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.

this

to see.

near the back

me change,” I said, hoping to appeal to her sense of decency. If I

would soak straight

sneered. “You should have thought of that this

the time? Somewhere between being startled awake and dragged into the

back to her would get me nowhere. I had no power

forward, out into the gardens. They forced me down to my knees in the

move,” one of them warned.

palace. I couldn’t see what happened

though, I reasoned, looking out at the flowers

down on me like tiny, frozen daggers. After only a few minutes, my nightgown

I wrapped my

arms around myself. They hadn’t said I couldn’t do that. It

growing chill.

long I kneeled there. The cold had set

nearby tree

them. I was cold and tired and

1. up.

wanted me to do. They hoped I would give up

needed her medicine.

trade. And Nicholas…

way he smiled. His kindness when playing with the