The Luna Choosing Game

“That’s enough,” said a firm low voice through the microphone. Nathan had passed it to Nicholas. Please discover all the facts before making accusations. Piper proposed her deal last night. The

announcement about the blood moon did not come in until this morning.”

The second girl relented, lowering her head. “He’s right. She couldn’t have known…”

“But…?” said the first. “Surely the timing was too perfect to be a coincidence.”

“Sorry,” I said. “I don’t tell the future. I don’t have the internet. I just made a guess for the sake of the deal.”

The girls‘ looks of outrage slowly morphed into those of annoyance instead. Gradually, they slipped away from me.

Susie returned to the place she’d been pushed away from. “You okay?”

I shrugged

“Piper,” Nicholas said, approaching me. He’d left the microphone on the stage, back with Nathan.

He stopped when he was before me. “What did the physician say about Elva?” After I told him, he sighed,

“Good.”

Susie glanced between the two of us. Then she pretended to see something and left us. It was a very

obvious show. She was not a good actor.

e some

know whether to thank her or be mad at her. She

wasn’t sure I was ready to face him again so

so kind. I didn’t know if I could handle him hating

my end of the bargain,” Nicholas said. “Sometime during

Night.”

that.

deal is a

he would leave now, with what he had wanted to

being led away, over to the dining room for breakfast.

thank you on behalf of my family,” Nicholas said. “If it weren’t for

moon or cancel the event

deal helped

possibly take credit for that, especially when Nicholas was the one to try to

was just worried about Elva.

one was close to us, he said, “Caring for your daughter

As far as I’m concerned, the life of a child sharply outweighs the reputation of the royal

words were kind, but

reputation is important.” Not as important as Elva, true, but with as serious as the royal family was treating this event, I knew there had to be more going on under the surface

reply, to agree or disagree. He just slowly lowered his gaze, then turned and

I’d swiped a few muffins for her on the chance she might be hungry, tucked into the pockets of