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.

to argue, Susie turned in her seat to face me. I had Elva in my lap, but she was busy stuffing her face with all

Piper? I heard some truly terrible

tired eyes, but otherwise okay Except for my continued embarrassment over my body’s reaction to Nicholas

in my throat, and left my

pick at.

grounds?” I asked. It took great strength to keep my

left at some point last night and returned to his own

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

at least, I

thoughts of last night continued to linger in my

feel Terry’s cold hands on me or

breath.

have my wolf. Who was she?

had so many unanswered questions. It felt worse now, somehow, because I would never be able to find the answers. Not since Nicholas had forbad Julian and me

heart he was only worried for me and for the kingdom, but it frustrated me that he could not see the importance of

manipulated into giving away their wolves and their abilities. It was the only true

by Nicholas.

innumerous other souls out

into the care of her nanny and

palace before I thought to check the empty ballroom. I found him sitting alone on the bottom

like him to be so isolated

on the tile steps, he turned back to look at

him. I had questions and demands, but he seemed almost… lost sitting

and his look of vulnerability faded. In its place was the same sort of cocky expression I’d

don’t mind company if it’s

and took a seat on the same step he was sitting

night. He had

tell me it wasn’t my fault, as well

Nicholas moved away.

wouldn’t have. But Julian’s being present

my desire

I was still

to kiss me on the balcony. In time,