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

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

I had just wanted him near. “I

your maids would sit

don’t trust

focused on

too short, but they sent me ahead without a word.” I smoothed out the blankets on my lap.

would have

thought

scaring me off. “I don’t know why they can’t just wait

be the first to

“You seem certain.”

as a publicity stunt.

hummed in acknowledgement but

warm up, and with that warmth, sleepiness followed. In

away, and words

can’t be happy with the way things are,” I

a curious look. I

three men is so ridiculous. And in front of

ever supposed to find someone you

family needs a strong public

kingdom might depend on

public into your lives after you

away. “None of us have found our mates on our own, Piper. The selection is