The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 0559

*Just for the record, I won the race," Bridget said, from the peripheral of the small crowd gathered around me.

Nicholas was still holding me, with Veronica, Jessica, and Elva close by. Everyone, it seemed, was worried about me - all except Bridget, who said again, "Did you record my finish? Did you see it?"

I ignored her, and focused instead on the closeness of Nicholas. His warmth. The strength of his arms around me, ever-protecting me. His scent, dimmed slightly by the salt water clinging to his skin and his hair.

Why was he wet? He wasn't in the race.

It took me a long moment to realize that my vision of him in the water wasn't a dream. He had truly been there. I didn't understand how, but I knew, deep in my heart, that he was the one who stopped Ronan from killing me. And Veronica, who had so valiantly come to my rescue as well.

I was eternally to them both.

I trembled, remembering the cold depths of the ocean.

I'd never been afraid of the dark or the cold or of water, but Ronan had instilled fear into me, the likes of which was unfortunately becoming so familiar. I felt the same fear when I face my sister with her ready to kill me, or when Elva had been so sick, we didn't know if she would recover.

I whispered, for only

you," he whispered in reply. "You are

his presence and his words. Yes, I could believe him, because he was here. He was with

my own, but I didn't need to do it all by myself any longer. Nicholas was my knight in shining armor. He wouldn't let anyone like Ronan do me

way Nicholas and I

Nicholas, hoping he would understand. We needed to put more space between us, lest everyone in the

them see," Nicholas whispered in reply. "I don't

knew. If he were calm, he would know that our closeness could be a stain on his reputation. He had reasons for the game we played, where

I said, more

he loosened his hold on

so cold without him. On reflex, I reached out and clutched his arm.

Julian came running up to the group, out of breath. He knelt in the sand on the other side of

met. His held a question. I nodded