The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 0550

Elva glanced up at Veronica and her laughter stifled. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Veronica startled a little, then tried to smile again. It wasn't as big as before. It barely twitched her lip, and certainly did not meet her eyes.

"Nothing's wrong," Veronica said. "I'm glad you liked the trick."

*How long does it last?" I asked, though as soon as the words left my mouth Elva's purple glow began to fade.

"Aww," Elva said, looking at her hands. "Do it again!"

"Elva, honey," I scolded lightly. "We don't demand things from people."

"I'm tired now," Veronica said. "Maybe another time."

Elva tucked her chin down, disappointed. But she said, "Okay."

*Thank Veronica for the magic trick," I reminded Elva.

Elva kicked her feet on the ground. "Thank you..." she mumbled.

"You're welcome," Veronica said.

Elva lifted her folded bird again. She glanced at me, as if for permission.

"Go on," I said. "Have fun."

Nearby I saw the nanny coming up onto the deck. Elva saw her too, and ran toward her, holding up the folded bird. With Elva thoroughly distracted, I turned to Veronica, looking for an explanation. "What just happened?"

toward the merfolk book on

up. She said 'remove them'! That should be exciting, a great sign! If the book talked about how to remove the curse, then maybe we didn't need to wait

anything but

that good news?" I asked, because looking at Veronica,

Elva's curse and the magical power level needed to remove it. It's easier, of course, if the person who made the curse removes

said. Jane was the one to make the curse, on her own daughter no less. I'd come to accept that Jane would never come around, not

Veronica said. Cóntent belong to

that good?" I was

hope. Although in this case, it pulled my heart

intricate of the curses," Veronica said. "It will require the highest amount of magical

amount of power? Veronica was the only one I knew

remove her

far." She sighed. "What I do is mere child's play compared to

built up for myself crashed and burned all around me. It was my own fault. I should have known from Veronica's expressions that the diagnosis was not

I said quickly. "This

"If I were stronger-*

head into her line of vision so she could see my face and know that I'm earnest. "We wouldn't

talk. I knew exactly how it

merfolk oracle," Veronica said. "She's the only one with enough power to have

wanted to arrive, to help Elva, but I still didn't know if I could fully trust her. The oracle was

"I've only just started. Maybe

meant it from the bottom of my heart. I hoped she knew how much I appreciated her. I

I walked off a little ways, wanting to give her some space. I looked out over the water. The view was pretty good from

house. She explained in her roundabout child way that Veronica

said to

napkins in an attempt to replicate the bird. Unfortunately, Veronica didn't notice to be able to help.

way over to me. Together we stood side by side. We both turned to

down," Nicholas said. "I'm