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?

not enough to become unrecognizable. Unless he truly had sealed me away in his past and moved on,

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

Maybe he hated me.

is the outsider.” The girl

Nicholas said, and even his voice was monotone. Another moment of staring at me blankly, then he turned and walked

He led me to

remember that per the selection rules, you aren’t to be alone with

at the man, who nervously backed up a

an exception,”

sir.” The man bowed twice

A servant stepped forward and closed the door behind us, leaving Nicholas, Elva, and

might be sick. I had never imagined I’d meet Nicholas again, and especially not like

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

must have cried herself to sleep, eyes

Nicholas, and at once, his perfect façade cracked. He frowned. His golden eyes filled

his hands stayed gentle on Elva, his arm looped more protectively

my child

to a stop. I blinked once, twice, but, no, I couldn’t make

Eloquently, I said, “Huh?”

was three

been so young then, too eager and

clumsy haste. I couldn’t remember where he was when

certainty that fueled it seemed to slide into bewilderment. His gaze shifted, like he was trying to remember

hoping

even said so on television. For me to hide a child from him would have been a cruelty. He would

her name. But

eyes widened a moment, before the anger returned

to struggle

glanced between me and Elva. “She

But I wouldn’t tell that to Nicholas. Elva was mine in every way that mattered. I would not have her seen as anything

to answer some unspoken question for him,

What could

immediately cut off the deep

one of the

be mad at Mommy,” came Elva’s