The Luna Choosing Game

“I should have the girl forcibly removed for ruining Prince Nicholas’s date,” Lena said, voice sharp. “I’m

sure Prince Nicholas himself is furious.”

“Nick–lass is mad at me?” Elva sniffed.

“No,” I said at once.

“He should be, if he isn’t,” Lena snapped. “You are a very nasty little girl, who

That’s enough.”

“-shouldn’t even be here.”

“I said, that’s enough!” I stepped forward, approaching Lena. “You will not talk to my daughter like that.”

“Fine,” Lena said, shifting her rage–filled gaze onto me. “Then why don’t we talk about you instead, Piper. You know you and your daughter don’t belong her but you insist on wasting everyone’s time and efforts by continuing to stay.”

breath. It was much more difficult to defend

wasn’t wrong, either. I didn’t belong here. I was wasting everyone’s time. But, while I was here, Elva

days, she had been the healthiest she had ever been, and that

go back to receiving base–level care, and only then if I could afford to

of humiliation or degradation or indignity. I would

by leaving, especially Prince Nicholas,” Lena said. “He deserves better than

was coming from. Nicholas and the princes had much to lose or

I to purposefully put ourselves in the way of him finding

sure not to bother Prince Nicholas while

grunted. “At least you can see some reason. If I can’t convince you to leave, I’m glad you can see how

knew I would be eliminated the first round, but I felt nothing but distain for her pointing it out so

of the game dictate it, or the

your last few days in the palace, then.” Without

marched

presence quietly returned to work. A subtle look of understanding passed between the quiet maid

newer maid, however, remained suspicious. In Lena’s absence, she smiled and smiled,

maid hadn’t just

to cry in earnest. I rushed to her at