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?"

took a breath. "That 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 curses and how

up. She said 'remove them'! That should be exciting, a great sign! If the book talked about how to remove the curse, then maybe we didn't need to wait for the

anything but happy

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

frowned. "The purpose of the incantation is to show the nature of Elva's curse and the magical power level needed to remove

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

Veronica said. Cóntent

I was beginning to

it pulled my heart out a little. I wanted her to say purple was the best color, that it indicated a curse

Veronica said. "It will require the highest amount

only one I

her

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

It was my own fault. I should have known from Veronica's expressions that the diagnosis was not very

quickly. "This

"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

her head, clearly dissatisfied with herself. I couldn't talk. I knew exactly how it felt to not believe you were

Veronica said. "She's the only one with enough

again to me 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

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

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

her some space.

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

Nicholas said to

attempt to replicate the bird. Unfortunately, Veronica didn't notice to be

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

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