The Luna Choosing Game

“We were renting an apartment with a friend of mine, Anna. I worked hard for that life. Sometimes I even,

well… I’ve let more experiences happen than I should have, for the sake of a paycheck.”

My hands ached. Looking down I realized I held the wooden armrests of the chair in a white–knuckled

grip. I attempted to loosen my hold. “Were you harmed?”

“Not for the lack of effort on their part,” Piper said. “My boss at this last job was particularly vile, but your

guards came to retrieve me at just the right moment.”

My grip returned tenfold. The wood creaked.

I wanted to tell her that she was safe now, and that people like that would never be able to touch her again. I wanted her to give me this vermin’s name so I could chase him down and have him locked in the

dungeon.

I considered yet doing the last one, when Elva’s condition wasn’t quite so dire. But the previous I could

I

not promise.

With the first elimination coming up, I did not know if she would continue to be allowed to stay at the palace. And the minute she was beyond these walls, I could not protect her without drawing unwanted

attention to us both.

she left, I

now, I would do what I could. I sat in

Piper was able to relax. I rose

to alert the physician.

was fast asleep. She must

have to worry anymore,

an arm under her knees and

around to the other side of

up over her

chair and watched over Piper and Elva both until the

enter the room, I stood, leaving the physician to her work and

The weather forecasts had

He was holding something

need for

“Mark?”

need to see it for yourself. The royal family is

where Piper and Elva continued to doze, even as

them in your stead, Prince Nicholas,” Mark

that assurance was I able to pull myself

Mark nodded.

last quick glance behind me, then I made my way from the