The Luna Choosing Game by Jane Above Story

Chapter 0020

Around us, the girls were speaking with each other and the royal family. Only Nicholas, Susie, and myself

were silent.

The King gave Nicholas a hard look, and Nicholas’s lips twitched like he wanted to frown but didn’t.

I thought he might talk to me, but instead, he leaned forward to see Susie around me.

“It is a pleasant evening, wouldn’t you agree, Susie?”

Susie paled. “You… know my name?”

“Of course. I know the name of every candidate.”

“… oh…” She audibly swallowed a spoonful of soup. “Of course. Sorry to offend.”

“I’m not offended,” Nicholas said. “But, to my question. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Susie’s face shifted from white to red so fast, I worried she might be lightheaded. I placed an arm beside her, ready to catch her if she tilted.

“A–Agree?” Susie stuttered

“Yes.” Nicholas’s brow furrowed slightly. “That the weather is pleasant?”

very pleasant.” Susie pushed her chair back. “If you’ll excuse

to her feet and started walking away. Halfway to the door she turned around, seemingly having realized she was still clutching her cloth napkin. She dropped it onto her

couple of times. He hadn’t moved at all otherwise, like he couldn’t quite believe what had

shy,”

at me. He sat back in

he was furious with me, but if he continued to be so

the girls, and with the

be zooming

to myself. 1, personally, find the weather very

at me again, his frown clear this

tilted my head toward the

schooled his frown

you ever studied birds, Piper?” he asked me. He didn’t wait for me to answer. “I’ve taken to raising some. Beautiful, majestic creatures. But there is one

“Which is?” I asked.

cuckoo bird,” he said. His gaze sliced into me. “They lay their

tactic, but shameless.”

face. He was talking about

in the Luna choosing game. Did he think this was some

higher than I had any right

of my mouth with my napkin, giving myself

Then I spoke.

I

love birds,”

He lifted his

They are so pure, loyal. Monogamous. Among swans, you would