The Luna Choosing Game

The wait for midnight was nearly unbearable, but when it finally arrived, I left Elva sleeping in the bed,

and sneaked out into the hallway.

Mark was standing there with two other guards. He typically wore a serious expression, but today he

seemed especially grim. He must have shared Nicholas’s frustration with the plan.

“Be careful tonight. If anything happened to you…” He let the words hang.

I was confused. Surely the safety of his prince was more important than me. But he didn’t say anything

more. Instead, he just stared at me expectantly.

“ll be careful,” I said.

He nodded.

Turning from him, I started down the hallway. Nicholas met me halfway. He didn’t say anything, just offered his arm. I slid my arms in his and together we walked down toward the kitchens and into the

cellar.

Brian was guarding the door to one of the rooms there, the one containing the passage. He stepped

when we came close.

opening loomed in the middle of

Julian carried a large, industrial–style flashlight. He clicked it

the light of the flashlight, seeing the end of the tunnel was impossible. The stretch of the tunnel was long, and the darkness eventually

“Whatever happens, no

yes, we all know the rules,” Julian said. He stepped into the

and I looked at each other, and then

walls were made of brick, rounded along the top. Our footsteps on the stone floor echoed down the long, empty corridor. The

easily frightened by places, but this tunnel felt so old

back of my

close,” Julian

the room

behind us.

flickered. We

a warning in his voice. A warning that would come

again, and then

caught in my

touched Nicholas’s chest with one hand and Julian’s shoulder with the other. Nicholas caught my hand

and squeezed my

such a dark, creepy place in the dark, but having them so close, each offering

own ways, helped me feel safe again.

again and smacked the flashlight. The light flickered