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

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

sure your maids

don’t trust my

gaze focused on me again.

the blankets on my

have

why I thought you should leave.”

I’d never let them win like that, by scaring me off. “I don’t know why they can’t just wait

Everyone knows I’ll be the

“You seem certain.”

as a publicity stunt. I’ve served

in acknowledgement

beginning to warm up, and with that warmth, sleepiness followed. In my

fell away, and

happy with the way things are,” I

me a curious look.

of women competing for the attention of three men is

are you ever supposed to find

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

kingdom might depend

you invite the public into your lives after you found the right

have found our mates on our own,