The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 0519 With the drama mostly settled forthe moment, I thanked Nicholas for his help.

He smiled once more at me.

Then we split ways, and I made my way down to where the children were playing I to check on Elva. As I drew closer, I could see how tired she was.

It made sense, while the other children were swimming around using their strong tails, Elva had only her two weak legs. Of course she would be exhausted trying to keep up.

She was still smiling, still having fun, but she wasn’t moving with quite the vibrancy she’d earlier displayed.

When she saw me, she waved. I kicked my way over to her, opened my arms, and immediately she came closer to rest.

“Are you having fun, sweetheart?” I

asked her.

“So much fun,” she said with a yawn.

“Don’t make me go home, Mommy” “Not yet, dearest. But you better rest for a moment.” “Just a minute,” she said. Her eyes drooped, but she fought off sleep.

Watching her efforts made my heart ache.

Poor thing didn’t want to miss a minute of this adventure.

One of the merfolk children tugged at my arm. She was a bit older than Elva, maybe seven or eight, with her hair done up in elaborate pigtails. A row of pearls dotted across her forehead. A royal, then.

She pointed at the wall behind them, where I noticed some shelfs had been set up, each covered in some soft-looking cushions.

“When we get sleepy,” the little princess said, “that’s where we sleep.” She

her fingers. “Elva would like it.

slightly, unsure if the term was politically correct. I should have I made certain Elva knew to call everyone merfolk. The little

if they were they’re own. I wondered if that rubbed off on the older children as well,

the shelfs and picked one near the top. “This is my

you,” I told her. And then eased Elva onto the shelf. She was already drifting. I roused her slightly so that she would know where she was and where I would

so tired, but she still gave an excited smile. “I get to sleep like a mermaid...”

I backed away from the shelf where my angel slept, the little princess tugged on my arm

her,” the princess said. “I’ll make sure she sleeps undisturbed.” It was so sweet and valiant, I thanked

like I had given

away then, not wanting to interfere in the princess’s self-assigned duties. She seemed to

making sure to keep the other children away from where

has made a friend for life I here, I knew, even if they

I hoped they would get to see each

then, to find the others, only to find a mysterious older merfolk woman behind me. She watched me closely,

of wild gray curls, topped with a towering crown, second only, that I'd seen, to

black at times, depending on the light. Even her fins were different than the other merfolk.

and mysterious as the float

at her that this was

magic, I had no idea if merfolk were

Veronica was

treating

know her name, but felt she was worthy of some type of honorific. “Thank you, ma’am.” “Good,” the

of yours is haunted by darkness. I had worried that the cause was linked to you, but

surprised a second time but the

you are unable,” the merfolk said. “Though I suspect you too know she is cursed.” ' So Iwas right. Only those with magical abilities would have