Chapter 71

The day of the garden party event, I awoke early, dressed, and hurried down to the kitchens to warm my stuffed mushrooms. Many of the girls were already in there, and I had to wait my turn at the ovens.

I didn’t mind waiting this time, since the closer I heated my food to the start of the event, the more likely it would still be warm by the time the royal family came to our table.

With my appetizer warmed, I headed to the gardens and found Linda already at our station, fixing her half of the display.

“Good morning, Linda,” I said as I approached.

She didn’t reply. I guessed she was still avoiding me. That was going to make this situation more difficult. How were we supposed to work together if we weren’t speaking to each other?

I resolved to do my best anyway, as much as I could without her support.

Noticing that she had already arranged her deviled eggs over the table, I started to intersperse my stuffed mushrooms among them.

That, of all things, seemed to finally trigger her into speaking.

“Keep that garbage on your half of the table,” Linda snapped.

I pointed to the eggs that were obviously on my half. “Fair’s fair, Linda. Plus, it will look better if –”

“Don’t tell me what would look better.” She quickly grabbed her eggs and moved them to her own side.

I noticed then, that she didn’t have any ice or anything to keep the eggs cool. Depending on how soon or late our table was visited, that could be a problem. Eggs that weren’t kept cool, could be prone to spoiling.

“Linda, do you have anything to –”

“I said, stop talking to me.”

I closed my mouth. That wasn’t actually what she had said, but I decided not to push my luck by pointing that out.

Instead, I continued to set out my stuffed mushrooms. With her cold eggs on one side, and my warm mushrooms on the other, and the drinks in between, our display was visually appealing, I supposed.

It didn’t feel in the spirit of the event, exactly. We were supposed to explore compromise and flex our diplomatic abilities, showing how we could give and take with adversaries. Our display was split. But since Linda would not budge, this would have to do.

I only hoped I could find a way to talk around whatever questions the royal family might have for us. Linda was certain to try to pass all the blame onto me, for anything they disliked.

Across the gardens, the royal family, with a trail of cameras behind them, began the event. Lilliana’s table had been elected to go first.

From my distance, I couldn’t discern what Lilliana had made, but I could very clearly see the moment she decided to hand-feed it to Nicholas. He stood still as a statue, but he opened him mouth. He bit into the food she offered. He chewed and chewed.

My stomach twisted inside of me. My ribcage felt too tight, like my chest had constricted.

I couldn’t understand what I was seeing. Surely feeding one of the judges was against the rules. But the King and Queen simply looked on, smilingly slightly. They nodded to one another.

Joyce seemed disinterested in the whole affair, looking off among the trees like he’d rather be somewhere else.

Julian, however, watched for a moment, an amused expression on his face. Then he turned and looked directly at me. When he caught me staring, his smirk grew into a smile. He broke away from the rest and began to approach me.

I wanted to hide, but during the competition, I couldn’t leave my station. I was entirely trapped until the royal family had visited my table.

So I had nowhere to run to as Julian came to stand beside me. We both looked at where Lilliana was handing Nicholas a flute of champagne.

“Interesting, isn’t it?” Julian said. “It’s like watching a train wreck. Repulsive, truly, but one cannot turn away.”

I tried to pull my eyes away just to prove him wrong. Too quickly, I was looking again.

“She’s the King and Queen’s favorite,” Julian said.

“Your brother’s, too.” I tried to keep the distain from my voice, but I was a poor actor. I was certain that it shone on through.

“Maybe.” Julian studied me now, the others apparently forgotten. “I’m not so sure.”

“He wouldn’t let just anyone hand-feed him.” I crossed my arms.

Julian tilted his head. “Why, Piper. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were jealous.”

His words startled me and my eyes went wide.

Jealous? No, that couldn’t be right. What Nicholas and I had was done and over with long ago.

Except it wasn’t. At least, not for me. My recent fantasies of Nicholas as my husband and father to Elva proved it.

But to be jealous here, now, in the midst of this competition? I had not recognized the churn in my stomach and tightness in my chest for what it truly was.

Yes, I was jealous.

Not that I wanted Julian, or anyone else, to know about it.

I cleared my throat, trying to collect myself.

“Be serious, Prince Julian. I would have to be terribly foolish to feel jealous over a man in a dating competition. Why, I’d have to fight off every girl here if I wanted to keep him to myself.”

“Mhm,” Julian hummed. “More or less, that’s true. Yes.”

I shot him an annoyed sideways glance. He just smiled at me.

“Are you saying you aren’t up for the challenge?” he asked. Voice lower, for my ears only, he added, “Doesn’t he deserve someone who actually loves him?”

“I don’t love him.” The words burned the entire length of my throat.

Julian shrugged. “Could have fooled me.”

Suddenly, Nathan arrived to reclaim wayward Julian and return him to his family.

“You are supposed to remain as a unit,” Nathan insisted.

Julian agreed to return, though Nathan didn’t move but a couple feet off, waiting for him. Obviously, Nathan didn’t fully trust Julian. That was likely a smart move.

“If you’ll excuse me, I have to go try Lilliana’s pastries for myself.” Voice low again, he added, “They’re burnt on the bottom, by the way. Too long in the oven.”

“Julian,” Nathan said.

Julian saluted me, then turned and followed Nathan back to his family. Nicholas, I noticed, glared at him the full length of his return trip.

I felt the weight of two hateful eyes on my own person. I glanced to my left and found Linda attempting to light me on fire with her gaze.

Quickly, I faced forward once more, ignoring her.

The royal family went through two more tables before finally reaching ours. By this time, the sun was high overhead, and Linda’s eggs were looking a bit dry.

The Luna stepped up first to our table, but, upon looking at it, her previously pleasant expression slipped right off her face.

“What is this?” she demanded.

Linda spoke before I could. “I made deviled eggs and –”

“I don’t mean the food,” the Queen said. She motioned toward the King, who joined her in frowning. He waved Nathan forward and whispered in his ear.

Nathan nodded, then addressed us. “Did you not understand the assignment?”

Since Linda had volunteered herself to be the speaker among us, I looked at her, waiting to see what she would say.

“We have created the two appetizers and the drinks.” Linda waved at the table.

“This display is split in half,” the Queen said. “This event was to be about cooperation amongst adversaries. How do you ever hope to survive meticulous diplomatic relations if you cannot even cooperate with your fellow candidates in the competition?”

“I… Well…” Linda was sputtering, losing her usual confidence.

The Luna looked at her with something like pity in her eyes. As her gaze shifted to me, she hardened.

She hated me.

If I didn’t say something quickly, I knew I’d be taking the blame.