The Luna Choosing Game

The new maid made me so uneasy that I sent both away whenever I could. Where I had appreciated the. steady comfort of the quiet maid’s presence and enjoyed the conversations with the talkative one, this new maid seemed to be constantly watching me, even while I dozed.

“Don’t you need help babysitting?” the strange maid asked as I ushered them both to the door. I would have like the quiet one to stay, but couldn’t think of a reason that would only excuse one and not the

other.

I’m perfectly capable,” I said and said goodbye at the door.

I was just about to close it when a voice called out. “Piper!”

I knew that voice. Julian.

Maybe I could pretend I hadn’t heard him?

I started to close the door again, but he caught it. He wedged his way into the partially opened door and

smirked at me like he knew exactly what I was doing.

“That’s not very nice, Piper.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

His smile only grew. “May I come in? We have a lot to talk about.”

I

I wasn’t sure we had all that much to talk about, actually, but I couldn’t tell him that since he was a

prince. “Fine.” I pulled back the door all the way, letting him inside. I left it open behind us.

Elva was under her blanket fort, coloring with crayons.

“What did you want to talk about?” I asked.

You

I blanked. He had to be joking, but it was so hard to tell with him. His grin didn’t waver one way or the

other. He always just said things and then watched me react.

What about me?

He shrugged and walked to where we’d organized the sewing machines. He glanced through some of the fabric swatches He stopped on one, part of which I had used to make Nicholas’s wrist guard.

really hoped he didn’t make the connection

He peered at it a moment, then moved on. Again, his smile hadn’t shifted. He was insufferably good at

being unreadable

“To boost public support, the royal family has recently been investigating the underground trade of

wolves and their gifts,” he said. “I’m part of this investigation.”

The blood drained from my face. My throat suddenly dry, I had trouble swallowing.

“What does that have to do with me?” I asked, my voice small

He picked up another swatch of fabric, this time satin, and ran in through his fingers.

“Nicholas claims that you left the Academy on your own accord, but we both know that’s not true.”

“1… don’t know what you mean…”

Julian continued like I hadn’t said anything. “You were involved with the underground trade, and left the

Academy out of guilt for what you’d done.”

He wasn’t asking any questions. He already knew. I didn’t know how, but he knew.

“The information I’ve gathered shows that you sold your wolf in exchange for a significant sum of

money.” He lowered the satin fabric. Turning, he looked at me. “This act carries a heavy punishment, if it’s

discovered by the royal family.”

My stomach dropped. Was my secret truly so easy for him to uncover? And if he was so sure about it,

why hadn’t I been cast out already, unless –

Wait.

by the royal

He’d said if.

anyone. Please. Elva needs treatment and

on the street

be on the street, Piper. You’d be in prison. Or worse.

to my knees. “Please,

his eyes. “Get up,

He walked to m

had appreciated the. steady comfort of the quiet maid’s presence

as I ushered them both to the door. I would have like the quiet one to stay, but couldn’t think of a reason that would only excuse one and

other.

perfectly capable,” I said and said goodbye at the

to close it when a voice called out.

knew that

I could pretend I

the door again, but he caught it.

me like he knew exactly what

not very

don’t know what

“May I come in? We have a

I

about,

back the door all the way, letting him inside.

blanket

did you want to talk

You

joking, but it was so hard to tell with him. His

just said things and then watched

What about me?

organized the sewing machines. He glanced through some of the

didn’t

a moment, then moved on. Again, his smile

being unreadable

has recently been

and their gifts,” he said. “I’m part

face. My throat suddenly dry, I had trouble

have to do with me?” I asked, my

picked up another swatch of fabric, this time satin, and

your own accord, but we both

know what you

anything. “You were involved

guilt for what you’d

asking any questions. He already knew. I didn’t know

you sold your wolf in

he looked at me. “This

the

easy for him to uncover?

hadn’t I been cast

Wait.

it’s discovered by the royal

He’d said if.

anyone. Please. Elva needs treatment

the street –”

on the street, Piper. You’d be in prison. Or worse. Elva,

knees. “Please, Julian. Don’t

rolled his eyes. “Get up, Piper. Don’t act like

up onto

do underhanded things. I want to know

what to do. I could lie, but… He already knew the truth about

too. Maybe this

I could. Where I had appreciated the. steady comfort of the quiet maid’s presence and enjoyed the conversations with

asked as I ushered them both to the door. I would have like the quiet one to stay, but couldn’t

other.

capable,” I said and said goodbye at

was just about to close it when a

that

pretend I hadn’t heard

he caught it. He

at me like he knew exactly what I was

very nice,

know

come in? We