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?

not enough to become unrecognizable. Unless he truly had sealed me away in his past and moved on,

simply pretending, to save face. I could be a great embarrassment to him, showing up here,

Maybe he hated me.

outsider.” The girl in

his voice was monotone. Another moment of staring at me blankly, then he turned and walked

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

him. “Your Royal Highness, please remember that per the selection

to look at the man, who

an exception,” Nicholas

The

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

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

say. What would he think of me, to see me as I was? To see

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

perfect façade cracked. He frowned. His golden eyes filled with

on Elva, his arm looped

hide my child

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

Eloquently, I said, “Huh?”

softly sleeping in his arms. She was three

so young then, too eager and excited

where he was when he’d climaxed. But,

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

mistaken,” I said, hoping to give him some

so on television. For me to hide a child from him would have been a cruelty. He would likely have struggled

her name. But she’s not

before

seemed to struggle to get it out. He swallowed

between me and Elva. “She looks

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

question for him, and he

straightened, startled. What could cause

and he immediately cut off the deep

lowered Elva down onto one of the

mad at Mommy,” came Elva’s