The Luna Choosing Game

Nicholas held Elva safe and secure in his arms as he stood to his full height. Elva buried her face into the corner of his neck and shoulder. He gently patted her back.

He glanced down at Elva, his gaze so tender that it made my heart clench.

“There, there,” he whispered. “You are safe now.”

“Oh my God,” said one of the other girls in the room, fanning herself. “Of course he’s good with children.”

“Someone pinch me,” said another. “I think I’m dreaming.”

Nicholas’s soft expression hardened as he glared out at the rest of the room. “Whose child is this? Why is she here?”

I started forward, but the girl in the pink dress spoke before I could reach him.

“An outsider sneaked in, unless she’s a maid.”

Some of the other girls snickered at my expense.

“She can’t be a participant,” another girl fake-whispered, loud enough for half-the room to hear. “I thought we had to be virgins, and she’s got a kid.”

I wanted to disappear into a corner. Whether virgin or not, I was nothing compared to the rest of these girls.

My clothes weren’t as nice as theirs, and my figure wasn’t like what it had been at the Academy. I’d lost much of my musculature. I was skinny from too many nights of skipped dinners.

Elva’s wellbeing had always come before my own.

Her sake was the only reason I continued forward rather than hide in embarrassment. I stopped only when I reached Nicholas.

He looked at me, and I looked at him.

I’d forgotten how gorgeous his eyes were, golden brown with flakes of green. When we’d dated, I had spent hours looking at them, trying to memorize that color, but it had seemed different each time.

Before, when I’d stared long enough, I could earn a bashful smile from him. Now, his face was totally devoid of emotion. He looked at me like I was a stranger.

Did he… not recognize me?

I had changed, sure, but not enough to become unrecognizable. Unless he truly had sealed me away in his past and moved on, never once looking back.

be a great embarrassment to him,

Maybe he hated me.

The girl in

voice was monotone. Another moment of staring at me blankly, then he turned and walked

so I followed him. He led me to an adjoining room, separated by a

“Your Royal Highness, please remember that per the selection rules,

at the man, who nervously backed up a

is an

course, sir.” The man bowed twice

stepped forward and closed the door behind

be sick. I had never imagined I’d meet Nicholas again, and especially not like

even to say. What would he think of me, to see me as I was? To see me here, as part of the

who seemed at ease against his chest. She must have cried herself to sleep, eyes

stepped forward toward Nicholas, and at once, his perfect façade cracked. He frowned. His

hands stayed gentle on Elva, his

hide my

my thoughts skidded to a stop. I blinked once, twice, but, no, I couldn’t make

Eloquently, I said, “Huh?”

at Elva, softly sleeping in his arms. She was three years old. That lined up

We’d been so young then, too eager and

in clumsy haste. I couldn’t remember where he was when he’d climaxed. But, hadn’t he been wearing a condom at

to slide into bewilderment. His gaze shifted, like he was trying to

mistaken,” I said, hoping to give him some

so on television. For me to hide a child from him would have been a cruelty. He would likely have

name. But she’s not

eyes widened a moment, before the anger returned

say, he seemed to struggle to get it out. He

me and

identical twin sister. But I wouldn’t tell that to Nicholas. Elva was mine in every way that mattered. I would not have her seen as anything

silence seemed to answer some unspoken question for him, and he started

startled. What could cause that

his arms, and he immediately cut off the deep rumbling

he lowered Elva down onto one of the plush couches in the

at Mommy,” came Elva’s