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

I clasped my hands together. “He told me

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

closeness was the comfort I needed.

I didn’t want to die. A tear escape my eye and tracked down my

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

you keep my picture

my throat. Elva had told him about that? When?

it so much Hed she recognized him from the start? Was that

said, before I could decide whether or not to deny it. “I can tell

allowed myself one last picture of him. I’d purged everything

let him go, not all the way. I wanted to at least remember what it had felt like to be

Nicholas said, and he sounded almost as broken as I felt. “Why

picture?”

didn’t have a good enough

about me, how could you leave

didn’t.” The words came out in my grief and my