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

glanced out over the room, I felt two pairs of eyes pressing down onto me. One pair belonged to Linda, who downed an entire champagne flute while glaring at

The King v

intensity of his eyes. He was judgmental and observant. I had no way of knowing if he knew about

Linda’s ultimatum.

I

my hand in

a touch of surprise

brother.” Julian’s grin sharpened.

jealous you are.”

an instant, Nicholas schooled his features. “I’m

at the words, even though it had no real reason to. Nicholas and I did not belong to

right to be jealous, and I had no right to

Julian tugged on my hand, pulling me out onto the dance floor. As he held my hand with one of his, he wrapped his other arm around

easily. With Julian twirling me around the dance floor, I noticed Linda and the King had stopped

expression. His eyes never left us for long, even as other girls approached to

make. “You and Nicholas disappear for a time. Then when you

swallowed thickly. “I don’t know what you mean.”