The Luna Choosing Game

I sat in a sitting room at a table for two, having tea and pastries with Julian, I wasn’t surprised when

Julian asked me on another date. We had plenty left to investigate, after all. But I was confused when he

led me here, to what seemed like a legitimate date.

I was startled that Nicholas and Lilliana were also here, having the same assortment of tea and snacks

at an identical table on the other side of the medium–sized room, In the corner, one of the servants

masterfully played the pianoforte.

Cameras covered almost every angle of the room, coming in closer to our faces every now and then.

I leaned closer to Julian so the cameras wouldn’t overhear.

“So what’s the plan?” I asked him.

He looked at me with a lifted brow. “Enjoy our tea and pastries?”

I frowned at him. “Are we not… Investigating?”

“Here?” He glanced around. “Heavens, no.”

“But… you asked me on a date.”

“Maybe I just wanted to enjoy the pleasure of your company.”

gave him a

with a sigh. “Fine. My dear uncle Terry clearly has some suspicions about us. It

date. Think of it as a cover

didn’t feel like the full truth. “There’s more, isn’t

then gestured to

Julian was always so secretive, sometimes

to the other table, where Nicholas was sitting across from Lilliana. They hadn’t talked much, just quietly enjoyed their tea. Nicholas’s back was ramrod

A frown was heavy on his lips.

future he truly wanted for

who he couldn’t

him,” Jullan said, speaking softly near my

swiveled back to Julian. “The King lectured

convince our parents to care about the

warmed from the inside out. Nicholas had tried to advocate for the people? Could

told him about the common

at my lips.

hand was cupping my face. Gently, he brushed his thumb against the

mouth.

smiled at me. “Crumbs,” he said, like that was a reasonable explanation for why he

for

sharp crack sounded from the

Nicholas Lilliana

turned to

cracked off the handle of

his hand. I glared