The Luna Choosing Game

“9?” someone gasped.

I agreed, that seemed like so many people to be eliminated all at once!

“9,” Nathan confirmed. “When you are eliminated, you are to pack your bags and immediately vacate the premises. There will be cars waiting to escort you home. There will be no arguments or reconsiderations.”

A rising mumble roused again, as the girls whispered to one another.

Many of them turned to look at me.

“The first one to go…”

||

I tried to ignore them.

Soon, they stopped paying attention to me, and instead cast their dagger eyes at each other.

After Nathan’s announcement, many ‘accidents‘ seemed to consistently happen amongst the

candidates.

Spilled drinks. “How clumsy of me.”

Tripping. “You should really watch your step.”

Torn dresses. “Didn’t you notice that nail sticking out there?”

It seemed that with the quickly approaching elimination, the girls had begun to turn on one another.

Olivia and Linda were the most vicious, though neither seemed to take any action themselves. Rather, they relied on their alliances to defend them and carry out acts of subterfuge. Yet it was clear who the

masterminds were.

Fortunately for me, no one took me seriously, and they didn’t even bother hiding it.

One girl had been ready to ruin my dress with an opened lipstick case, until she realized it was me.

Sorry, Piper.”

“It’s fine.” I was happy to be considered unimportant enough to be left alone.

The next night, a banquet was held. Yet before we had even sat down, the fighting between Olivia and Linda had reached a boiling point. Though they never raised their voices, their sniping at each other had

turned lethal.

“Is that a new dress, Linda? I’m sure I saw it on sale last season.

“Oh, Olivia, you must have trouble telling the decades apart, which would explain your hairstyle.”

Olivia and Linda smiled tightly at each other.

Then, Olivia ‘tripped‘ and spilled her red wine all down the front of Linda’s mauve gown.

“Oops. How terribly clumsy of me.” Olivia held out a tissue. “This might help.

Linda’s face turned red. “Why, you!” She moved to slap Olivia, but Olivia ducked out of the way just in

time.

behind her.

could reach me, Nicholas caught Linda’s wrist, stilling her. Her eyes went wide,

way to

absolutely not

yourself,” he said, and

never managed to form coherent words. Instead, she just stormed

out of the room.

girls made soft noises of excitement,

a front–runner, but here she was, losing her temper enough to

herteme

prince. With this poor showing, she might drop

at me. I was about to thank him for

But he spoke

aware

on my tongue. Did he just imply being almost slapped

snidely, making it clear

narrowed his eyes at

was exactly when Julian cut in, stepping between us. “Piper, will you sit beside me

been glaring at me, he looked at Julian like he was trying

1. uh. The sudden question made my head spin. I already sat across from Julian. Why would he ask

me to move closer?

I would be moving

sight of the Luna

me two chairs as a buffer. And one of those chairs would be filled by

smirked at Nicholas. “You don’t have a problem with that,

tugged at his cuffs. “Why

don’t know.”

“9?” someone gasped.

that seemed like so many people

Nathan confirmed. “When you are eliminated, you are to pack your bags and immediately vacate the premises. There will

roused again, as the girls whispered to

them turned to look at

first one

||

tried to

and instead cast their

many ‘accidents‘ seemed to consistently happen

candidates.

drinks. “How clumsy

should really

notice that nail

that with the quickly approaching elimination, the girls had begun to

Linda were the most vicious, though neither seemed to take any action themselves. Rather, they relied on their alliances to defend them and carry

masterminds were.

for me, no one took me seriously, and they didn’t

with an opened lipstick case, until she

Sorry, Piper.”

to be considered unimportant enough to

between Olivia and Linda had reached a boiling point. Though they never raised their voices, their sniping at

turned lethal.

I’m sure I saw it

trouble telling the decades apart, which would