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?"

this book." She motioned toward the merfolk book on

the book talked about how to remove the curse, then maybe we didn't need

Veronica looked anything

asked, because looking at

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

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

said. Cóntent belong

that good?" I was

hope. Although in this case, it pulled my heart out a little. I wanted her to say purple was the best color, that

said. "It will require the highest amount of magical power

amount of power? Veronica was the only one I

her curse?"

Not by far." She sighed. "What I do is mere child's play compared to what

hope I had 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 very good. "I'm sorry," Veronica

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

"If I were stronger-*

line of vision so she could see my face and know

herself. I couldn't talk. I knew exactly how it felt to

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

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've only just

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

off a little ways, wanting to give her some space. I looked out

Elva called, "Nick-lass! Look 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 it to her, and that she loved it and

Nicholas said to

napkins in an attempt to replicate the bird. Unfortunately, Veronica didn't

Nicholas made his way over to me. Together we stood side

needed to cool down,"