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?"

"That magic trick' 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 and how to

'remove them'! That should be exciting, a great sign! If the book talked about

anything

news?" I asked, because looking

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

her own daughter no less. I'd come to accept that Jane would never come around, not to help herself or anyone else. If

Veronica said. Cóntent belong to

I was beginning to suspect that it

said flatly. I 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

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

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

her curse?" I

"No. Not by far." She sighed. "What I do

for myself crashed and burned all around me. It was my own fault. I

no," I said quickly.

"If I were stronger-*

she could see my face and know that I'm earnest. "We wouldn't even know any of this if

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

Veronica said. "She's the

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

"I've only just started. Maybe

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

her some space. I

Elva called, "Nick-lass! 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 had made it and given it to her,

Frank," Nicholas said to the

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

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

needed to cool down," Nicholas said.