Chatper 370


    Chapter 0370


    That was Jane. I had zero doubts.


    What I needed to do now was keep my promise and alert Nichs. Yet when I turned to find him, I saw


    him stepping onto the stage where the thrones were, with Olivia on his arm. The King and Queen were


    greeting them warmly.


    I couldn’t exactly interrupt that without repercussions. Best to leave it.


    I nced around for Julian, but he was still missing. Where did he go?


    The only one of our little group that I could locate was Veronica. I went to her now. She sensed my


    seriousness at once, and dropped the preamble of the dance.


    “She’s here,” I said.


    Veronica, to her credit, did not attempt to look around. She just kept looking at


    me.


    “Both Nichs and Julian are out of reach,” I said. “But I have to act before Jane gets away. I’ll dy


    as much as I’m able. Please get Nichs as soon as he’s off that stage.”


    Veronica did nce this time, up to the stage.


    “Do you need time to get ready for the magic to return my wolf?” I asked her.


    She looked back to me. “I’m ready now. But it will cause a scene. We can’t do it here. We will need to


    move her. Piper, I don’t know…”


    I’d never seen Veronica uneasy, even in other high-stress situations. Was she worried for me?


    “We can’t let Jane get away,” I said.


    “She’s baiting you,” Veronica said. “Just like we thought she would. It would be foolish to


    go alone.”


    I couldn’t argue with that, but to achieve the end goal of finally ridding us of Jane, I was willing to let


    myself fall into the trap.


    “That’s why we gave me the cuff,” I said. “I can get closest.”


    “Piper,” she said, frowning.


    “I’ll be okay, Veronica.” It was nice, in a way, to know she was worried. It meant she truly did care about


    me. I had so few friends. Each one was very precious. I hoped Veronica knew she was a friend for life


    now, no matter how long or short


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    415 BONOS


    “You better be,” she said.


    I nodded. “The minute Nichs or Julian is free. Please. Let them know.”


    “I will,” Veronica said.


    I gave her a small smile, then I left her. I crossed over the dance floor, ignoring the cheers of the


    informal dancers and the res of the more formal dancers. I came out the other side and felt like a


    soldier marching onto a battlefield.


    Before me, Jane, dressed all in ck, reclined on a chair. She had her legs crossed at the knee and


    dangled one foot, looking for all the world like she was enjoying herself.


    Maybe she was.


    It had me on edge. I would have thought she’d have her grunts with her somehow, but she was sitting


    alone at the round table, with not a soul around her.


    As I came closer, Jane began to giggle as if I pleased her immensely with my very presence. Knowing


    how much she hated me, I immediately tensed further.


    “Piper, you look like you might shake to pieces,” Jane said, a teasing lilt in her voice. “Does something


    have you frightened? Or someone, rather.”


    “I’m not afraid,” I said, a lie. Truthfully, I was terrified, but I was also determined. Something Jane would


    find out very soon.


    “Tense, then,” Jane said, sizing me up. “Like a coiled up spring. Or a prisoner heading for the chopping


    block.”


    I tried to ignore the implication of death in herst remark.


    “You, meanwhile, seem fall too calm,” I said.


    Jane shrugged. “I’m just enjoying the night, and why not? Tonight’s the night I get to watch your world


    fall apart.”


    I didn’t have the faintest idea what she was talking about. It could be bulls hit, but knowing her, it more


    likely meant she had a plot in the works.


    It didn’t matter. I had to act quickly. Now. Before I lost my chance.


    I nced at her slim wrist. She wasn’t wearing gloves, breaking the rules of the Luna. Though she was


    breaking many other rules, simply by being here.


    If I could get closer, maybe I could reach out and sp the cuff over her wrist before she even knew


    what I was doing. She likely suspected me of some act, but


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    I just needed a distraction, or a=


    “Everyone!” shouted a voice.


    The orchestra stopped abruptly, some yers faster than others. One violin screeched out of tune. The


    man on the bass drum thumped for a few more beats.


    I nced behind me, to where Joyce was standing at the edge of the stage where his parents’ thrones


    were. He held his hands outstretched. He was speaking, but it was hard to hear.


    “Someone give him a microphone!” called a good natured guest on the dance floor.


    One of the musicians handed a microphone over to Joyce. He held it too close to his mouth. He


    sounded like a demon, words cr ackling in the speakers.


    “I have an announcement,” he said.


    “Joyce, we need to talk about this,” the King said from behind him, voice picked up on the microphone.


    The King ced his hand on Joyce’s shoulder. Joyce ripped it from his grasp.


    “You only want to stop me,” Joyce snapped.


    “For good reason, son,” the Luna said.


    “You can’t just give announcements without telling us what they are,” the King said. His voice was firm


    but the words weren’t as harsh as I might have expected. It seemed the King and Queen had a soft


    spot for their youngest son. From what I’d seen, Nichs and Julian suffered much firmer treatment.


    “I can’t conceal this any longer,” Joyce said. “You may not believe in us, but I do. I won’t go along with


    this anymore. The world should know about the woman I love.”


    The crowd gasped in unison. The cameras moved closer to the stage.


    Joyce was in love with someone? Who could it be? Not Susie, surely. Maybe things really had sparked


    between him and Jessica? She seemed sweet. I didn’t know her all that well, but I’d give them my


    blessing if it would have mattered to either of them.


    Oddly, Jessica, when I spotted her in the crowd, seemed just as surprised as anyone else. Surely she


    would know if the man who was in love with her was about to announce it to the entire kingdom?


    Instead, Jessica just looked very pale.


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    But if not Jessica, then who?


    “Oh, this is rich,” Janeughed from behind me. I swirled back to her. She smirked at me. “The party is


    truly just about to begin, don’t you think, Piper?”


    “What do you know about this?” I demanded, stepping toward her. Screw the timing. I was going to use


    the cuff now. I lifted a hand toward my chest.


    “What don’t I know?” She said,ughing hard. “Careful now, you are about to miss the best part. I really


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    hope you enjoy the show, Piper. After all, I arranged it all just for you.”


    “What are you talking about?” I said.


    Suddenly, Joyce shouted into the speakers. “You can’t stop how Piper and I feel about each other.”


    My whole body froze.


    I didn’t just hear…


    No…


    Yet, when I turned around, Joyce was looking straight at me.


    “Piper and I are in love.”