The Luna Choosing Game

“How long did you wait, Piper? A week? Two? It couldn’t have been long.”

He sounds like he’s jealous. Or was that an illusion? He doesn’t care about me and is just mad at me.

Maybe the latter is more logical.

His dark eyes burned into me, leaving my heart in scorched tatters. Never in a thousand years would i

have thought Nicholas would be so vicious to me.

“It wasn’t like that.” I said, to try to defend myself.

He crossed his hands over his chest. He wasn’t going to listen to me,

“Why even come here?” he asked me.

“My application was selected…”

“Why even apply? Were you trying to get to me?”

“No,” I said.

“Maybe you regret your child’s father. Maybe you want me back.” He laughed once, bitterly. “Like you

have a chance.”

The words sliced into me as surely as if he’d been holding a knife. He had changed since I’d known him.

Three w

years ago, he’d been kind and patient. I’d given him my heart and he’d gently cradled it. So many

nights, we’d laid under the stars, trading kisses and stories.

Once, when he’d spent all night looking at me, I had told him, “You’re missing the

starlight.”

He’d replied, “I can see it in your eyes.”

The man before me now was nothing like the one I had known. The man here was arrogant, indifferent. and imposing in how he carried himself.

Breaking up with him had never been something I wanted to do. It hurt me still, thinking upon it, so I had tried to push it to the back of my thoughts

and caring for Elva, that I could successfully distract myself from the pain

become, brought all those feelings crashing back into Tome so hard, they stole my breath

+15 BONUS

so different now that I couldn’t help but wonder if I was misremembering

that young, innocent

whatever you want,” I said, adding some bite to my own voice. The hurt made

and

said, so coldly that a chill ran along my spine. “You are the only woman who ever dared to break up with me. Piper.

turned and left me, then, walking out into the sitting room, and then out into the parlor. I thought he might slam the door behind

Elva continued resting, undisturbed.

to hate

he liked children.

to hate him, but

to my knees beside the couch where Elva

maybe Elva would have been our child. If we had stayed together, maybe he would

a

My reality was very far from

here. I needed to go home and look for another

I

my head beside Elva’s on the cushion. I was so

quickly, my own

me Excuse me,

open

over me. I beg your pardon, miss, but the King Luna, and princes have arrived,

the sleep from my eye. “Wait, there’s

I looked up again, he was already disappearing out of the room. He

sat up on the couch, watching me with curious eyes. “Is it

gave her my softest smile. It is. We have to be quiet though, okay? No one can talk

Luna are talking.”

“Okay”

pulled Elva into my

family was standing atop

The three princes flanked

did on the bills in my purse. He

well and his voice camed far,

said, calming the crowd and gaining their attention “Congratulations on having

very pleased by your presence and look

and whispered something in the