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.

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

I heard some

shook my head, pushing away her concern. I felt hungover some, with a cloudy head and tired eyes, but otherwise okay Except for my continued embarrassment over my body’s reaction

and left my half of the breakfast uneaten

to pick

It took

Terry left at some point last night and returned to

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

For now, at least, I

last night continued to linger in my mind, even as we broke from eating

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

breath.

she?

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

heart he was only worried for me and for the kingdom, but

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

by Terry, or by Nicholas. I had my own

me from protecting my daughter or any of those innumerous

and Mark,

empty ballroom. I found him sitting alone on the

like him to be so isolated or

he heard the click of my heels on the tile

had questions and demands, but he seemed almost… lost

look of vulnerability faded. In its place was the same sort

company if it’s you,” he said.

at his flirtatious charms and took a seat on the same step he was sitting on.

last night. He had bome witness to the full extent

me it wasn’t my fault, as well

Nicholas moved away.

have taken advantage. He wouldn’t have.

circumstances of my desire much quicker.

I was still

I had wanted him to kiss me on the balcony. In time, I might have wanted to have him do