The Luna Choosing Game

“She’s smart,” Julian said. “She knows how to fade into the background. I’ve seen her do it.”

“Even so…”

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וויר

“I’ll keep an eye on her. One of us should head back to the party anyway,” Julian said with a wink. “The ladies are probably missing me, the most handsome of us anyway.”

Nicholas gave him a flat look.

Julian smirked and disappeared.

Then Nicholas took my arm and led me through the hallways. By now, my nerves were getting to me. I just wanted to see Elva, to hold her and know she’s okay.

Nicholas was texting Mark with one hand.

“No issues today,” Nicholas said, which gave me a measure of comfort. I still would feel better if I could see it all with my own eyes.

When we reached the hallway of rooms, I was walking very quickly. Nicholas, blessedly, was keeping pace. His guards were keeping watch outside my door. Nicholas stopped to speak with them.

“Go on inside, Piper,” he said.

I nodded and walked in.

Elva and the nanny were sitting on the ground, playing with their dolls. Mark stood nearby, watching. They all turned to look at me when I came closer.

“Mommy Elva jumped to her feet and rushed toward me.

arms,

was well past her bedtime but I

to see you,” the nanny said.

stay, Mommy Elva said. She rested her head on my shoulder,

forehead, “We do For a bit longer,

then, and Eira it up ance

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back down to the ground. She ran into Nicholas’s waiting

sound healed my heart in ways nothing else could. That Nicholas had been

of her made me feel all the

burst out of Elva. It

eyes with Nicholas and then motioned toward

you need to get some sleep, little princess,” Nicholas said as he carried

a story?” Elva

joined them there and helped tuck Elva in.

huh? Okay.” He thought for a

story about the bravest woman I

blankets, bringing them right up under her chin.

gave up her crown to save her little girl, a

just like you

she fight a dragon?” Elva

fire–breathing dragon,”