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?"

in this book." She motioned toward the merfolk book on the top of the bar. "The book contains many sections on curses and

a great sign! If the book talked about how to remove the curse,

looked anything but happy about

asked, because looking at Veronica,

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

no less. I'd come to accept that Jane would never come around,

Veronica said. Cóntent belong to

good?" I was beginning to

hope. Although in this case, it pulled my heart out a

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

amount of power? Veronica was the only one I knew who

remove her curse?" I

Not by far." She sighed. "What I

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

no. No, no," I said quickly. "This

"If I were stronger-*

I dipped my head into her line of vision so she could see my face and know

her head, clearly dissatisfied with herself. I couldn't talk. I knew exactly

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

I had removed doubt from my heart. I wanted to arrive, to help Elva, but I still didn't know if I could fully trust her. The oracle was a stranger. This magic was foreign, even to Veronica. How

just started. Maybe there's more

from the bottom of my heart. I hoped she knew how much I appreciated her. I wasn't sure she would until

returned to her book, and I walked off a little ways, wanting to give her some space. I looked out over the water.

onto the deck from the house. She explained in her roundabout child way that Veronica had made it and given it to her, and that she loved it and

said to

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

stood side by side.

needed to cool down," Nicholas said. "I'm