The Luna Choosing Game

My eyes went wide. As poor as I felt, I still pushed myself upright on the bed – until he placed a hand on

my shoulder and eased me back down.

“I won’t give up,” I told him. “I can’t.”

“I wouldn’t ask you to, except for your own safety, Piper. If you truly don’t care about being Luna, like you say, then you should care more for yourself. The people here only want to do you harm.”

“It doesn’t matter what happens to me. Can’t you see? I will stay. I’ll do anything they want to make sure

that Elva continues to get the best medical care.”

“Even if this happens again?”

“Even then.”

Crossing his arms, he let out a quiet sigh. “I’d forgotten how stubborn you could be.”

“Only with important things.”

I felt a bit strange with him standing so rigidly beside the bed while I was within it. I motioned toward the

edge of the bed.

“You can sit if you want.”

“I shouldn’t,” he said. Yet after a moment, he propped himself on the very edge of the mattress, as far

as he could be. “You asked me not to leave.

entirely certain. I had just wanted him near. “I don’t want to

your maids would sit with

trust my

on me again.

smoothed out the blankets on my lap. “Though I guess, even if I had been warned then, those that want to

have

thought you

them win like that, by scaring me off. “I don’t know why they

be

“You seem certain.”

only here as a publicity stunt. I’ve

acknowledgement but

with that warmth, sleepiness followed. In

away, and words came much

be happy with the

me a curious

three men is so ridiculous. And in front

supposed to

are essential,” Nicholas said. “The royal family needs a strong public image.

might depend

into your lives

mates on our own, Piper. The selection is a