands, and more forcefully wiped at my forehead.


    “There,” he said, and handed the towel back to me.


    “Thank you,” I said softly. My hands were trembling. I still felt somewhat in shock.


    Julian noticed. He stepped closer. “Piper…”


    The bathroom door opened, and Nichs appeared. He nced between Julian and me, but didn’t


    seem jealous this time.


    Instead, when he looked back to Julian, gratitude was in on his face. “Thank you, Julian. Without


    your help… well, I don’t want to think about what would have happened.”


    “Piper’s the one who found you,” Julian said. He half-turned away.


    I wouldn’t let him escape credit so easily. “I wouldn’t have known anything was wrong at all, if you


    hadn’t intuited it,” I said.


    Julian pushed a hand through his hair. “Give me a break.’


    })


    He was embarrassed, I realized then. It was such a rare sight on Julian that I almost didn’t


    recognize it.


    I knew then, with absolutely surety, that despite the brothers many problems, fights, and


    disagreements, they did actually care for each other deep down. At the very least, they woulde to


    the other’s defense if their life was on the line.


    That counted for something. Even if neither brother seemed willing to admit it yet.


    “So what did Jane want with you anyway?” Julian asked. “I don’t suppose she revealed any hint of her


    n.”


    Nichs shook his head. “She only said that she wanted to hurt Piper.”


    Tak


    A shiver rushed through me. She very nearly had hurt me. Nichs, hurting me with my own wolf… All


    of it cut me so deeply. That it had been my own twin sister that had hated me enough tomit these


    acts…


    “It can’t have been just that,” Julian said. “With you in their pocket, a lot of people would have done just


    about anything to keep you safe. Piper. Our father.” Julian sighed. “You know


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    “Uh…” Nich s’s gaze slipped sideways. He refused to look at either me or Julian. That seemed


    rather suspicious.


    “Nick?” I asked, and he swallowed.


    Suddenly, Julian’s eyes went wide. “You didn’t!”


    “It wasn’t like that,” Nichs said quickly.


    “Like hell it wasn’t. How else would you let your guard down?”


    “I don’t understand.” I looked to Julian for exnation.


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    His lips curled up into a smile. “Your prince locked lips with your evil sister.”


    This time, my eyes bugged. I searched Nich s’s face, hopeful for an indication that Julian was just


    trying to stir the pot like always. Instead what I saw was guilt.


    Nichs lowered his head. “She pretended to be you, Piper. I… didn’t notice as quickly as I should


    have.”


    My heart cracked in half. Jane hade here, pretending to me, and Nich s had… let her? 2


    “I had been so desperate to see you, and I thought…” Nichs cleared his throat. “But I told her to stop


    right away. She was different. She was moving too quickly and my wolf didn’t trust her.” He looked at


    me, eyes sad. “I’m so sorry, Piper.’ 1


    “It’s not your fault,” I said at once, because it wasn’t, even though it hurt me. Nichs had been tricked.


    Hadn’t I been tricked too? I had been so desperate to see Nichs that I had followed a note straight


    into potential danger? If Nichs had a twin brother, wouldn’t I have fallen for the same trap?