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?

to become unrecognizable. Unless he truly had sealed me away

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

Maybe he hated me.

is the outsider.” The girl in pink motioned to

even his voice was monotone. Another moment of staring

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

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

stopped to look at the man, who nervously backed up

is an

sir.” The man bowed twice

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

I might be sick. I had never imagined

no idea what even to say. What would he think of me, to see

She must have cried herself

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

his hands stayed gentle on Elva,

you hide my child from me?”

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

Eloquently, I said, “Huh?”

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

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

haste. I couldn’t remember where he was when

but the certainty that fueled it seemed to slide into bewilderment.

I said, hoping to give him some

me to hide a child from him would have been a cruelty. He would likely have

her name. But

eyes widened a moment, before the anger

seemed to struggle to get it

glanced between me and Elva. “She looks like

that to Nicholas. Elva was mine in every way that mattered. I would not have her

answer some unspoken question for him,

startled. What could cause that

arms, and he immediately cut

he lowered Elva down onto one of the

mad at Mommy,” came