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?

enough to become unrecognizable. Unless he truly had sealed me away in his past and

to save face. I could be a great embarrassment to him, showing up here, years after leaving him, and with

Maybe he hated me.

The girl in

monotone. Another moment of staring at me blankly, then he

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

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

to look at the man,

is an

Of course, sir.” The man bowed twice as

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

be sick. I had never imagined

idea 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? And with

seemed at ease against his chest. She must have cried herself to

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

hands stayed gentle on Elva, his arm

you hide my child from me?” he

thoughts skidded to a stop. I blinked once, twice,

Eloquently, I said, “Huh?”

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

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

he was when he’d climaxed. But, hadn’t

the certainty that fueled it seemed to

mistaken,” I said, hoping to give him

was no secret that Nicholas wanted children. He’d even said so on television. For me to hide a child from him would have been a cruelty. He

her name. But she’s

eyes widened a moment, before the anger returned tenfold.

he seemed to struggle to get it out. He swallowed it

and Elva. “She looks like

wouldn’t tell that to Nicholas. Elva was mine in every way

some unspoken question for him,

startled. What could cause

he immediately cut off

onto one of the plush couches in

be mad at Mommy,” came Elva’s