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

could twirl her fins around her fingers. “Elva would like it. It's

term was politically correct. I should have I made certain Elva knew to call everyone merfolk. The little princess didn’t seem to mind though.

they were they’re own. I wondered if that rubbed off on the older children as well, who saw the younger as their little

I told her. “Would you show me the best spot?” The little princess guided me to the shelfs

her. And then eased Elva onto the shelf. She was already drifting. I roused her slightly so

gave an excited smile. “I get to sleep like a mermaid...” she

away from the shelf where my angel slept, the little princess tugged

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

had given her

interfere in the princess’s

to keep the other

warmed me through and through seeing such kindness. Elva has made a friend for life I here,

I hoped they would get to see each

others, only to find a mysterious older merfolk woman behind

head of wild gray curls, topped with a towering crown, second only, that I'd seen, to Queen Sonal herself. Someone important then,

times, depending on the light. Even her fins were different than the

and mysterious as the

just from looking at her

most likely, though I knew so little of magic, I had no idea if merfolk were more or less prevalent than

wished Veronica was

the other children treating yours well?”

I said. I didn’t know her name, but felt she was worthy of some type of honorific. “Thank you,

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

surprised a second time

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