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

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

would

have thought of that this

the time? Somewhere between being

would get

They forced me down to my knees

one of them warned. Then they

away from the palace. I couldn’t

I reasoned, looking out at the flowers and

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

I wrapped my

couldn’t do that.

growing chill.

long I kneeled there. The cold had set in. The wind had picked

a nearby tree

rain to hide them. I

1. up.

to do. They hoped I would give up and

wouldn’t. I couldn’t. Elva needed her medicine. Julian and I were going to expose

trade. And Nicholas…

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