The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 43

At first glance, she appeared friendly enough, smiling peacefully. She curtsied to me and introduced herself.

Tm looking forward to serving you,” she said.

But I found it strange. Surely she had passed my other maid being taken away down the hall. What kind of person would be smiling so calmly after having witnessed such a thing?

icholas.

I

I

Today was the day for Nicholas’s solo date, and I was trying my very best not to think about it.

Ever since receiving Joseph’s threatening letter, I’d been hiding out in my room as much as I could to

avoid him and the mean–looking guards.

With the First Ball fast approaching, I used the extra time in my room to help my maids work on me and

Elva’s gowns.

The dress had to be perfect. The order of introductions for the girls at the ball was to be determined by

the princes‘ preferences of the dresses.

Once the gowns were finished, pictures were to be taken of them and given to the princes, who would

then select their favorites. Those favorites would be the first ones introduced at the ball, and therefore

given the most time with the princes.

And with the cameras.

A major component of the Luna Choosing Game, was earning the public’s favor. I had a small advantage

with the common people, being one myself. But people like Lena and Joseph existed in every class.

my slight advantage, I would make it far in this

didn’t mean I wouldn’t

and I had split the design for my dress into three separate parts that we had

ready to combine the

Elva’s matching dress

maid insisted on doing the final work, as she had the most experience

newest maid began arranging the mannequin for the dresses photo shoot. Elva’s dress was not to be included in the shot, since that would

at something outside the window, likely the horses again, with

I

kept thinking about Nicholas’s solo date, but it shouldn’t

were over

the length of the room, nervousness and trepidation waging

to

distraction, I joined

Elva pointed down toward the stables.

of the stables as horses were brought to

hands.

was a regal black stallion that

chosen for Lilliana was a brown and white mare

to sidestep whenever Lilliana

own horse to approach Lilliana. He offered her a sugar

horse. Lilliana shook her head, refusing to

Lilliana held up her pure white

ing dirty.

getting dirty.

wondered how she

I

to the horse himself. In his presence, the mare seemed

approached then, and with Nicholas’s help, lifted herself up

her waist, keeping

remembered the times we had gone horseback riding together. He

same way.

feel the phantom touch of his strong

fall,” he’d said then. “Tell me when you are okay,

“What if I

I

fond, green sparkling brightly under the sun. “Then we should give up on horseback riding for today

properly

same thing to Lilliana,

his hands away from her waist quickly and

distance, these two did not seem to like each other

why Nicholas had chosen her, out of

then and mounted his stallion. He waited for Lilliana to bring her mare alongside his horse, and then together they started to ride forwards at a slow

at the window.

when she realized, “He’s

I could figure out what she was going to do, she shouted from

She waved both arms.

looked up. Lilliana glowered, but Nicholas’s stern expression seemed

lifted a hand