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.

continued. "Someone better be dead, to

and pulled open the door.

she

apartment was still dark,

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

said as I came closer.

have a prince standing

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

I flipped on the kitchen light as he entered and

at Nicholas with wide eyes. I can't imagine

nodded. "It's a pleasure

when Anna just

he finished with

to giggle, like it was an impulse,

grinned wider,

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

Nicholas turned to me. "Piper," he

help myself. It had been less than a day, but his absence had been noted. His presence had been missed. I hated that I couldn't

been apart a short time, but he had been so far

having him near. It calmed some part of myself, deep down, that felt strung out by the distance. That part

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

like that for a very long moment. Out in the living room, I heard Anna waking Elva and shuffling around, cleaning no doubt. She'd worry about

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

braced myself for his judgement

Honestly, I should have known better. Nicholas had never been the judgmental type. He was the kind of

gazed around this place that I used to live, he seemed more

me the

but it had all of

hear Elva and Anna talking in Anna's