The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 0593

The next morning was the final of our time on the island, so I made sure to set a personal alarm to wake me up just before dawn. When it finally went off, I grumbled a minute, before remembering my plan and forcing myself out of bed.

I turned toward Elva and shook her gently, rousing her.

"Mommy?" she asked, peeking open one eye.

"Would you like to watch the sunrise, honey?"

That woke her up right away. "Yeah!"

I shushed her gently. "Let's not wake Nicholas," I said.

"I'm already awake," he said from his air mattress on the ground.

I had tried to tell him late last night, after we had very diligently cleaned up after ourselves and finally came upstairs to sleep, that he didn't have to guard us now, with Ronan in jail and Bridget under supervision.

But Nicholas would not be talked out of it.

And now, thusly, he had been woken up before dawn.

I rolled over on the bed to peer down at him with an apologetic glance. "Sorry," I said.

He rubbed his eye with his forefinger. He huffed a small exhale as he shook his head. "I wouldn't want to have missed this," he said. "I'm glad I was here."

We all rolled out of bed. Since it was so early, we didn't bother changing out of our pajamas as we descended the staircase and made our way out onto the deck. We had to come around the house to face east.

Already the sky was lighting up in warm oranges, the sun near the horizon.

To my surprise, Veronica was already there, reading the book she had borrowed from the merfolk. She had a tiny book light clipped onto the top of the book. I marveled for a minute at how it could do so without bending the pages.

I had no idea if she was serious or

white stretch out across

sun cresting above the waves, as

I placed my hand on Elva's shoulder. Nicholas

"It's beautiful," I whispered.

my ear. "Not as beautiful as you,"

Smooth talker.

gave him a soft smile. He returned

at the sunrise any longer, not wanting to damage our eyes. By now, some of the others had awakened. Soon, Julian had found us and

thought of dismantling it, but... we didn't want to traumatize Elva any more

Julian said to her.

fun," I told Elva, to encourage her. She hadn't

sighed as she said, "Okay." She took Julian's hand and they went closer to the

Nicholas seemed torn about whether to follow Elva or me, but he decided me rather quickly when Veronica added, "I want to tell you

her. Veronica didn't

that she had made extreme progress on

have been good news, but her dire expression kept me from expressing my joy. "But she won't be able to do

that mean?" I asked. "Do we need to find

said. "And perhaps

be cryptic with me about this, Veronica," I said. Usually I wouldn't have minded. I liked the unique way Veronica's mind seemed to

you." He inhaled deeply. "The curse itself is tied

are talking about?

health, near the end. Or quality of life. And the more life force that is needed

asked. Already I could sense he was about to volunteer. Well, he could get in line. Elva was my daughter. If

only be

but not the means," Veronica confirmed. "She will

I said at once, before Nicholas

said. "I'll do it. I'm an Alpha. It's the least I can do