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.

could be a great embarrassment to him,

Maybe he hated me.

outsider.” The girl in pink motioned

his voice was monotone. Another moment of staring at me blankly, then he

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

suit hurried toward him. “Your Royal Highness, please remember that

man, who

is an exception,” Nicholas

Of course, sir.” The man

inside after them. A servant stepped forward and closed the door behind us, leaving Nicholas, Elva, and I alone in

had never imagined I’d meet Nicholas again, and especially not

me, to see me as I was? To see

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

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

hands stayed gentle on Elva, his

you hide my child from me?” he

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

Eloquently, I said, “Huh?”

his arms. She was three years old. That

memory. We’d been so young then, too eager and excited

was when he’d

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

I said, hoping to

wanted children. He’d even said so on television. For me to hide a child from him would have been a cruelty. He

name. But

moment, before the anger returned

say, he seemed to struggle

between me and Elva.

that to Nicholas. Elva was mine in every way that

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

straightened, startled. What could

he immediately cut off the deep rumbling

he lowered Elva down onto one of the plush couches in

mad at Mommy,” came