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

exciting, a great sign! If the book talked about how to remove the curse, then maybe we didn't need

anything but

I asked, because looking at

Elva's curse and the magical power

make the curse, on her own daughter no less. I'd come to accept that Jane would never come around, not to help herself or anyone else.

Veronica said. Cóntent

purple. Is that good?" I was beginning to suspect that it

it pulled my heart

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

only one I knew who could do any

remove her curse?" I

frown deepened. "No. Not by far." She sighed. "What I do is mere child's play

crashed and burned all around me. It was my own fault. I should have known from Veronica's expressions that the

I said quickly. "This isn't on

"If I were stronger-*

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

talk. I knew exactly how it

the only one with enough power to have

when 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 could I be

keep reading." Veronica said. "I've only just

my heart. I hoped she knew how much I appreciated her. I wasn't sure she

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

at my birdie!" She showed her folded bird to Nicholas, who had just stepped out onto the deck from the house. She explained in her roundabout child way that Veronica had made it and given

said to the

after that and she rushed over to a pile of napkins in an attempt to replicate the bird. Unfortunately, Veronica didn't notice to be able to help. The nanny did the

Elva distracted, Nicholas made his way over to me. Together we stood side by side. We both turned to look out

cool down,"