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?"

book." She motioned toward the merfolk book on the top of

perked up. She said 'remove them'! That should be exciting, a great sign! If the book talked about how to remove

anything but

good news?" I asked, because looking at

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

won't happen," I 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,

Veronica said. Cóntent belong

that good?" I was beginning

appreciated her bluntness. She was never one for false hope. Although in this case, it pulled my heart out a little. I wanted her to say purple

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

the only one I

you remove her curse?" I

"What I do is mere child's play compared to

false hope I had built up for myself crashed and burned all around me. It was my own fault. I should have

No, no," I said quickly. "This isn't on you at

"If I were stronger-*

her line of vision so she could see my face and know that I'm earnest. "We wouldn't even know any of this if it

talk. I knew exactly how it felt to not

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

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 certain I could

Veronica said. "I've only just started. Maybe there's more I can

I hoped she knew how much I appreciated her. I wasn't sure she would until Elva

off a little ways, wanting to give her some space. I looked out over the water. The

out onto the deck from the house. She explained in her roundabout child way that Veronica had made

said to

over to a pile of napkins in an attempt to replicate the bird. Unfortunately, Veronica didn't

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

to cool down," Nicholas said.