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.”

until my dying breath.

either. I didn’t belong here. I was wasting everyone’s time. But,

been, and that was only thanks to the care and attention of Nicholas’s personal

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

would stay. I would face any amount of humiliation or degradation or indignity.

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

though Lena was rude and crass, in this, I could understand where she was coming from. Nicholas and the princes had much to lose or gain with this

I to purposefully put ourselves in the way of him finding

“We’ll make sure not to bother Prince Nicholas while he is on his

If I can’t convince you to leave, I’m glad you can see how

I felt nothing

dictate it, or

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

marched out the

had stood at attention in her presence quietly returned to work. A subtle look of understanding passed between the quiet maid and I. At least I knew she was on

however, remained suspicious. In Lena’s absence, she smiled and smiled, as if

just

in earnest. I rushed to