The Luna Choosing Game

Yes, and the other girls seemed to feel nothing but resentment toward her for it.

*Julian said Kirsten made him a gift,” I said, “I wonder what it was.

“A heartfelt one, I assure you,” said a voice from beside us. I jumped. Susie half–hid behind me. But it

was only Mark, Nicholas’s beta. “The prince asked me to check on Elva.”

I accepted his explanation and we continued walking

“Somehow Miss Kirsten learned of one of the prince’s old wounds and made a personal gift for him,” Mark explained. “The prince found the gesture warm and thoughtful. He was very appreciative.”

There was something in the way Mark explained it, voice monotone almost, like he didn’t think the same as his prince.

“Is there reason to doubt her sincerity?” I asked.

“No,” Mark said straight away. After a moment, he added, “But the prince’s discomfort isn’t obvious. I hadn’t taken her to be so observant,”

Then he glanced at me and blushed. “I shouldn’t have said that. It’s unfitting of my position to talk disparagingly about any of our candidates.”

“I heard nothing disparaging,” I assured him.

I,” Susie

seemed grateful, but he said nothing

were

hadn’t looked at me, much less at the target where I’d been hitting my marks. None of the other girls in the group seemed confident which way to even fire, if they

were performing a show, pretending to be bad To get the prince’s

I

that I didn’t receive so much as an approving nod

of the girls had even attempted to

closer. “Shoot

challenge?” I asked.

was wide and

girls of his group swooned. One fanned

couldn’t help it.

joined with Julian’s. We had

would. The

my arrow. It hit

means we tied,”

afternoon pass quicker. In a way, it reminded me of the more fun days at the Royal Academy. How many times had