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?"

read about in this book." She motioned toward the merfolk book on the top of the

and I perked up. She said 'remove them'! That should be exciting, a great sign! If the book talked about how to remove the curse,

looked anything but happy about

I asked, because looking at Veronica, I was

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

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,

Cóntent

good?" I was beginning to suspect that

She was never one for false hope. Although in this case, it pulled my heart out a little. I

intricate of the curses," Veronica said. "It

of power? Veronica was the only one

remove her curse?"

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

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

said quickly. "This isn't on you at

"If I were stronger-*

closer to her. I dipped my head into her line of vision so she could see my

talk. I knew exactly how

oracle," Veronica said. "She's the only

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

"I've only just started.

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

ways, wanting to give her some space. I looked out over the water. The view

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

Nicholas said to

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

made his way over to me. Together we stood side

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