The Luna Choosing Game

The next morning, a knock came early on the bedroom door. Fortunately, Elva and I had risen with the dawn and were already dressed.

Expecting the nanny, I headed for the door, yet when I drew it open, the person on the other side

surprised me.

“Nicholas. What are you doing here?”

Behind him, Mark cleared his throat. Immediately, I realized my error.

“Prince Nicholas,” I corrected. After last night, I had become entirely too familiar with him. I had to be more careful, for both our reputations, not to address him so informally. Especially in front of others.

“I came to see Elva,” Nicholas said.

“Nick–lass!”

The rules of propriety, however, did not extend to my three year old.

Elva rushed toward the door. Nicholas bent down and scooped her up into his arms. Elva giggled as he

lifted her.

I’d already told Elva that we would be staying around for a while longer, but she didn’t seem to quite

believe me. Now that she could actually see Nicholas, it was like those remaining worries had been

washed away.

play! I want

okay,” Nicholas

Elva got too squirmy, he set her down. She snatched his hand

before, when he gazed at me now, his eyes. held a certain measure of warmth. Ever since last night, when he learned I hadn’t betrayed him – at least not out of choice he had been softer toward

when his affection was obvious and carefree. But it was

for the

say yes but I had other plans. Plans that might

sauntered into the room like it belonged to him. When he spotted

good morning,

cheer vanished from Nicholas’s face. “What

nails, as if he hadn’t a care in the

at me. Julian wasn’t wrong, though under

could deny it.

I said.

back to Julian, “There was no official date

happened last time, can

followed the

are boring. Piper and I have plenty of fun on our own.”

Nick–lass! It’s starting!”