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.”

knew I did, but he still waited for me to

“Yes, please.”

motioned to the empty seat straight across from him. The one right beside

his speech later, he mentioned the Luna would not be present for today’s

“I feel like a toad being in the same room

them seemed to mind that

Joyce’s shoe

back in, however, when I heard the girl beside me say, “I can’t believe Kirsten

an invitation

i

the girl said

The per princes

in an excited breath, he leaned forward and said, “1

few of the other girls laughed, she did too, though I wondered if

meant it.

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

totally indifferent.

the girl directly beside Julian asked. She looked relieved now, having been nervous a moment

in his palm again, and his eyes were on me. “Kirsten made him a