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.

the knocking continued. "Someone better be dead, to get me

and pulled open the door. The

shit," she said

now, I pulled myself out of bed. From the living room, I could easily see the front door. The apartment was still dark, with black out curtains hanging over the window, but the hallway light

my pajamas, but Nicholas had seen me at my worst. I tried not to worry as I

as I came closer. "I think

him in, Anna," I teased. "Can't have a prince standing in the hallway. What

when he saw me. "They'll surely think, there goes

Nicholas inside. I flipped on the kitchen light as he entered

eyes. I can't imagine she ever

nodded. "It's a

Anna just

finished with a

giggle, like it was an impulse, or a

grinned wider, pleased

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

Nicholas turned to me. "Piper," he

but his absence had been

apart a short time, but he had been so far

some part of myself, deep down, that felt strung out by the distance. That part of me hummed happily

for me and I immediately went within them. He closed his

living room, I heard Anna waking Elva and shuffling around, cleaning no doubt. She'd worry about having a

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

I braced myself for his judgement

harshness I had expected to see in his eyes was not there. Honestly, I should have known better. Nicholas had never been

used to

give me

of the major amenities. Stove, fridge, oven, coffee pot. Not much to

we could hear Elva and Anna talking in Anna's room. Elva was asking