The Luna Choosing Game

Nicholas

I had no idea why I decided to help Piper. She had betrayed me in the past. By all accounts, I should

have been pleased to see her fail.

Yet, when I stood outside the sitting room and heard Lena suggest the traditional punishment for Piper, I

couldn’t stand idly by and do nothing.

The thought of Piper kneeling out in a storm, soaked, chilled, and miserable sent an unfamiliar tremor of

rage through me.

I didn’t feel strong emotions like that anymore, not since I turned off my heart three years ago. But this

hot anger had been enough to melt through my emotional freeze.

I couldn’t be detached, not with this.

Ambassador Zale had taught the royal family the secret Merfolk greeting only a few hours before. The

timing had been peculiar, almost as if he had expected us to utilize this new knowledge to help the girls

with the challenge, if we so wished.

I hadn’t intended to teach the greeting to anyone. But that had been before the Queen threatened Piper

over something as trivial as glove length.

An insult to the royal family, the Queen had said. Unlikely. She had always been fickle with such frivolous

to such an extent that she would exert so

like Piper was being

known she’d garnered unwanted attention simply by being

cruelty made my insides

to earn the favor of our kingdom’s people, and yet, the Queen herself was

not knowing her

of the kingdom in mind, I could almost

gamer goodwill with

my heart knew the truth. I sent Mark to teach Piper the secret greeting solely because

wanted to

else in

to feet

+15 BONUS

of immediate danger. This left me time to ponder over other concems. Mainly, why didn’t Piper’s maids war her about her glove

been Piper’s duty alone to know, but we had assigned knowledgeable maids

the harsh punishment for Piper Perhaps she was

behind the thrones, but she was gone

with a satisfied look on his face. I nodded approvingly. He did his job

always.

he could tell

you looking for

“Lena,” I said.

in a comer of the ballroom. 1 saw her sneak out

sir.”