The Luna Choosing Game

One of the soldiers dragged Boss out into the dining room. He was whimpering, begging them to let him go.

“I didn’t know. How would I have known?”

In the center of the dining room, the soldier dropped his hold on Boss and he crumpled onto the floor.

My attention flicked up to the television screens, which showed a replay of the selection process, displaying names, one after the next.

The 25(th) and final name was my own.

I didn’t understand. I never sent in an application.

“I had no idea she might be a future Luna,” Boss said, clutching his head. “If I’d known, I never would have –”

“For this slight against the royal family, this establishment will be shut down until further notice,” the head soldier said, cutting Boss off. Then the guard looked at me. “Some of us will escort you home, miss, so that you can gather your personal belongings.”

“How long will I be staying?” I asked. I felt like I was in some sort of dream. Any moment I’d wake up and be in that kitchen.

I never wanted to step foot inside of there again.

The soldier gave me a quizzical look. “Everything should have been made clear on your application.”

The application. Right. The one I hadn’t sent in.

I didn’t want to ask any more questions and risk drawing unwanted attention to myself, so I nodded. “Of course.”

A handful of soldiers near the entrance beckoned me to them. I followed them and they drove me to my apartment. When we arrived, I asked them to wait outside.

They complied, though one stationed himself right outside the door. “To help with luggage,” he explained.

I wasn’t used to that kind of care, so I looked at him strangely for a moment. He maintained a military stance, not seeming to mind my stare.

This was all too weird.

I opened my apartment door and walked inside. Anna excitedly met me just inside the door. Elva, not quite as excited, was still on the couch, playing with her dolls.

“Hi, Mommy.”

her before looking at Anna, who

chosen! Can you believe

door. Yet even away from it, I still kept my voice soft so the soldier outside wouldn’t hear. “I

Anna quickly glanced away.

“Anna.”

sent in an

“Anna!” I whisper-yelled.

certainly not in that job with that

this. What

palms up. “You are supposed to participate in the Luna Choosing

never wanted to do this,” I said. “If I go there, I’m going to be humiliated.

shrugged. “What’s the harm in trying, Piper? If you go and they disqualify you,

“That will never happen.”

try. If only so you can get a free vacation to the Capital. Elva’s never seen it.” Anna kneeled down,

had a pretty dress,” Elva

of pretty dresses,” Anna said. “And so do a lot of the other girls

Elva turned her doe eyes

from Anna. How could I

“We can see the

gave Anna

just smiled. “You’ll thank me

the selection, choosing me had to have been some kind of mistake. I couldn’t say that, of

palace to see

at dawn, pulling into a long circular entryway. Carrying Elva, I followed the soldiers

again. He seemed less surprised this time. At the door,

brought. We matched in simple sundresses. I brushed Elva’s hair up

a waiting maid down into the main parlor, where many beautiful women had begun to gather. Their dresses were much more elaborate than mine, the other girls

to one dress, and then the next, like she didn’t know

up a table of mimosas and parfaits. I ushered Elva over there and handed her a parfait and

blessedly didn’t seem to notice the sneers and sideways glances the two of us were earning simply by being present. One woman looked at my dressed with a

and I lowered my