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

the

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

with everyone shouting orders and

customers as a waitress, I could

be careful. I had to

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

girls and I were directed 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

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

den.

a servant to escort me to

who offered me

me to escort you to Ambassador Zale,”

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

said, accepting Mark’s

that he was guiding me the long way

“You!

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

bow at the waist

the Academy,” I said. I’d

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

wasn’t just going to tell me

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

if perhaps Mark was trying to

person. Surely

me humiliated, or worse.

Merfolk and the Werewolves have

always correct the incorrect greeting out

showed

hand on either side of the neck,”

the phrase,” Mark

“My life, my friendship.”

Ah, here we are.” Mark led me now to

head of

bridge of his nose.

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

both above and under the

Chapter 0052

a tuxedo,

eyes were deep red

may I present Piper,”

was now or never. Trust Mark,

hand on either side my neck “My life,

eyes went impossibly

I

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

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

now,” Mark said, backing

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

and the lines beside his

you

moment, I tried to think of a lie, but

I learned it

when Mark told me.”