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

worse situations. Heck,

shouting

I could manage hungry, irritable customers as a

be careful.

stand in the rain for a full

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

shorter, my anxiety

reactions. Some seemed pleased. Olivia and

But most

it was my tum, I was a nervous ball of energy who felt a

den.

escort me to the ambassador, as had guided everyone else, Mark,

one who offered me his

to escort you to

Nathan had said it when he announced the challenge.

you,” I said,

noticed right away that he was

“You!

Merfolk he made a common mistake. Most people

Merfolk bow at the

in the Academy,” I said. I’d

some Merfolk, that remains a tradition,” Mark conceded. “However, the royal family and their

wasn’t just going to tell me what

of their neck. ‘My life, my friendship,‘ they say. It’s a symbolic show of

this before. For a moment, I wondered if perhaps Mark was trying to lead me astray, just as Linda had fooled

seemed an honest type of person. Surely he wouldn’t be so cruel as to want

me humiliated, or worse.

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

between our kingdoms. They don’t always correct the incorrect greeting

case, the royals showed

side of

phrase,”

“My life, my friendship.”

now to a waiting gentleman.

otherworldly. He had a head of wild dark hair,

bridge of his nose.

chest moved

above and under

Chapter 0052

werewolf tradition, he wore a tuxedo, though

were deep red as

Zale, may I

Mark, and presumably Nicholas,

I placed a hand on either side my

eyes went

I

heart pounded hard. Had I upset him? Was this a trap? How

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

said, backing away.

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

the lines beside his

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

lie, but in the end, what could

tell you I learned it long ago,

when Mark told me.”