The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 0600

"Oh." Susie's eyes widened. "I suppose you wouldn't have known." She hung her head a little. "Tensions with the Bear People have more or less exploded. Mark says more and more soldiers are being sent to the northern border. War seems imminent."

I didn't want to believe that. "Surely there's something to be done to keep the peace?"

*The Bear People have made demands but those demands are impossible to fulfill."

"What are they?" I asked.

Before us, out on the lawn, Elva sat on the grass with the two wolves, Night and Silver, in sitting in front of her. They were all looking so intently at each other, it was like they were having a conversation. I wondered what they were saying.

Focusing on that was less heartbreaking than thinking of the reality of war.

*They want their princess back," Susie said. She made it sound like I should know what she's talking about.

My brow drew together. "We have their princess?"

Susie tilted her head. "You don't know the story of the lost bear princess?"

I shook my head.

Susie hummed thoughtfully. She tapped her chin with a finger. "Oh. It was something like twenty years ago, I suppose. One of their princesses was stolen away as an infant and believed to be brought across the border into werewolf territory."

I couldn't believe my ears. A stolen princess? "Why haven't I heard of this?"

"I'm not sure," Susie said. "Though I imagine the royals wanted to keep a lid on the whole thing. I don't remember ever seeing anything about it on television. It was only ever discussed in gossip groups. I remember my mom talking about it sometimes."

be hot topics among royalty, but not bothered with by commoners. A missing foreign princess did not affect the day to day life of anyone I knew about back in my regular life. And

had been kidnapped by rebels among the bears own people. They couldn't deny that the princess had been brought into

the Bear People never believed them, why wait twenty

it, the bears want

an invasion, even if

the bear rebels likely killed the princess. Even if they hadn't, surely her bear would have manifested by

that she's different. She would have likely spoken up by now, or had someone speak for her. Bears were powerful. There would be no reason to

still alive, she would come forward now if not before,

heavy, and my thoughts were filled with grief. They'd taught us something about war at the Academy. They wanted us to be ready to fight, physically and mentally. War was brutal. It would

an entire generation.

broken apart. Babies would learn to fear

Susie said, looking at

I asked, returning to

look you have... the empathy... not just for royals, or even the soldiers, but for every

really considered feeling so much for so many to be one of my finer qualities.

to make the hard choices no matter who it hurt?

hope too much, afraid of how my heart my break when it all inevitably came crashing down around

with the wolves. She was resting her head

so peaceful. I wished that I could keep them safe, away

Piper," Mark said, suddenly appearing beside us. Susie smiled at him, but I jumped. I had forgotten how

asked when

in his personal office," Mark said. "He has finished his meeting with his parents and wishes to speak

I said,

take you there," Mark

get Elva." I hated to disturb her. She was resting so peacefully with the

Susie said. "Between the wolves and