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?

had changed, sure, but not enough to become unrecognizable. Unless he truly had sealed me

could be a great

Maybe he hated me.

is the outsider.” The girl in pink

even his voice was monotone. Another moment of staring

held Elva, so I followed him. He led me

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 contestants

to look at the man, who nervously backed up

is an

sir.” The man bowed

carried Elva into the room. I went inside after them. A servant stepped forward and closed

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

what even to say. What would he think of me, to see me as I was? To see me here, as part of the selection?

his chest. She must have cried herself to sleep, eyes

perfect façade cracked. He frowned. His golden eyes

Elva, his arm

hide my child from me?”

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

Eloquently, I said, “Huh?”

softly sleeping in his arms. She was three years old. That lined up with our breakup three years

been so young then, too eager and

finished in clumsy haste. I couldn’t remember where he was when he’d climaxed. But, hadn’t he been wearing a condom at the

it seemed to

I said, hoping to give

television. For me to hide a child from him would have been a

name.

a moment, before

he seemed to struggle to get it

glanced between me and Elva. “She looks like

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

startled. What could

stirred his arms, and he immediately cut off the deep

one of the

be mad at Mommy,” came Elva’s