The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 0502 The moment the boat returned to the royal private island, I rushed off of it in search of Elva. I found her on the beach, building sandcastles with Veronica.

Elva looked up at me and scrunched her nose. “Why are you so dirty, Mommy?” I rushed to her side. I so desperately wanted to hug her, but, looking down, I was still covered in a thick layer of grime.

She didn’t seem overly concerned with seeing me again, aside from my unclean appearance.

I glanced at Veronica in confusion.

Veronica dipped her head back,

indicating she wanted to speak privately.

Elva continued to stare at me in question.

«1... uh... fell in a puddle,” I said.

Elva nodded, like that was a perfectly reasonable way to be this dirty. “You should change.” «1 will, sweetheart.” I still leaned in and kissed the top of her head, even though she squirmed away and said, “Ewww!” She giggled as she did it. It was good to see her laughing. I felt like some tangled up mess inside of me was starting to unravel.

I sidestepped away from Elva then, letting her return to her sandcastle as joined Veronica waiting nearby. We

were close enough to keep an eye on Elva without her easily overhearing us.

“you didn’t tell her,” I said to Veronica.

“She doesn’t know what was going on, no.” Veronica dipped her head a little, perhaps in apology. “I thought it better not to worry her. Especially after I told Prince Nicholas and he rushed to rescue you. I knew he would find you and bring you back.” I could see it then, with the subtle lilt in Veronica's voice and the bags hanging heavy under her eyes, that she had agonized over this choice. Likely, she had worried for me as well.

[ reached out and placed my hand on her forearm. I didn’t press to heavily, aware of my own dirt. But I wanted to

in

I

been stronger.” I blinked, confused. “Stronger how?” She glared down at her own hands as if they had personally offended her. “IFT had more power... If I could control the teleportation, you never would have been stuck down there. I could have saved

saved me,”

hadn’t been there, no one else would have listened to me.” She sighed. “Twill get stronger. I will master this power. And I will be able to save us both if there is a next time.” There

was a very independent

her to make this vow aloud meant that she had already

telling me.

was going to be. There was no room for

was support her however I could. I patted her arm gently, mindful

to shower and change. My bed looked so very

worried about Nicholas, and what his parents were saying to him, that I didn’t want to go

returned downstairs. There was

who was drinking a lemonade — possibly filled with alcohol — over by the edge of the deck. After accepting a glass of

made my way over

as

out my arms. “Better?” He laughed. “Significantly less dirty and smelly, yes.” “Thanks,” I grumbled as I rested my elbows on the railing of

mimicking me, and together we looked out

want to see a jungle as long as live,”

you.” He paused a moment, as if

to figure out who dug that

looked at him sideways, surprised. I had thought that pit had been placed there a long time ago and just forgotten about, but Julian was making the face he always made when

ask too much. I didn’t even want to consider that I might have been set up. That seemed too