The Luna Choosing Game

Nicholas

I stood before the King in his chambers. He was angrily pacing the length of the room. Back and forth,

back and forth. Occasionally he would stop to shout at me, but he’d always break himself off, unfinished,

and continue pacing.

“How could you think –?”

“You deliberately disobeyed –!”

“What do I even –?”

A few minutes in, his face was turning red, and my mother, the Luna was forced to intervene. She stood

in his path to keep him from pacing, then whispered into his ear.

I never totally understood their relationship. My mother was a private person. And though the two of

them often gave compliments to each other, any meaningful conversations only went on behind closed

doors.

after knowing them both my entire life, I had no idea

show they

breaths. He nodded at my mother, and then

specifically told you not to,” he said. Rage crackled

a twitch in his eyebrow or

belong here.”

with a sick child we are helping to take care of,” I said, my

as much – if not more than

–

—

threw his hands

Luna stepped forward. “She can be a fine

every event with flying

common. I wanted to help them see without directly calling them out. To

could never be wrong.

in the Queen’s direction. “He’s

the weight of the crown can do to good people. It’s not just for the sake of the kingdom that I caution you, but for her

my heart, I knew she spoke true. Piper could be a

cruel world would press down on her. It would wear at her soul, and I alone would not

enough to protect

and her wolf, and poor little Elva’s illness.

me what you want me to do,” I said, burying