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 face me. I had Elva in my lap, but she was busy stuffing her face

okay, Piper? I heard some

head, pushing away her concern. I felt hungover some, with a cloudy head and tired eyes,

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

pick

Terry left the grounds?” I asked. It took great strength to keep my voice from

“Word is, Terry left at some point last night and returned to his

relief and for the first time that day, I

least, I was safe.

of last night continued to linger in my

day. I couldn’t help but feel Terry’s cold hands on me or smell his

breath.

she? Where had she come from? How had she gotten it? And why was she teasing me with it now??

because I would never be able to find the

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

into giving away their wolves and their abilities. It was the only true way to keep Elva

wouldn’t be cowed by Terry, or by Nicholas. I had my own heart and my

stop me from protecting my daughter or any of those innumerous other souls out there who just wanted to do the right thing, and lost their wolves

her nanny and Mark,

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

him to be so isolated

heard the click of my heels on the tile steps,

want to be alone?” I asked him. I had questions and demands, but he

its place was the same

company if it’s

and took a seat on the

Julian was also there last night. He

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

Nicholas moved away.

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

my desire

I was still

Nicholas. I had wanted him to kiss me on the