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.”

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

“Yes, please.”

seat straight across from

the Luna would not be present for today’s event. I immediately exhaled in relief. The girls near me

and beautiful,” one whispered to another. “I feel like a

was seated, the girls‘ gossip began in earnest. None of them seemed to mind that

Joyce’s shoe size or the best time to catch Mark alone to

in, however, when I heard the girl beside me say,

an invitation

i

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

The per princes

her. When she sucked in an excited breath, he leaned forward and said, “1 invite you

a few of the other girls laughed,

meant it.

lead girls on

totally indifferent.

earn that favor?” the girl directly beside Julian asked. She looked relieved now,

Julian said. His chin was in his palm again, and his eyes were on me.