The Luna Choosing Game

By the next morning, the drug had worked its way through my system and I felt like my old self again. I

went down to breakfast, where I was reunited with Elva, who had stayed with Susie the night before by

order of Nicholas.

I was grateful for his foresight. Mortified as I was by my actions and sounds, I was at least spared the

embarrassment of explaining any of this to Mark or the nanny myself. Or worse still, to Elva..

A thought so stomach–churning, I dared not even think of it.

So when I did finally greet her, it was with a tight hug and big smile, the same as always.

Susie and I didn’t always sit together, but we chose to that morning. There were still many empty chairs with the previous elimination, and I was feeling vulnerable from what had happened the night before. I needed my friends.

Around us the girls were chattering about the curiousness of the evening’s events. Terry was to be one of the main judges of the night, but he never came to ballroom.

Also as curious, both Nicholas and Julian disappeared sometime in the night, only to reappear this morning, one with a black eye and the other with an injured hand.

“You don’t suppose the princes got into a fight with each other?” one of the girls asked.

“No,” Lilliana said flatly. “He is too mature to take part in such childish antics.”

“Julian does love to tease,” said someone else.

“Not enough to tempt a prince away from his decorum,” Olivia added. “Prince Nicholas been around Prince Julian for years. He’s surely built up a tolerance.”

“Well, then what happened with Sir Terry?“”

“Maybe he started the fight,” someone said, and another laughed. A third shushed them.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Olivia said, rolling her eyes.

Elva

heard

head, pushing away her concern. I felt hungover some, with a cloudy head and tired eyes, but otherwise okay Except for

the bile rising in my throat, and left my half of the breakfast uneaten on the plate

to pick at.

It took great strength to keep

point last

of relief and for the first time that day, I took

now, at least, I was safe.

my mind, even as we broke

I couldn’t help but feel Terry’s cold hands on me

breath.

have my wolf. Who was she? Where had she

to find the answers. Not since Nicholas had forbad

he was only worried for me and for the kingdom, but it frustrated

people like me from ever being manipulated into giving away their wolves and their abilities. It was the only true way to

by Terry, or by Nicholas. I had my own heart and my own

Nicholas condemned, I wouldn’t let him stop me from protecting my daughter or any of those innumerous other souls out there who just wanted to do

after seeing Elva safely into the care of her nanny and Mark, I set

searched through most of the palace before I thought to check the empty ballroom.

to be so isolated or

my heels on the tile steps,

alone?” I asked him. I had questions

vulnerability faded. In its place was the same sort

don’t mind company if it’s

took a seat on the

Julian was also there last night. He had bome witness to the full

to tell me it wasn’t my fault, as well as to

Nicholas moved away.

would have taken advantage. He wouldn’t have. But Julian’s being present

circumstances of my

I was still

I did have desire for Nicholas. I had wanted him to kiss me on