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?

but not enough to become unrecognizable. Unless he truly had sealed me away

great embarrassment to him, showing

Maybe he hated me.

girl in pink motioned

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

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

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

to look at the man,

is an

Of course, sir.” The man bowed

I went inside after them. A servant stepped forward and closed

thought I might be sick. I had never imagined I’d meet Nicholas again,

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

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

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

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

hide my child

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

Eloquently, I said, “Huh?”

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

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

remember where he was when he’d

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

hoping to give him

that Nicholas wanted children. He’d even said so on television. For me to hide a child from him would have been a cruelty.

her name. But

moment, before the anger

to struggle to get

me and Elva. “She looks

Her birth mother was my identical twin sister. But I wouldn’t tell that to Nicholas. Elva was mine in every way that mattered. I would not have her

seemed to answer some unspoken question

straightened, startled. What could cause that

arms, and he immediately cut off the deep rumbling

onto one of the

Mommy,” came