“Forgive me, Your Majesty, but we had given consideration to the spirit of the event,” I said. It wasn’t totally a lie. I had given some thought about how our divided display could still indicate some measure of cooperation, even if Linda hadn’t. “Explain yourself,” the Queen said. I motioned

“Sabotage?” The girls around us burst into loud chatter. “Could it be possible? How would she do it?” “Anything’s possible. She could have done it.” “Someone get the guards! If it’s true, that’s an attempt on the Queen’s life!” At the sound of that accusation, the guards closed in around my

“Love has no place in royalty.” Nicholas tilted his head down and lowered his gaze. “I will be forced to marry the best Luna candidate in the Choosing Game. I can only hope that, at the very least, perhaps a sense of friendship will blossom later.” “And Lilliana is the best?” I asked. He sighed.

Joseph’s smile was twisted with cruelty. It deeply unnerved me. This man was not a noble himself, simply employed by them. He must have been like Lena, a traditionalist. Someone who wanted to uphold the way things had always been, rather than accepting necessary changes. I hated that such ideals c

As Linda dived at me, knife first, both Julian and Nicholas moved at once. Nicholas ran at me. He grabbed me around the waist and pulled me toward him, shielding me behind his body. Julian, meanwhile, went straight for Linda. He grabbed Linda’s wrist and twisted. The knife clattered down onto th