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

to panic. I had been in worse situations. Heck, even lunch hour in the restaurant had

with everyone shouting orders

I could manage hungry, irritable customers as a

careful. I had to

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

into a line to wait our turn to

shorter,

mixed reactions. Some seemed pleased. Olivia and

But most looked

it was my tum, I was a nervous ball of energy who felt a bit like I was walking into a

den.

servant to escort me to the

who offered me

escort you to Ambassador Zale,” Mark

his name. Whether Nathan had

you,” I said, accepting Mark’s

was guiding me the

“You!

met a Merfolk he

the waist as a

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

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

he wasn’t just going to tell me

on either side of their neck. ‘My life, my friendship,‘ they say. It’s a

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

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

me humiliated, or worse.

“Fortunately, the Merfolk and the

kingdoms. They don’t always correct

the royals showed Nicholas the

on either side of

phrase,” Mark

“My life, my friendship.”

Mark led me now to a waiting

otherworldly. He had a head of wild dark

bridge of his nose.

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

and

Chapter 0052

wore a tuxedo, though

were deep red as they focused

Zale, may I present Piper,”

Trust Mark, and presumably Nicholas, or take

placed a hand on either side my neck “My life, my

went impossibly

I

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

to meet you, Piper. I had yet to meet a

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

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

temples, and the lines

you come to know our

think of a lie, but in the end, what could I saw but the

I could tell you I learned it long

when Mark told me.”