The Luna Choosing Game

Nicholas did glare harder then, for a moment. When nothing happened, he turned away and made his

way to his own seat.

Liiliana was still seated beside him, though she didn’t say a word as he sat down. If they didn’t like each

other, why hadn’t Nicholas asked someone else to sit there?

“Shall we, Piper?” Julian asked, a smug grin on his face.

We walked the two feet to our chairs. Julian held mine out for me, then helped push me in after I sat. He

took the chair beside mine.

Sitting like this, I couldn’t even see the Queen unless I leaned forward, Relief washed over me.

I still wasn’t feeling all the way better. I wasn’t sure I would have had the energy to wade through royal

politics tonight.

At least, not the Queen’s kind.

Julian was his own mess of royal riddles.

“I did try to talk her out of it,” Julian whispered to me. “Your punishment, I mean. I went to take responsibility for the morning I stole you away, but she wouldn’t hear of it.”

I softly shook my head. “That was only one of the things I was punished for.”

“A girl after my own

rolled my eyes.

deadpan. Then he straightened. “Don’t look now,

turned my head, and locked eyes with Nicholas, who was leaning improperly far over

at us.

to look,” Julian

having been caught. Then his gaze shifted

so close to the

me to

beat him to

clear that he had many

sat back in his chair,

a sore loser,” Julian said with a sharp

could ask him more, the King touched his knife to his

drew everyone’s attention.

you all for joining us this evening,” the

the first round of eliminations, and therefore you

time to improve

gaze around the room but never focused on any

for a moment before

at our next royal event. Tomorrow we will begin

table, some girls excited

others seemed nervous, glancing

used to have many skills that would have beneficial during a hunting trip, but I hadn’t