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?"

motioned toward the merfolk book on the top of the bar. "The book

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 oracle to appear again

Veronica looked anything but

because looking at Veronica, I was really

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

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

said. Cóntent belong to

purple. Is that good?" I was beginning

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

"It will

of power? Veronica was the only one I knew who could do

her curse?" I

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

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," I said quickly. "This isn't

"If I were stronger-*

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 know any

I couldn't talk. I

said. "She's the only

help Elva, but I still didn't know if I could fully trust her.

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

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

off a little ways, wanting to give her some

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

Nicholas said to

fairly quickly after that and she rushed over to a pile of napkins in an attempt to

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

down," Nicholas