The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 0528

Bridget’s words stuck with me more than I wanted them to. As I rested in bed that night, I stared at the ceiling replaying everything that happened — not just last night with Bridget, but every time I had been with Nicholas before. Where had Elva been? Had she noticed any of my behavior? I didn’t think myself a whore for spending intimate time with the man that I adored, but that wasn’t necessarily an aspect I wanted Elva to see and learn and think acceptable.

When it came to be morning again, I think I had slept for maybe an hour or two total. Elva was fully rested and excited, bouncing out of bed at the first sign of light. She talked and talked about the merfolk children and how much fun she had. It was endearing and sweet, but I was very tired.

Still, I tried to be as attentive as I could. I rolled out of bed and made my way over to the dresser to pick out our day clothes. As soon as I opened a drawer, Elva switched her topic of conversation and said, “I knew someone was in here yesterday.”

My hand stopped halfway to the drawer with Elva’s shirts. I looked at her. She was serious.

“How?” I asked.

“They knocked over that pot,” Elva said, pointing to a decorative set of vases on top of the dresser. And yes, she was right, one of the vases had been knocked over and then not set correctly. Neither Elva nor I had done that, and Charlotte certainly would have fixed it if she had done it.

No, the person who had knocked over that vase must have been in a hurry.

Perhaps searching through the drawers for my swimsuits.

We knew someone must have come in here to steal my things, so it wasn’t providing any new information to point out that mistake of our thief.

However, for Elva to have noticed it before me rattled me. I always knew she was observant and smart, but to have this reminder so soon after Bridget’s words...

Maybe Elva did notice the nights I didn’t come home, or came home late.

Maybe I was teaching her that it was okay to be out all night with a man that you weren’t committed to. A man who had several other women vying for his attention. | | | I didn’t want Elva to grow up and find herself in the same situation as me.

the hurt I feel, being so closed to the man I admired while knowing it was doomed to fail. I wanted Elva to only know love and want and affection. 1 | I shook my head, clearing my worries away. Someday, when Elva was old enough to date, I would sit her down and explain most of what happened here between Nicholas and myself. I would make sure she understood that this was a special case romance, and not

some time. So rather than focusing on that, I needed to live in the

the present, we were both awake and there was still no sign of Charlotte. On a normal day, she would have been here by now, to help us dress and prepare

she was sick, but I worried

the merfolk banquet, enough to sneak into my room, steal my swimsuits and turn off my alarm. To achieve their success, they would have also needed to make sure

overthinking things. But I wasn’t willing to take the chance that

the nanny arrived, I kissed Elva on the forehead, promised we’d reconnect later to make sandcastles, and then

sturdy arm wrapped around my

“Careful,” Nicholas lightly chided.

blush touched

turned back to the guard, who I noticed was different than

your orders,” Nicholas

looked at me once more, and then dipped his head forward, suggesting we start walking. I fell

at the new guard, I asked, “Did you bring

realistically guard your

separate guards on rotation, who will protect you and your things.” I sighed with

definitely unnerving, knowing someone was in my room, stealing my

the top of the stairs, he stopped

might bring up last night, something I was not ready to process

his expression. “No,” he said at