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

panic. I had been in worse situations. Heck, even lunch

overwhelming, with everyone shouting orders and demanding

manage hungry, irritable customers as a

had to be careful. I

to have to stand in

into a line to wait our turn to meet the

and shorter,

girls leaving the ambassador had mixed reactions. Some seemed pleased. Olivia and Linda

confident. But most

ball of energy

den.

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

one who offered me

to escort you to Ambassador Zale,”

being given his name. Whether Nathan had said it when he announced the

said, accepting Mark’s

he was guiding me the long

“You!

Prince Nicholas met a Merfolk he made a common mistake. Most people

believe that Merfolk bow at the waist as a form

they taught us in the Academy,”

remains a tradition,” Mark conceded. “However, the royal family and their ambassadors have a much different formal

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

gills on either side of their neck. ‘My life, my friendship,‘

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

always seemed an honest type of person. Surely he wouldn’t be

me humiliated, or worse.

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

kingdoms. They don’t always correct

showed Nicholas the

hand on either side of the

the phrase,”

“My life, my friendship.”

Mark led me now to a waiting gentleman. Compared to everyone

practically otherworldly. He had a head of

bridge of his nose.

his chest moved with breath. I remembered reading that

both above and under the

Chapter 0052

a tuxedo,

eyes were deep red as

may I present Piper,” Mark

never. Trust Mark, and

placed a hand on either side my neck

went impossibly

I

Was this a trap? How would I

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

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

must have been an older Merfolk. I could see now the

temples, and the lines beside his

“How did you come to

lie,

you I learned it long

when Mark told me.”