The Luna Choosing Game

He watched me but he didn’t say anything.

“Thank you, Your Royal Highness, I

1 didn’t do it for you.” His gaze fell to Elva, who looked so small in her hospital bed. “No harm will come

to any child in this palace.”

“I

“Even so.” I was grateful for his help, no matter the reason he gave it. “Thank you.”

The doctor glanced between us. “If you will excuse me, I will personally take Elva’s prescription to the

pharmacist. It seems safer that way.”

“I

“Thank you,” I said, as Nicholas said, “That would be best.“.

When the doctor left the room, Nicholas kicked off the bookcase and came closer. He peered down at Elva from her bedside, a soft look on his face.

I remembered his interview. Nicholas loved children. He wanted a big family. That kindness must have extended to Elva.

“Truly.” I said, “I don’t know how to thank you for this.”

are separate from our situation, Piper. Elva is innocent in all of

maintain distance from me. But he was still willing to

of a way to convince him that I

was only here as a publicity stunt, then surely Nicholas must have

for me, and wrapped it

never warm to me. I had to just accept

at Elva, I knew I had bigger things to

in my room. When they were leaving, one of them said,

for herr

sald that

to harm Elvar

flash of Lena I had seen leaving

that be enough reason to endanger

tend to her,” Nicholas said. The gold in his eyes flashed dangerously. It might have been a trick of

Elva stirred. “Mommy?”

I inched

shifted from me to Nicholas.

placed a hand on his

“Nick–lass?”

surged through me. “Oh, no, no, Elva. We address him as ‘Your