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?"

actually an incantation I read about in this book." She motioned toward the merfolk book on

up 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, then maybe we didn't need to wait

looked anything but happy about

because looking at Veronica, I

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

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

Veronica said. Cóntent belong to

that good?" I was beginning to

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

"It

power? Veronica was the only one I

her curse?"

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

false hope I had 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,"

no," I said quickly. "This isn't on you

"If I were stronger-*

line of vision so she could see my face and know that

I knew exactly

the only one with enough power to have a

oracle had said she would appear 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 to Veronica. How

just started. Maybe

her, and meant it from the bottom of my heart. I hoped she knew how much I

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

the house. She explained in

Frank," Nicholas said

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

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

to cool down,"