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.

save face. I could be a great embarrassment to him, showing

Maybe he hated me.

outsider.” The girl in

Another moment of staring

led me to an adjoining

remember that per the selection rules, you aren’t to be alone with the

look at the man,

an

sir.” The man bowed

servant stepped forward and closed the

sick. I had never imagined I’d meet Nicholas again, and

idea what even to say. What would he think of me, to see me as I was?

against his chest. She must have cried herself to sleep, eyes closed and drooling. She

perfect façade cracked. He frowned.

his hands stayed gentle on Elva,

my child

my thoughts skidded to a stop. I blinked once,

Eloquently, I said, “Huh?”

She was three years old. That lined

to recall the memory. We’d been so young then, too eager

where he was when

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

mistaken,” I said, hoping to give

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

That’s her name. But she’s

eyes widened a moment, before

wanted to say, he seemed to struggle to

between me and Elva.

identical twin sister. But I wouldn’t tell that to Nicholas. Elva was mine in

some unspoken question for him, and he started to

straightened, startled. What

stirred his arms, and he immediately cut off the

he lowered Elva down onto one

at Mommy,” came Elva’s quiet