The Luna Choosing Game

The Luna audibly gasped. Some of the girls around me started screaming. Guards quickly moved in to usher them from the room. I was urged forward.

“End the program,” the King shouted. “Now.”

The cameras immediately shut off.

Before I could reach the staircase and earn my favor from the prince of my choice, my path was blocked

with a very angry King and Queen,

“Nicholas!” the King shouted.

“What have you done?” the Luna cried.

Nicholas quickly came down the staircase to join me at my side. I stared at him, bewildered.

“You heard the public,” he said. “This is what they wanted, even if you were too bullheaded to see it.”

“Careful,” the King said.

“Piper won the people’s favor. More, she won the game by the rules we’d assigned.”

“I can do one better than that, even,” Julian said, jumping down from the stage. He carried

my broken

bow in his hands. Where had he gotten it? Had his Beta kept it hidden for him?

He threw it down into the space between the King and Queen, and me and Nicholas.

“She excelled even when our own staff tried to have her killed,” Julian said.

“Our staff?” the Luna gasped.

“Who?” the King demanded.

Julian and Nicholas both shifted their gazes to where Lena was tucked in the Queen’s shadow.

Her face went pale.

Julian smirked, “Anything to say, Lena?”

She seemed set, like she had no intention of moving. The Queen herself motioned her forward.

“Is this true?” The Luna motioned to the broken bow. “Is this your doing?”

her head. She did not answer. It seemed

she said. “I only ever wished to

the royal throne.”

kill someone?” Nicholas said. “Piper could have died had her

physical harm. I only wished to keep her from finishing the contest. I had no reason to believe that this girl would wander alone into the forest without the protection of

what happened,” Nicholas said.

Lena bowed.

Queen looked at each other. Neither seemed pleased by this revelation, or truly by

happened tonight.

is an evening of supposed celebration,” the King said. “We will handle

be reprimanded?” Nicholas pressed.

said. All eyes looked to the

Lena, see yourself out and send in your successor. I

rest of this

to obey the Luna’s

King rubbed his forehead. “What an

he hurried closer. “Great news! The public has

you for making the

yes, that’s fine.” The King pushed him away.

open space. “We need to move into

whispered to

party for those that remain,” Nicholas replied, voice just as soft.

that sounded very appealing at the moment, knowing the King and Queen

to send me

here, Nicholas should have sent

out to save me. I didn’t begin to know how to thank him, or why he’d

duck out for the night,” I said. If I was there, I

party.

shook his head. “Stay.”

wanted me

so confused. But I found that now, just like three

a simple

I

of remaining girls. The cameramen were setting up to record a

completed, we waited as a group while hors d’oeuvres were served, as the King’s servants pulled each girl one by one

was setting up. In the other corner, a water station was prepared beside a table of champagne bottles

me, twice he got

was escorted away by Nathan,

to talk after the King has had his time to speak with each,”

more forcefully on the second.

King. The servants guided me to