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?"

She motioned toward the merfolk book on the top of the bar. "The book contains many sections on curses and how

sign! If the book talked about how

Veronica looked anything but happy about

good news?" I asked, because looking at

of Elva's curse and the magical power level needed to remove it. It's easier,

that won't happen," I 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 curse on Elva would stay

Cóntent belong to

that good?" I was beginning

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, that it indicated a

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

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

you remove her

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

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

said quickly. "This

"If I were stronger-*

I inched 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

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

oracle," Veronica said. "She's the only one with enough power to

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 to Veronica. How could

reading." Veronica said. "I've only just

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

I walked off a little ways, wanting to give her some space. I looked out over the water. The

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

Nicholas said to the

to a pile of napkins in an attempt to replicate the bird. Unfortunately, Veronica didn't notice to be able to help. The

we stood side by side. We

down," Nicholas