Chapter 353

“If you will please excuse us one moment, Ambassador Zale,” I said, and tugged at Nicholas’s sleeve. At the same time, I lowered Elva down and took her hand instead.

Ambassador Zale dipped his head in acknowledgement, so Nicholas, Elva, and I stepped back a few feet to speak more privately.

I spoke in hushed tones, not wanting the merfolk – or Elva, particularly – to hear. “You cannot stay in our room.”

“Like hell, I will allow anyone else to,” he said. His voice was also low, but the slight volume did not conceal his conviction in this.

“I’m not suggesting anyone else do it either,” I said. Though if it had to be someone, maybe a woman would be a good place to start. “You have to realize what the optics of this are going to be.”

“I don’t care about optics.”

I just barely caught myself before I could roll my eyes at him. “If you spend nights in my room, Nicholas, even if you make clear it is only to protect us, even if we say that Elva was there the whole time, people are going to gossip.”

“Let them gossip,” Nicholas said.

“Your reputation will be ruined,” I said. “It won’t be good for the competition, either.”

“Piper,” Nicholas said, voice softer than before. His eyes were softer now too. He looked at me like he was trying to see deep down into the heart of me. “I don’t care about the rumors, the competition, or even my reputation.”

That wasn’t true. It couldn’t be. If Nicholas was going to be king, which everyone knew he was set to be, then he needed a strong reputation. Even my hopes of a future family with him only thrived on our secret being kept until the perfect moment.

“What I care about,” Nicholas continued before I could get my thoughts together, “is you and Elva. Your safety is my first priority, and I’m tired of trusting other people with it.” A hint of frustration roughed his voice.

“Nick,” I said gently. “Nothing that has happened is your fault.”

He shook his head, not accepting my words. “If I had kept a closer eye on Selma and the staff, they wouldn’t have been able to ruin your clothes or steal them. I never should have left your side at the merfolk event. I’d recognized Prince Ronan would be a problem the moment I saw him.”

“Nick…”

“I should have been on one of the boats on the water during the race, not standing on sure. I was nearly too late.”

“You were watching out for me then,” I told him. “It’s only because of you and Veronica that I’m…” I glanced down at Elva, who was looking curiously at the soldiers. I didn’t trust her not to be listening to this conversation however, and held myself back from saying that I would have died.

Nicholas knew. “It never should have been as close as it was. All of this is due to my negligence, Piper. And if I can’t keep you safe, one of the people I care about most in this world, then what good am I as a king? How could I ever be trusted to keep a nation of people safe?”

“That’s different.”

“Maybe,” he conceded. “But if I lose you, I am lost as well. No. From now on, your safety is my direct responsibility. I’ll entrust no one else, not even my personal guards at your door.”

Now, he was being overzealous for sure. “I will be fine.”

“When Prince Ronan is caught, and we are away from this place. Then, I’ll trust that. But not now. Not while we are here with him on the loose.”

I supposed I couldn’t argue with that. Arguing hadn’t seemed to get me anywhere anyway. So I nodded. “Fine. But when Bridget finds out, she won’t be happy.”

“What Bridget thinks of anything is the very last of my concerns,” Nicholas said.

Then, Nicholas turned from me and together we walked back to Zale, who had been waiting patiently for our private talk to conclude. He lifted his head as we approached.

“Piper and I are in agreement,” Nicholas said. That wouldn’t exactly be how I would describe what just happened, but I guessed it was good to provide a united front to a foreign dignitary. “While your offer of her security is appreciated, I will personally see to her safety.”

“Very well,” Ambassador Zale replied. Despite the seriousness of the issue and our conversation, his eye still twinkled a little as he glanced from Nicholas to me. “I am pleased to know she will be placed in the best of hands.”

Nicholas hummed in acknowledgement. I blushed a little at his wording.

“We should return to the house and speak with Nathan and my brother,” Nicholas said then. “They will wish to be included in any official decisions. All, of course, except for the one we just discussed.”

“I understand,” Zale said.

We returned to the manor, where the others were waiting out near the deck. The merfolk soldiers had appeared in the water here as well, though they had said to Nathan that they could not speak for Ambassador Zale and needed to wait for him to arrive.

For Zale to wish to speak with Nicholas first proved that the entire world knew Nicholas was most likely to be next in line for the throne. He was shown the most respect above all others. His word and his consent were the ones most sought out.

As we came closer, Nathan hurried to meet us.

I noticed, despite seeing everyone else, including Selma and a few of the staff out on the beach, there was no sign of Julian. I wondered where he could be.

He still hadn’t turned up even as the official meeting progressed. No cameras were allowed to record the meeting. It was simply a few more formal apologies and thanks. I felt the most important bits had already been privately covered.

As the official meeting concluded, Zale went with Nathan into the house. The merfolk soldiers turned outward toward the ocean. Some of them dipped below the water, presumably to start patrols.

Then, Julian appeared from the doorway. He spotted Nicholas and I, and hurried down the stairs from the deck to approach us.

“I spoke with Mom and Dad,” Julian said.

Nicholas immediately crossed his arms. Elva inched closer to me.

“What did they have to say for themselves?” Nicholas asked.

“About what you’d expect,” Julian said. In a mocking tone, he said, “You can’t mean to think your mother and I had anything to do with this.”

“No luck finding the truth there, then,” Nicholas said with a sigh.

“Actually…” Julian’s face scrunched up like he was puzzled. It wasn’t a common look on him. Usually he had most everything figured out well before the rest of us. “I’m inclined to believe them this time.”

“What?” Nicholas and I gasped at once.

“I’m serious,” Julian said. “When I explained to them what happened, they seemed genuinely surprised. I watched them closely, looking for the regular tells.” To me, he added, “The King is a terrible liar when you know his tells.” To us both, he said, “But I didn’t see any of them. At all. I really think he’s telling the truth this time.”

Nicholas frowned.

Questions flooded my heart and my mind. I had been ready for the royal family to be responsible for everything. They were the ones with the most power, after all, and I knew they didn’t like me. I’d even been threatened before.

Julian only looked more confused. “I really don’t think they are to blame.”