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?

he truly had

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

Maybe he hated me.

The girl in pink motioned to

monotone. Another moment of staring at

so I followed him. He led me to an adjoining room, separated

official-looking man in a suit hurried toward him. “Your Royal Highness, please remember

man,

an exception,”

Of course, sir.” The man bowed

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

I might be sick. I had never imagined I’d meet

What would he think of me, to see me as I was? To see me here, as part

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

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

stayed gentle on Elva, his arm looped more protectively

hide my child from me?”

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

Eloquently, I said, “Huh?”

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

memory. We’d been so young then,

both finished in clumsy haste. I couldn’t remember where he was when he’d climaxed. But, hadn’t

face retained its anger, but the certainty that fueled it seemed to slide into bewilderment. His gaze shifted, like he was

I said, hoping to

to hide a child from him would have been a cruelty. He would likely have struggled

That’s her name. But she’s

eyes widened a moment, before the

to struggle

me and Elva. “She looks like

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

silence seemed to answer some unspoken question for him, and he started to

startled. What

arms, and he immediately cut off

Elva down onto one of the plush couches in

mad at Mommy,” came Elva’s