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 get me

pulled open the door. The

shit," she

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

self-conscious in my pajamas, but Nicholas had seen me at

as I came closer. "I think

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

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

and invited Nicholas inside. I flipped on the kitchen light as he entered and we both

imagine she ever expected to have an actual prince

nodded. "It's a pleasure

when Anna just looked at

he finished with a

immediately began to giggle, like it was an impulse, or

wider, pleased

the room. "Yes... uh.. same!" She fled. "No one is ever going

now, Nicholas turned to me. "Piper," he

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

short time,

some part of myself, deep down, that felt

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

that for a very long moment. Out in the living room, I heard Anna waking Elva and

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 even seemed smaller to me than it had been before, having

questions. I braced myself

should have known better. Nicholas had never been the judgmental type. He was the kind of guy who worried about

place that I used to live, he seemed more curious

me the tour?"

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