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?

become unrecognizable. Unless he truly had sealed

maybe he was simply pretending, to save face. I could be a great

Maybe he hated me.

the outsider.” The girl in pink

said, and even his voice was monotone. Another moment of staring at

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

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

the man, who nervously backed

an exception,”

course, sir.” The man bowed twice

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

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

see me as I was? To see me here,

chest. She must have cried herself to

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

stayed gentle on Elva, his arm looped more protectively around

my

I blinked once, twice, but, no, I couldn’t make sense of what

Eloquently, I said, “Huh?”

three years old. That lined up with

tried to recall the memory. We’d been so young then, too

he was when he’d climaxed. But,

the certainty that fueled it seemed to slide into bewilderment. His gaze

mistaken,” I said, hoping to give

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

moment, before the anger returned

he seemed to struggle to get it out.

glanced between me and

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 seen as anything

to answer some unspoken question for

What could cause that

stirred his arms, and he immediately cut off the deep rumbling

gently, he lowered Elva down onto one of the plush

Mommy,” came