The Luna Choosing Game by Jane Above Story

Chapter 43

At first glance, she appeared friendly enough, smiling peacefully. She curtsied to me and introduced herself.

Tm looking forward to serving you,” she said.

But I found it strange. Surely she had passed my other maid being taken away down the hall. What kind of person would be smiling so calmly after having witnessed such a thing?

icholas.

I

I

Today was the day for Nicholas’s solo date, and I was trying my very best not to think about it.

Ever since receiving Joseph’s threatening letter, I’d been hiding out in my room as much as I could to

avoid him and the mean–looking guards.

With the First Ball fast approaching, I used the extra time in my room to help my maids work on me and

Elva’s gowns.

The dress had to be perfect. The order of introductions for the girls at the ball was to be determined by

the princes‘ preferences of the dresses.

Once the gowns were finished, pictures were to be taken of them and given to the princes, who would

then select their favorites. Those favorites would be the first ones introduced at the ball, and therefore

given the most time with the princes.

And with the cameras.

A major component of the Luna Choosing Game, was earning the public’s favor. I had a small advantage

people, being one myself. But people like Lena and

with my slight advantage, I would make it far

mean I wouldn’t

two maids and I had split the design for my dress into three separate parts

Now, we were ready to combine the three elements into

already finished Elva’s matching dress

doing the final work, as she had the most

was not to be included in the shot, since that would

herself was looking at something outside the window, likely the horses again, with

I

restless, though I wasn’t sure why, I kept thinking about Nicholas’s solo date, but it

were over

length of the room, nervousness and trepidation waging war within my chest.

to me. “Mommy, come

for the distraction, I joined her at the

Elva pointed down toward the stables.

the stables

hands.

regal black stallion that greedily accepted a sugar

a brown and white mare that seemed nervous

to sidestep whenever Lilliana came

his own horse to approach Lilliana.

horse. Lilliana shook her head,

exact words spoken beyond some mumbled voices, but with the way Lilliana held up her pure white gloves, I assumed she refused to treat the horse to spare

ing dirty.

getting dirty.

wondered how she would hold

I

the horse himself. In his presence, the mare

approached then, and with Nicholas’s help, lifted herself up

hands lingered near her waist,

had gone horseback riding together. He had helped

same way.

could still feel the phantom touch of

won’t let you fall,” he’d said then. “Tell me

had given him a playful smile. “What if I want to

I

give up on horseback riding for today and return to one of our rooms instead. If you

properly

was saying much the same thing to Lilliana,

all. Nicholas moved his hands away from her

did not seem to like each

imagine why Nicholas had chosen her, out of all

mare alongside his horse, and then together they started

at the window.

when she realized, “He’s coming

figure out what she was going to do, she shouted from

She waved both arms.

immediately looked up. Lilliana glowered, but Nicholas’s stern

a hand and