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, never once looking

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

Maybe he hated me.

the outsider.” The girl in pink motioned

Nicholas said, and even his voice was monotone. Another moment of staring at me

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

hurried toward him. “Your Royal Highness, please remember that per the selection rules, you

at the man, who nervously

an

sir.” The man bowed twice as

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

churned. I thought I might be sick. I had

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

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

his perfect

on Elva, his arm looped more protectively

hide my child from

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

Eloquently, I said, “Huh?”

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

been so young then, too

when he’d climaxed. But, hadn’t

to slide into bewilderment. His gaze shifted, like he was trying to remember

hoping to give

to hide a child from him would have been a cruelty. He would likely have struggled forever over the guilt for the years

name. But

widened a moment, before

struggle to get it

me and Elva.

tell that to Nicholas. Elva was mine

question for him, and

straightened, startled. What could

stirred his arms, and he immediately

onto one

mad at Mommy,” came Elva’s quiet