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.

believe that even with my slight advantage, I

mean I wouldn’t

design for my dress into three separate parts

were ready to combine the three elements into a complete

finished Elva’s matching

insisted on doing the final work,

was not to be included in the shot, since that would ruin

was looking at something outside the window, likely

I

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

I were over

I paced the length of the room, nervousness and trepidation waging war within my chest. My

Elva called to me.

I joined her at the

pointed down toward the stables. “It’s

Lilliana stood near the entrance of the stables as horses were

hands.

that greedily accepted a sugar cube

horse chosen for Lilliana was a brown and white mare that seemed nervous around

trying to sidestep whenever

to approach Lilliana. He offered her

her horse. Lilliana shook her head, refusing to offer

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

ing dirty.

getting dirty.

she would hold the

I

himself. In his

then, and with Nicholas’s help,

her waist, keeping

the times we had gone horseback riding together. He had helped me then, much

same way.

if I let myself remember, I could still feel the phantom touch of his strong hands

said then. “Tell me when you are okay,

him a playful smile. “What if I want to stay like

I

we should give up on horseback riding for today and return to one of our

properly

wondered if he was saying much the same thing

much at all. Nicholas moved his hands away from

distance, these two did not seem to like each other

I couldn’t imagine why Nicholas had chosen her, out

his horse,

at the window.

realized, “He’s coming

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

She waved both arms.

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

lifted a hand and waved