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.

little reason to believe that even with my slight advantage,

didn’t mean

I had split the design for my dress into three separate

were ready to combine the three elements

finished Elva’s matching

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

not to

was looking at something outside the window, likely the

I

why, I kept thinking about Nicholas’s solo date, but

I were

the room, nervousness and trepidation waging war within my

called to

for the distraction, I

pointed down toward

and Lilliana stood near the entrance of the stables as horses were brought to

hands.

horse was a regal black stallion that greedily accepted a sugar cube from

was a brown and

sidestep whenever Lilliana

approach Lilliana. He offered her

horse. Lilliana shook her head, refusing to offer the

this distance, I couldn’t hear the exact words spoken beyond some mumbled voices, but with the way Lilliana held

ing dirty.

getting dirty.

wondered how she would hold the

I

cube to the horse himself.

then, and with Nicholas’s help, lifted herself

near her waist, keeping

riding together. He had helped

same way.

let myself remember, I could still feel the phantom touch

won’t let you fall,” he’d said then. “Tell me when you

given him a playful smile. “What if

I

had been fond, green sparkling brightly under the sun. “Then we should give up on horseback riding for today and return to one of

properly

wondered if he was saying much the same thing to Lilliana, But, no. They didn’t seem

his hands away from her waist quickly and

from a distance, these two did not seem to

imagine why Nicholas had chosen her, out of all the

horse, and then together they started to ride forwards

at the window.

when she realized, “He’s coming over

what she was going to do, she

She waved both arms.

immediately looked up. Lilliana glowered, but Nicholas’s

lifted a hand and waved