The Luna Choosing Game

“You would deny the direct command of your prince?” he asked, voice firm. It was an act, I knew him enough to be able to tell. But he was giving me the reason I needed comply with his wishes if I so chose.

And I desperately wanted to.

“Okay,” I said at last. He utilized his servants to draw attention away from us. When he was certain we were safe, he whisked me away, out onto the balcony where we were alone

Night had set in. The moon was bright above us, illuminating the spacious balcony more than the

candlelight could.

Nicholas maintained distance, not touching, though he stayed close enough to reach for me if I faltered. My twisted ankle felt much better now, though, so I walked steadily. It was only my hands that were

shaking.

We stopped at the railing, and together looked out over the darkness. I thought the gardens might be

below, but I couldn’t be certain.

He stood beside me, looking at me rather than the view.

“Piper,” he prompted.

“Your father knows about us,” I said.

He froze

years ago. He knows everything.” I clasped my hands together. “He told me to stay away

He pressed his palm into the small of my back. I should have

was the comfort

to die. A tear escape my eye

marred Nicholas’s voice, tightening it a bit from its usual faise calm.

you keep my picture in your wallet. Tell me, is it

breath caught in my throat. Elva had told

she recognized him from

true,” he said, before I could decide whether or not to deny it. “I can tell just by looking at

crept in. I allowed myself one last picture of him. I’d purged everything else, but I

knew we couldn’t be together but I didn’t want to let him go, not all the way. I wanted to at least remember what it

said, and he sounded almost as broken as I felt. “Why would you keep that

picture?”

I didn’t have a good

about me, how could you

came out in my grief and my upset. I hadn’t meant to say them.