The Luna Choosing Game

“No,” Nicholas said.

Julian, still bowing, shot him a glare. “I wasn’t asking you, brother. In case that wasn’t obvious.”

1

“She will not dance with you, because she is about to dance with me.” Nicholas said.

Julian straightened upright. “Is that what was happening here? Because, to me, it appeared as if you two were awkwardly standing near each other and only barely talking.”

That description didn’t sound so different from some of the royal dances I knew, but I decided not to

point that out.

“Even if we were only talking, you must admit how exceedingly rude it is to interrupt,” Nicholas said.

“Rude, maybe,” Julian said. “But necessary, if I’m to save Piper from an evening of boredom.”

“Perhaps we should ask the lady to choose for herself,” Nicholas said. He looked at me.

Julian did too. “Well, Piper? Which of us will it be?”

shock tonight, I was sure,

down onto me. One pair belonged to Linda,

The King v

a chill struck through me under the intensity of his eyes. He was judgmental and observant. I had no way of knowing if he knew

Linda’s ultimatum.

I held out my hand

my hand in both

touch of surprise widening his eyes. “Piper?”

sharpened. “Wouldn’t want

jealous you are.”

Nicholas schooled his features. “I’m not

even though it had no real reason to. Nicholas and

right to be jealous, and I had

on my hand, pulling me out onto the dance floor. As he

was able to keep up fairly easily. With Julian twirling me around the dance floor, I noticed Linda and the King had stopped paying me any

Julian and me with an unreadable expression. His eyes never left us for

Julian said, and I braced myself for whatever observation he was about to make. “You and Nicholas disappear

thickly. “I don’t know what