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?"

was actually an incantation I read about in this book." She motioned toward the merfolk book on the top of the bar. "The book contains many sections on curses

sign! If the book

Veronica looked anything but happy about

that good news?" I asked, because looking at Veronica, I

the magical power level needed to remove

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

said. Cóntent belong to

that good?" I 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

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

you remove her curse?"

I do is

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.

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

"If I were stronger-*

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

with herself. I couldn't talk. I knew exactly how

"She's the only one with enough power

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 I be certain I could

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

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

give her some space. I looked out over the water. The view was pretty good from

from the house. She explained in her roundabout child way that Veronica had made it and given it to her, and that she loved it

Frank," Nicholas said

to a pile of napkins in an attempt to replicate the bird.

Together we stood side by side. We both

needed to cool down," Nicholas said.