The Luna Choosing Game

During the next official banquet, I stopped just inside the entrance of the dining room. The girl who had

sitting in my seat beside Nicholas.

shoved Elva that first day w

Julian, sitting nearest the door, rested his elbow on the table and his chin in his palm. He grinned at me

with a toothy smile, much the way a cat would look at a mouse it had planned to eat. Eventually. After

playing with it, of course.

I

“My brother Nicholas personally invited Kirsten to take that seat,” he said. “It makes sense, I guess. We

are supposed to get to know all the girls here, and he’s already well–acquainted with you.”

Some of the girls around us perked up at that bit of gossip.

“Be truthful,” I said, hoping he’d notice the emphasis and keep secrets instead.

He only beamed wider. “Want to know where Kirsten was sitting? That’s your spot now.”

he still waited for me to say it. He really loved

“Yes, please.”

to the empty seat straight across from him. The

for today’s event. I immediately exhaled in relief. The girls near me did as well,

“I feel like a toad being

None of them seemed to mind that Julian was in

caring about Prince Joyce’s shoe size or the best time to catch Mark

the girl beside me say,

an invitation

i

away.” the girl said to me. Typically you would

The per princes

breath, he leaned forward and said,

other girls laughed, she

meant it.

at Julian, disapproving. He shouldn’t lead girls on like that. He caught

totally indifferent.

Kirsten did to earn that favor?” the girl directly beside Julian asked. She looked relieved now, having been nervous a moment ago, at the height of Julian’s

tell you,” Julian said. His chin was in his palm again, and