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.

it’s discovered by

He’d said if.

can’t tell anyone. Please. Elva needs treatment

the

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

my knees. “Please, Julian. Don’t do this

up, Piper. Don’t act like

He walked to m

steady comfort of the quiet maid’s presence and enjoyed the conversations with the talkative one, this new maid

have like the quiet one

other.

said and said goodbye at

was just about to close it when

knew that

pretend I hadn’t heard

he caught it.

he knew exactly

not very

don’t know

grew. “May I come in?

I

to talk about, actually, but I

the way, letting him inside. I

under her blanket fort,

to talk about?” I

You

to be joking, but it was so hard to

just said things and then watched

What about me?

the sewing machines. He glanced through some of the fabric swatches He stopped on one, part of which I had

hoped he didn’t make the

moved on. Again, his smile hadn’t

being unreadable

family has recently

and their gifts,” he said.

blood drained from my face. My throat suddenly dry, I

does that have to do with me?” I asked,

up another swatch of fabric, this time satin, and

your own accord, but we

don’t know what

like I hadn’t said anything. “You were

out of guilt for

questions. He already knew. I didn’t know how,

you sold your wolf in exchange

at me. “This act carries a heavy punishment,

the

easy for him

I been cast

Wait.

by

He’d said if.

“You can’t tell anyone. Please. Elva needs treatment and

the street –”

Piper. You’d be in

to my knees. “Please, Julian. Don’t

his eyes. “Get up, Piper. Don’t

reaching down, lifted me up onto my feet again. “I

underhanded things. I want to know

lie, but… He already knew the truth about everything

Maybe this was a

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,

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.

and said goodbye at the

just about to close it when a voice called out.

that

pretend I hadn’t

started to close the door again, but he caught it. He wedged

me like he knew exactly what I

very nice,

know what you

smile only grew. “May I come in?