The Luna Choosing Game

“It wasn’t what it looked like,” I said on reflex

“You said before what you felt for Julian wasn’t serious,” he said.

“It’s not.”

Nicholas crossed his arms. His jaw tightened and he didn’t say anything else.

I didn’t know what else to say, how to ease his worries, than to tell him the truth. “Julian saved me from

you father.”

Nicholas’s enter focus zeroed in on me. All emotion vanished. He looked me over as if looking for injury,

then spoke fiercely, “What happened?”

I explained, about the summons, about the threat, and about Julian’s timely intervention. By the end of it, Nicholas had come closer, standing before me again, concern crinkling his brow

“I’m okay now,” I said. “I heard some of your speech. You likely assuaged most of his fears. So you

saved me, too. Thank you.”

wasn’t hard to say those words. I had

Elva. Before

should have told him the truth sooner, perhaps, but it had taken a long time for me to believe that he would even want to know. For so long, it had seemed easier for the past to stay in the

about your situation then. Maybe I could have done something to help.” He sighed. “Some of what I said today.

I

knowing the truth, Nicholas. I purposefully kept it from you. I’d thought then that I was protecting

mean that.”

Golden irises with flecks of green, watching

mattered.

for his kindness. But facts were facts,

as it did

likely be king someday, Nick”

toll saying it now, on me, with my heart aching. On him too, if the way he thickly swallowed was any

nor ever was, me. And

long, like he was trying to look straight down

he saw there.