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.”

him a flat look.

sigh. “Fine. My dear uncle Terry clearly

going on an actual date.

didn’t feel like the full truth.

moment, then gestured to

me, then. Julian was always so

to the other table, where Nicholas was sitting across from Lilliana. They hadn’t

heavy on

this the future he truly wanted for himself?

every day who he

said, speaking softly near my ear. “He’s probably still sulking from when

my interest and I swiveled back to Julian. “The King lectured

trying to convince our parents to care about the plight

had tried to advocate

told him about the common

at my

face. Gently, he brushed his thumb against the corner of

mouth.

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

familiarly, or for

from the

Nicholas Lilliana

all turned

cracked off the handle of his

his hand.