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 a

Nicholas

down. She snatched his hand and pulled him further

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

his affection was obvious and carefree. But it was

you joining us for the tea

yes but I had other plans. Plans

When he spotted

morning,

good cheer vanished from Nicholas’s face. “What are you doing here, Julian?”

nails, as if he hadn’t a care in the world. “Oh. I’m taking

me. Julian wasn’t wrong, though under Nicholas’s scrutiny now, I kind of

could deny it.

true,” I

hardened as he sliced it back to Julian, “There was no

happened last time, can you blame us?”

you had followed the

and I have plenty of fun on

tea party, Nick–lass! It’s starting!” Elva