Chapter 0080
When I awoke, I was surprised to find myself in my own bed, while the physician tended to Elva beside
- me.
I looked around the room, but Nicholas was gone. I wondered how long he stayed. Likely not for very
long. He did dislike me, after all.
Still, he had been kind to stay at all, even with all the layers of hurt between us. He had been kind to me
last night, and I would not soon forget it.
I rose and dressed, and by the time I was done, the physician was ready to talk to me.
“She should have a full recovery. She will need to rest for a day or so. Her body is fatigued from fighting
off her illness so hard.”
I thanked her, though my relief did not fully squash my guilt. Elva had only been in danger at all because
of my inability to protect her. If I had stayed away from her until I was absolutely certain I was healed, she
might never have gotten sick.
The thoughts plagued me even after the physician exited the room. No sooner had she gone than Mark
entered.
“All of the girls are being summoned into the parlor room,” he said.
I knew, with the distinct lack of pitter–patter of rain against the window, that it was not storming outside.
My deal would, as expected, end in failure. But at least Elva was safe for now, no matter what would
become of me in the days ahead.
“Will you stay with Elva?” I asked Mark.
“Yes.”
I nodded. “Thank you.”
With that reassurance, I left the room and made my way down to the parlor, where most of the other
girls were already waiting. They whispered as I entered, and I heard echoes of the deal I had made. Word
of it, it seemed, had already spread through the palace.
The royal family stood on a raised platform at the far side of the room. Nathan was among them,
nearest a microphone.
I was alone where I stood. No one would talk to me. At least, not until Susie arrived. She rushed to me
with a concern filled expression.
When I explained what had happened, but how she is better now, Susie looked relieved.
“I was worried when I heard,” Susie said. “Thank God her fever broke.”
I agreed.
“Attention,” Nathan said into the microphone. “Attention, please.”
All of the girls turned to look at Nathan.
“As you well know by now, the hunt previously planned for today has been postponed. A bet had been
made, dependent on inclement weather.”
“It’s not raining,” a girl from the front helpfully provided.
My stomach twisted into a knot. Since I had lost the bet, at the very least I would be embarrassed. I’d
also have to help arrange the barbecue, however one managed to do that. Hopefully Lena wouldn’t leave
me too far out of the loop.
“It is not,” Nathan said, “Yet Miss Piper has still won the deal between her and Nicholas. While it is not
storming, not even drizzling, the forecasters have predicted that tonight we will experience a blood
moon.”
Several gasps sounded around the room. One of them came from me.
“The royal family would like to personally thank Piper,” Nathan said. “To hunt during a blood moon would
have surely lead to misfortune.”
“Blood moons are so rare,” Susie said. She looked at me with a bit of awe in her eyes. “However you.
knew, thank you, Piper.”
“I didn’t know,” I whispered to her. “I was just desperate.”
“Even so. Good fortune favors you, to help you like this.”
I shook my head. I hadn’t had good fortune in a very long time. Even this, lucky as it was, felt like it had
strings attached somehow.
“There’s no way she knew beforehand,” one of the girls said, cutting between Susie and I. “Tell us how
you really did this, Piper.”
“Isn’t it obvious?” said another. “She must have insider Information somehow.”
But how could ? The first girl gasped. “Do you have the Internet? Are you hiding a phone?
“What? No!” I said, but they didn’t believe me. Other girls overheard and quickly chimed in.
“If she has her phone, I want mine too. Fair is fair.”
“Kick her out. She’s obviously cheated.”
“No one wants her here anyway.”
“Stop…” Susie said, but she was too timid. Her voice was easily swallowed under the noise of the others.
1 didn’t do anything wrong!” I shouted, to be heard above the mob.
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