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.

knocking continued. "Someone better be

open the

shit," she

easily see the front door. The apartment was still dark, with black out curtains hanging over the window, but the hallway light was on. So I could clearly see Nicholas standing in

rushed to stand up. I was self-conscious in my pajamas, but Nicholas had seen me at my worst.

said as I came

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

saw me. "They'll surely

on the kitchen light

I can't imagine she ever expected to have an actual prince on her doorstep.

a pleasure

I told him, when Anna just looked

he finished with

to giggle, like it was an impulse,

grinned wider,

is ever going to believe me," she said when she was outside the

now, Nicholas turned to me. "Piper,"

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

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

calmed some part of myself, deep down, that felt strung out by the distance.

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

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

kind of worried about it too. What must Nicholas think, being in my former home? It was smaller than anything he was used too. It

had questions. I braced myself for

never been the judgmental type. He was

that I used to

me the tour?" he

but it had all of the major

the living room, we could hear Elva and Anna talking in Anna's room. Elva was asking Anna if she