Chapter 149

Together, Julian, Nicholas, and I walked out into the hallway. We made it down to the main hallway before Terry himself saw us and stepped into our path.

Julian, Nicholas, and I stopped in our tracks.

“There you are, Piper. And I see you’ve run into my errant nephews.”

“Don’t worry, uncle,” Julian said smoothly. “We found Piper before she became hopelessly lost.”

Terry tilted his head. He was smiling, but its edges were sharp and dangerous. “And why would Piper need to be found? Last I saw her, she was with the tour group. I turn my back for one moment to correct an ignorant girl, and in that single moment, Piper vanished.”

“I went looking for a bathroom and got lost,” I said, falling back on my initial planned excuse.

“You were gone for an hour.” Terry’s eyes narrowed.

“I got very lost.”

“She’s lucky we found her,” Julian said. “Who knows how long she would have been wandering. Sometimes I think you forget how big your mansion is.”

“I have not forgotten,” Terry said. His gaze never left me.

Nicholas was still holding my hand. He squeezed it, as if saying, I am here. I’m not going anywhere. The notion gave me comfort.

“I’m sorry to have worried you,” I said, hoping to end the discussion. “I’m back now so everything should be fine.”

Terry watched me for several long seconds, too long to feel like a natural pause. He wanted me to squirm, to feel uncomfortable, or maybe even apologize? I tried my best not to have any outward reaction other than to vaguely smile.

Inside, I wanted to scream.

Eventually, he relented. “Very well. I’m glad you have been returned to us. Now, we should make haste. Dinner is about to be served.”

I nodded. Without another word, he turned away from us. We fell into step behind him. I traded looks with both Nicholas and Julian. Nicholas’s face was stern and rigid. Julian winked at me.

Neither helped me settle the growing unease in my gut.

As we entered the dining room, the other guests and candidates were already finding the placards with their names that would indicate where they were meant to be seated at the long table.

“You are beside me, Piper,” Terry said, as he found his seat at the center of the table. I was to sit on his right.

Nicholas seemed reluctant to let go of my hand. In my ear, he whispered, “I’ll trade seats with whoever is beside me.”

Neither of us seemed to have any misconceptions that Terry would place Julian or Nicholas beside me. Their right as princes would let them have the right to claim any seat they wanted.

Except when we moved to my seat, we saw the name on the placard belonging to the post next to me.

It read Joyce.

A prince could had the right to claim any seat they wanted at the table – unless it was already occupied by another member of the royal family. With Joyce sitting here, there was little Nicholas could do.

“I’ll speak with him,” Nicholas said. He released my hand and walked away.

Julian, meanwhile, switched seats with the person directly across from me. They were forced to move down to the other end of the table. I imagined Terry had intentionally placed Julian and Nicholas as far from me as possible.

Terry glared at Julian now. Julian just smiled at him, all faux innocence.

When most of the group had found their places at the table, we began to sit down. I reluctantly sat beside Terry, with Julian across the table from me.

Oddly, Susie had been placed on the other side of Terry. I would have thought we would want someone with more standing nearer to him, like Olivia. Susie seemed nervous as she accepted her seat.

I waited for Nicholas, but was surprised when Joyce arrived to claim his seat. Nicholas, it seemed, had been unsuccessful at convincing Joyce to move. That seemed strange to me. I couldn’t have imagined that Joyce would care so much. Perhaps it was because Jessica was seated on his other side?

Instead, Nicholas claimed the seat beside Julian and directly across from Terry. His frown was deep with displeasure. Whatever the conversation had been between him and Joyce, Nicholas seemed rather irritated about it.

No sooner had we all sat down, then Terry stretched his arm across the back of my chair. He leaned into me enough to whisper, “Should we make those two brothers jealous, Piper?” He reached up, snatched a loose strand of my hair, and tucked it behind my ear. His fingers lingered on my cheek.

I wanted to turn my entire body inside out to get away from that touch. “I think we should just focus on dinner.”

“Is that any way to treat the man who controls your entire future?” Terry asked.

I gave him a confused look.

His smile added teeth. “You had a poor showing at your last event, didn’t you? I know how important this one is to you and your standing. To dear little Elva, who is always so sickly. You want to stay in the contest, yes? To keep her healthy and happy?”

My stomach churned in disgust. I hated that he was right. I wanted to pull away, but I couldn’t. Not yet.

“Uncle,” Julian said sharply. “The cameras are waiting for your introductory speech. Unless you want me to cover for you…”

Terry’s smile twitched. Julian hit him where it hurt. Terry would never miss an opportunity to steal the limelight. His arm retracted from my cheek. His other moved away from my chair as he rose to address the table.

He waited for the cameras to zoom in on him. “Thank you to all my honored guests, for joining me this evening. I have followed the competition with the upmost interest. I am thrilled to now be a more formal part of it.”

He reached down onto the table and picked up his flute of champagne. “Though tonight is an event to be judged, I hope you will each find the time to enjoy yourself while you are here. There’s no reason a contest can’t be fun.”

He looked down at me. I did my best to avoid his gaze without making it obvious.

Terry lifted his glass. “Cheers.”

The others and me lifted our glasses as well, then took a sip. The taste of champagne wasn’t as good as I remembered, reminding me too much of when Terry drugged me. I covertly spit my drink back into my glass.

I was not going to drink any alcohol tonight.

The first and second courses arrived with minimal issue. Terry engaged several of his nearby guests without paying me much attention. It was only as the entre arrived, after Terry bit in, that he addressed me again.

“Piper, this steak is to die for.” He speared a piece of the meat and held his fork out for me to taste.

I froze. It eat something off of his fork felt overly intimate. It had even garnered the attention of several nearby candidates and the cameras. The candidates gave me pitying looks. The cameramen moved in closer.

If I accepted, it was akin to accepting his advances. If I rejected, it would be like a slap in the face. I might as well show myself out now for how much standing I would lose, being rude to the host.

I clenched my stomach, ignoring the way disgust swirled within it, violent and angry.

I leaned forward, closed my eyes, and accepted the bite of meat from Terry’s fork.

“There’s a good girl,” Terry said, and I wanted to spit the food in his face.

Instead, a glass shattered.

My eyes shot opened.

Nicholas had clutched his water glass so tightly it shattered. Blood dripped down from his fist.

“Why, nephew. Don’t know your own strength perhaps?” Terry was absolutely delighted by the display and made no attempts to hide it. “You should go clean yourself up before you stain the tablecloth.”

Nicholas frowned harder, but, after casting a glance at Julian, who nodded in return, Nicholas excused himself from the table.

Servants immediately cleared away the glass shards and replaced the broken cup with a fresh one.

Terry looked at me. He leaned in and whispered, “Now that we’re alone…”

He placed a hand on my upper knee.