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?

enough to become unrecognizable. Unless he truly had sealed me away in his

to save face. I could be a great embarrassment to him, showing up here, years after leaving him, and

Maybe he hated me.

is the outsider.” The girl in pink

look into this,” Nicholas said, and even his voice was monotone. Another moment

followed him. He led me to an adjoining room,

“Your Royal Highness, please remember that per the selection

at the man, who nervously backed up a

is an exception,” Nicholas

Of course, sir.” The

carried Elva into the room. I went inside after them. A servant stepped forward and closed the door

stomach churned. I thought I might be sick. I had never imagined I’d meet

to see

who seemed at ease against his chest. She must have cried herself to sleep, eyes closed and drooling. She

once, his perfect façade cracked.

gentle on Elva, his arm looped more protectively around

you hide my child from me?”

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

Eloquently, I said, “Huh?”

three years old. That lined up

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

I couldn’t remember where he was when he’d climaxed. But, hadn’t he

to slide into bewilderment. His gaze shifted,

I said, hoping to

me to hide a child from him would have been a

name. But

eyes widened a moment, before the anger returned

to struggle to get it out.

glanced between me and Elva. “She

to Nicholas. Elva was mine in every way that mattered. I would not have her seen

unspoken question

straightened, startled. What could cause

he immediately cut off the deep

he lowered Elva down onto one of the plush

mad at Mommy,”