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 sealed me away in his past and moved

be a great embarrassment to

Maybe he hated me.

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 me to an

hurried toward him. “Your Royal Highness, please remember that per the selection rules, you aren’t to be alone

stopped to look at the man, who nervously backed

is an exception,”

The man bowed twice as he

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

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

to see me as I was? To see me here, as part

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

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

his hands stayed gentle on Elva,

dare you hide my

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

Eloquently, I said, “Huh?”

his arms. She was three years old. That lined up with

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

couldn’t remember where he was when

it seemed to slide into bewilderment.

I said, hoping to give him

For me to hide a child from him would have been a cruelty. He would likely have struggled forever over

her name. But she’s not

moment, before the anger returned

say, he seemed to struggle to get it out.

glanced between me and

would. Her birth mother was my identical twin sister. But I wouldn’t tell that to Nicholas. Elva was mine

unspoken question

straightened, startled. What could

and he immediately

he lowered Elva down onto one of the plush couches in

be mad at Mommy,” came Elva’s quiet