The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 0629

Elva held tightly onto her teddy bear. She looked down at it with sad eyes.

"I don't understand, Mommy," Elva said. "Why do we hate bears now...?"

I lowered myself down to her level. Holding her shoulders, I explained, "We don't hate bears, honey. But... they could be dangerous right now. They're all pretty grumpy about some things that happened a few years ago. Until that gets sorted out, we need to be extra careful."

Elva nodded, soaking in my words. Then she held out her bear toward me. "Do we report Mr. Fuzz Bear?"

My heart cracked down the middle. How could I possibly, properly explain this situation to Elva, a child? She couldn't see the difference between wolves and bears. To her, they were all her tea-party guests.

"No, Elva," I said, gently pushing Mr. Fuzz Bear back toward Elva. "Mr. Fuzz Bear is a bear we can trust. It's every other bear that we see that we must stay away from and report, okay?"

She didn't seem to understand, her face still scrunched up in confusion. But, she eventually nodded and pulled Mr. Fuzz Bear back into her arms. "Okay..." she said in a tiny voice.

Slowly, we walked back to our room. I hadn't told Elva yet that I would be leaving without her today. I knew she was going to be upset about it.

As I dressed in less flashy clothes for the adventure, Elva stood in the closet doorway and asked me, "Where you going, Mommy?"

"I just have to go out for a little while."

"What about the bears?"

"I'll be okay," I told her. "Nicholas will be there to protect me."

"Can I come?" Elva asked.

Absolutely not. I would endanger my own life, but I'd never put Elva at risk. "No, honey," I said. "Not today." "But Mommy-"

I said, "But it's too

to say. She scrunched up her nose in

can go, I can go too!"

"No, Elva."

"Why?" she asked.

told you why," I said, though even I could admit that my reasoning wasn't very sound, at least from her perspective. If I

"Why, Mommy?" she demanded.

knock sounded at the door, abruptly ending

didn't want to stand out as princes and

and a polo shirt. It was odd to see him dressed so informally, although the jeans hugged his backside

at a bad

into the main room.

almost smile immediately fell. "I

want to

is

the moment his heart broke, having to deny her. He even placed a hand to his chest,

you know

her head. She was still

I have a hug goodbye?" Nicholas asked, holding

in the safety of his embrace. Slowly, he released

stretching open my arms. She quickly raced to me, and I earned a hug as well." Thank you," I told her. "I love you," I said and kissed her

I left Elva in the care of her nanny and stepped out into

wanted to come," I told

Nicholas said. "It hurt, to turn her down.

"I didn't want to frighten her. I don't want her to know fear at her age, but

"I can see that."

am willing to risk my life, but she is not permitted to do the same," I