The Luna Choosing Game

In the werewolf tradition, he wore a tuxedo, though with a blue shirt rather than white.

His eyes were deep red as they focused on me.

“Ambassador Zale, may I present Piper,” Mark said.

Well, it was now or never. Trust Mark, and presumably Nicholas, or take the chance myself.

Reaching up, I placed a hand on either side my neck. “My life, my friendship.”

Zale’s eyes went impossibly wide.

My heart pounded hard. Had I upset him? Was this a trap? How would I explain this to the Queen?

But then Zale smiled, showing a set of sharp teeth. “Nice to meet you, Piper. I had yet to meet a candidate tonight who know the proper Merfolk greeting.”

“I’ll make my exit now,” Mark said, backing away. “If you will excuse me.”

In Mark’s absence, Zale stepped closer. He must have been an older Merfolk. I could see now the gray at his temples, and the lines beside his striking eyes.

“Tell me,” Zale said. “How did you come to know our greeting?”

For one wild moment, I tried to think of a lie, but in the end, what could I saw but the truth?

I

“I’m sorry, sir, I wished I could tell you I learned it long ago, but the truth is… I only learned it just now when Mark told me.”

His eyes went wide again.

I shouldn’t have said that.

But then he threw his head back and laughed so hard his gills fluttered,

“Oh, Piper. How delightful you are. Do you have any idea how truth is valued in my culture? I am so used

to your kind attempting to deceive me. To have you here, so honest and open, is a great comfort to me as a stranger in a faraway land.”

I’m sorry the others tried to lie to you,” I said.

I couldn’t agree that I was an overly honest person entirely. If I was, I would have told Nicholas from the start about Elva and what truly happened to my powers.

Chapter 0051

The girls around me were freshening up their Merfolk language. Some were fluent. Others, less so. Though most seemed to have a baseline knowledge.

My grasp of the Merfolk language was rusty, at least. I vaguely recalled some lessons during my days at

the Academy, but that felt like so long ago now.

T’hadn’t had any need for Merfolk language or traditions in my day to day since leaving the Academy. I

didn’t really retain any of that knowledge.

I thought I might be able to recall some customs, though the bits of information I was hearing now and

then around me confused with my memories and left me unsure.

Also, I couldn’t trust what the girls around me were even saying.

Linda, especially, seemed to be purposefully polluting the water of fact and fiction. My knowledge was

shaky, but even I knew the Merfolk greeted each other with a deep bow, and not a fist bump like she was

to the more gullible

not to panic. I had been in worse situations.

overwhelming, with everyone shouting orders and

hungry, irritable customers as

careful. I had to

really didn’t want to have to stand in the rain for

a line to wait our turn to meet the ambassador. As the

and shorter, my anxiety

girls leaving the ambassador had mixed reactions. Some seemed

confident. But most

was a nervous ball of

den.

servant to escort me to the ambassador, as had guided everyone

was the one who offered me

me to escort you

was a gift, being given his name. Whether Nathan had said it when

said, accepting

was guiding

“You!

the first time Prince Nicholas met a Merfolk

bow at the waist as

they taught us in the Academy,” I said. I’d been

conceded. “However, the royal

glanced at him. Surely he wasn’t just going to tell me

life, my friendship,‘ they say. It’s

a moment, I wondered if perhaps Mark was trying to lead me astray, just as Linda had

type of person. Surely he wouldn’t be

me humiliated, or worse.

continued. “Fortunately, the Merfolk and the Werewolves have a history

don’t always correct the incorrect greeting out

case, the royals showed Nicholas

on either side of the neck,” I

phrase,”

“My life, my friendship.”

now to a

otherworldly. He had a head

bridge of his nose.

his neck, though his chest moved with breath. I remembered reading that Merfolk could

above and under the

Chapter 0052

werewolf tradition, he wore a tuxedo,

deep red

I

never. Trust Mark, and presumably Nicholas, or take the

a hand on either side

eyes went impossibly

I

upset him? Was this a trap? How would I explain

a set of sharp teeth. “Nice to meet you, Piper. I had yet to meet a candidate tonight who

exit now,” Mark said, backing away. “If you

stepped closer. He must have been an older Merfolk. I could see now

the lines beside

said. “How did you come to know our greeting?”

I tried to think of a lie,

I could tell you I learned it long ago,

when Mark told me.”