The Luna Choosing Game

I awoke the next morning to the sound of thunder outside my window and pounding on my bedroom door. I’d barely gotten out of bed when the door burst open and a slew of Joseph’s guards flooded in.

“Mommy!” Elva shouted as she hid under the covers.

“At least let me get dressed,” I said, holding up my hands.

The guard closest to me shook his head. “Orders are orders.” He grabbed me roughly by the arm and

dragged me toward the door.

met

In the hallway, Joseph’s guards were arguing with Nicholas’s. Mark was running toward me.

“Mark!” I called to him. “Elva’s in there!”

“Don’t worry. I’ll watch her!” he called back. He tried to come closer to me, but one of the guards roughly

shoved him. “Hey!”

“Mark, please.” I was worried he might start something. “Elva!”

Mark grit his teeth, but stepped backwards, letting the guards and me pass.

“Keep her away from this! Please!”

“I will,” he promised.

In my nightgown, I was dragged through the hallways. It was early, just before dawn, but many of the

girls peeked their heads out of their doors to see the spectacle.

were nowhere to be seen. Likely this was not

to see.

the ground floor, near the back door, Lena

to her sense of decency. If

it would soak straight

sneered. “You should have thought of that

have had the time? Somewhere between being

I knew talking back to her would get me nowhere. I had

They forced me down to my

one of them warned. Then

the palace. I couldn’t see what happened

was better though, I reasoned, looking out at the flowers

few minutes, my nightgown was entirely damp, clinging

I wrapped my

myself. They hadn’t said I couldn’t do that.

growing chill.

long I kneeled there. The cold had set in.

struck a nearby tree and I

with the rain to hide them. I was cold and tired and

1. up.

wanted me to do. They hoped I would give up

Elva needed her medicine. Julian and I were going to

trade. And Nicholas…

yesterday. The way he smiled. His kindness when playing with the