#Chapter 101: Celebrating Survival

After Nicholas and Julian said my name, many things happened all at once. My breath was so shaky I felt lightheaded. The King and Queen both jumped to their feet in outrage. Many of the remaining girls descended from their standing places to complain aggressively to the producers and Nathan and anyone who would listen. “We were cheated!” one of them shouted. “How can Piper be chosen twice?” cried another. “This is rigged!” said a third. One of the producers weaved through the angry crowd to whisper in my ear. “Go on, Piper. Go get your prince.” I started forward but immediately hesitated. The problem, of course, was that two princes had chosen me. Now I had to choose one of them. If I was true to my heart, I would go for Nicholas. But he already had so many prospects. I’d be shooting myself in the foot by going to him. Julian was the safer choice, by numbers alone, though his unpredictability, like his recent disappearance, kept him from being the obvious one. I was torn, but