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.

wasn’t entirely certain. I had just wanted him near. “I

maids would

don’t trust

gaze focused on me again.

knew my gloves were too short, but they sent me ahead without a word.” I smoothed out the blankets on my lap. “Though I guess, even if I

have

I thought you should leave.”

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

I’ll be

“You seem certain.”

know I’m only here as a

acknowledgement but didn’t

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

fell away, and words

the way things are,” I

curious look. I

for the attention of three men

ever supposed to find

cameras are essential,” Nicholas said. “The royal family needs

kingdom might depend on

lives after

have found our mates on our own,