The Luna Choosing Game by Jane Above Story

Nicholas held Elva safe and secure in his arms as he stood to his full height. Elva buried her face into the corner of his neck and shoulder. He gently patted her back.

He glanced down at Elva, his gaze so tender that it made my heart clench.

“There, there,” he whispered. “You are safe now.”

“Oh my God,” said one of the other girls in the room, fanning herself. “Of course he’s good with children.”

“Someone pinch me,” said another. “I think I’m dreaming.”

Nicholas’s soft expression hardened as he glared out at the rest of the room. “Whose child is this? Why is she here?”

I started forward, but the girl in the pink dress spoke before I could reach him.

“An outsider sneaked in, unless she’s a maid.”

Some of the other girls snickered at my expense.

“She can’t be a participant,” another girl fake-whispered, loud enough for half-the room to hear. “I thought we had to be virgins, and she’s got a kid.”

I wanted to disappear into a corner. Whether virgin or not, I was nothing compared to the rest of these girls.

My clothes weren’t as nice as theirs, and my figure wasn’t like what it had been at the Academy. I’d lost much of my musculature. I was skinny from too many nights of skipped dinners.

Elva’s wellbeing had always come before my own.

Her sake was the only reason I continued forward rather than hide in embarrassment. I stopped only when I reached Nicholas.

He looked at me, and I looked at him.

I’d forgotten how gorgeous his eyes were, golden brown with flakes of green. When we’d dated, I had spent hours looking at them, trying to memorize that color, but it had seemed different each time.

Before, when I’d stared long enough, I could earn a bashful smile from him. Now, his face was totally devoid of emotion. He looked at me like I was a stranger.

Did he… not recognize me?

truly had sealed me away in his past and moved

simply pretending, to save face. I could be a great embarrassment to him, showing up

Maybe he hated me.

is the outsider.” The girl in

voice was monotone. Another moment of staring at me blankly,

He led me to an adjoining room,

man in a suit hurried toward him. “Your Royal Highness, please remember that per the selection

to look at the man, who

an exception,” Nicholas

The man bowed

Elva into the room. I went inside after them. A servant stepped forward and closed the door behind us, leaving Nicholas, Elva, and I

I had never imagined I’d meet Nicholas again, and

had no idea what even to say. What would he think of me, to see me as I was? To see me here, as

have cried herself to sleep, eyes closed and drooling. She seemed at

once, his perfect façade cracked. He frowned. His golden eyes filled with

his hands stayed gentle on Elva, his

dare you hide my child from me?” he

of my thoughts skidded to a stop. I blinked once, twice, but, no, I couldn’t make

Eloquently, I said, “Huh?”

softly sleeping in his arms. She was three years old. That lined

memory. We’d been so young then, too eager and excited and

was when he’d climaxed. But, hadn’t

seemed to slide into bewilderment.

hoping to

He’d even said so on television. For me to hide a child from him would have been a cruelty. He would likely have struggled forever over

name.

a moment, before the anger returned tenfold.

struggle to get

me and Elva.

that to Nicholas. Elva was mine in every way that

some unspoken question for him, and he

startled. What could cause that

his arms, and he immediately

he lowered Elva down onto one of the plush

be mad at Mommy,”