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 curses and how to properly evaluate

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

anything but happy about

asked, because looking at Veronica, I was really

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

I'd come to accept that Jane would never come around, not to help herself or anyone else. If left to Jane, the curse on Elva

said. Cóntent belong

good?" I was beginning to suspect

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

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

was the only one I knew who could

you remove her curse?" I

"What I do is

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

I said quickly. "This isn't on you at

"If I were stronger-*

dipped my head into her line of vision so she could see my face and know that I'm earnest.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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,

Frank," Nicholas said to

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

me. Together we stood side by side. We both turned to look out

needed to cool down," Nicholas