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

we

an eerie dark opening loomed in the middle

a large, industrial–style flashlight. He clicked

end of the tunnel was impossible. The stretch of the tunnel was long, and the darkness eventually swallowed the

Nicholas said. “Whatever happens, no one

yes, we all know the rules,” Julian said.

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 air

this tunnel felt so old that

the back of my neck stood on head.

Julian said.

moved carefully through the tunnel. The light of the room we’d come from

behind us.

We all

voice. A warning that

light flickered again, and then went

breath caught in my throat.

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

over mine and

dark, creepy place in the

ways, helped me feel safe again.

Julian lowered his hand again and smacked the flashlight. The light flickered again,