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?

unrecognizable. Unless he truly had sealed me away in his past and moved on,

save face. I could be a great embarrassment

Maybe he hated me.

the outsider.” The girl in pink motioned to

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

so I followed him. He led

official-looking man in a suit hurried toward him. “Your Royal Highness, please remember that per the selection rules, you aren’t to be alone with the

look at the man, who nervously backed up a

an exception,” Nicholas

sir.” The man bowed twice as he

forward and closed the door behind us, leaving

stomach churned. I thought I might be sick. I had never imagined

say. What would he think of me, to see

who seemed at ease against his chest. She must have cried

his perfect façade cracked. He frowned. His golden eyes filled

Elva, his arm looped

hide my child from me?” he

my thoughts skidded to a stop. I blinked once, twice,

Eloquently, I said, “Huh?”

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

We’d been so young then, too eager

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

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

hoping

on television. For me to hide a child from him would have been a cruelty. He would likely have struggled forever over the guilt for

That’s her name. But she’s not

eyes widened a moment, before the

struggle to get it

me and Elva. “She looks like

tell that to Nicholas. Elva was mine in every way that

answer some unspoken question

What could cause that

he immediately cut off the

he lowered Elva down onto one

Mommy,” came Elva’s