The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 0617

Anna's words stayed with me all through the night. I was haunted by them, even as I eventually drifted off to sleep on the air mattress.

Was I truly considering the King's demand because I wanted what was best for the country? Or was I simply hiding, pushing off responsibility to retum to a life of normalcy?

Bridget would make a lousy queen. I knew that.

Anyone would be a better choice.

Even... me?

Could I be queen?

I had labeled the idea as outlandish straight from the start, so much so that I barely considered it even when I tried to think critically about it.

I was constantly making excuses: I knew so little of politics. I knew so little of royalty. Everyone looked down on me. No one would take me seriously.

But these were just excuses, I was realizing now. Anna was right. I was running away.

I needed to do better. I needed to think about how I could actually contribute as a queen, and showcase those abilities. No more hiding. No more putting myself down.

If I wanted a family with Nicholas, I had to earn it.

The thoughts and worries stayed with me even when I woke up again. I had a dreamless sleep, though I felt rested. My body must have decided enough was enough and shut off my brain.

I was resolved to lie on the air mattress until Elva or Anna woke first, but a knock sounded on the door. It was soft at first, but with a growing urgency the longer no one answered.

I wasn't sure who it could be. It seemed too early for the camera crew, and Anna hadn't said she'd been expecting guests.

Crumbling, Anna emerged from her room and slunk herself toward the front door.

she shouted, when the knocking continued. "Someone better be dead, to get

open the door. The grumbling immediately

she

bed. From the living room, I could easily see the front door. The apartment was still dark, with black out curtains

was self-conscious in my pajamas, but Nicholas had

as I came

teased. "Can't have a prince standing in the hallway. What

me. "They'll

I flipped on the kitchen light as he entered

I can't imagine she ever

nodded. "It's a pleasure to meet

him, when Anna just looked at

finished

it was an impulse, or

wider,

uh.. same!" She fled. "No one is ever going to believe me," she said when she was

now, Nicholas turned to me. "Piper,"

day, but his absence had been noted. His presence had been missed. I hated that I couldn't call for him if I

a short time, but he had been so

down, that felt strung out by the

open his arms for me and I immediately went within them. He closed his arms around me and I felt like home

a very long moment. Out in the living room, I heard Anna

anything he was used too. It even seemed smaller to me than it had been before, having lived in the palace

myself for

not there. Honestly, I should have known better. Nicholas had never been the judgmental type. He was the kind of guy who worried about everyone, and helped out

gazed around this place that I used to

give me the

"This... is the kitchen." It was small, but it had all of the major amenities. Stove, fridge, oven, coffee pot. Not much to

living room, we could hear Elva and Anna talking in