The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 0570

Elva was a little shaken after the argument with Bridget, so I sat her between me and Veronica, who, when she saw the state Elva was in, began to cheer her up with small magic tricks. When Veronica made some colorful sparkles dance between her fingers, Elva finally brightened once more.

Jessica sat on the other side of me. She'd brought a book this morning, and placed it open beside her plate. It must have been a good book, because she seemed entirely engrossed. I made a mental note to ask her for a recommendation later.

The fifth chair at our table, the one meant for Julian, remained empty.

As the food began to be served and there was no sign of him, Veronica glanced at me with a question in her eyes. I didn't know how to begin to answer her question.

Between Julian's accusation of Bridget knowing Ronan, and Bridget's accusation that Julian had a crush on me, the whole situation was a tangled knot I hadn't untied.

*I'll tell you later," I mouthed.

Veronica nodded. Then her eyes went to the open door behind us. The way my chair was positioned, I couldn't see what was there. When I turned, I saw that Nicholas had just arrived.

the empty chair at Bridget's table, the one he was expected to sit in. Slowly, his gaze shifted to the empty chair at our table, the one Julian had seemed

for a moment, then appeared to make up his mind. He moved straight for the chair at my

gave him a kind

cheered. Her mood had entirely lifted now.

kind

me was softer than for the others. It warmed me from the inside out, healing all the cuts that fighting

said, and felt my heat cheeks. It was silly. So often I interacted with Nicholas, yet each time, my heart

at the Academy. He was nothing like he was now, merely a boy back then. But his smile was kind and his eyes so focused on me. Many other things had changed from then to

other table, Bridget scowled openly at

worried about Julian. If the crush rumor was true, or even if it wasn't, he and I needed to have a

Nicholas, and the nanny, and then went in search of Julian, following his direction from when I had last seen him before

against the railing, resting on his elbows, with his drink placed in the