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?"

magic trick' was actually an incantation I read about in this book." She motioned toward the merfolk book on the top of the bar. "The book contains many sections on

the book talked

Veronica looked anything

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

and the magical power level needed to remove

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 to help herself or anyone else. If left to Jane, the

Veronica said. Cóntent

I was beginning

flatly. I supposed I 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 was the best color,

"It will require the highest amount of

power? Veronica was the only one I knew who could

you remove her

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

the ground. Any false hope I had built up for myself crashed and burned all around me. It was

quickly. "This

"If I were stronger-*

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

dissatisfied with herself. I couldn't talk. I knew

"She's the only one with enough power to have

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 certain

"I've only just

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

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

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

said to

she rushed over to a pile of napkins in an attempt to replicate the

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

down," Nicholas