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?"

about in this book." She motioned toward the merfolk book on the top of the bar. "The book contains

That should be exciting, a great sign! If the book talked about how

looked anything but

because looking at Veronica, I was really

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

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

said. Cóntent belong

I was beginning to suspect that it

it pulled my heart out a little. I wanted her to say purple was the best color, that it indicated

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

was the only one I

you remove her curse?" I

frown deepened. "No. Not by far." She sighed. "What I do is mere child's play compared

for myself crashed and burned all around me. It was my own fault. I should have known from Veronica's expressions

said quickly.

"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 even know

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

"She's the only one

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

keep reading." Veronica said. "I've only just started. Maybe there's more

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

off a little ways, wanting to give her some space. I looked

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, and

Nicholas said to the

that and she rushed over to a pile of napkins in an attempt to replicate the bird.

made his way over to me. Together we stood side by side.

down," Nicholas said.