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

one myself. But people like Lena and Joseph existed

little reason to believe that even with my slight advantage,

didn’t mean I wouldn’t

split the design for my

combine the three

Elva’s matching dress

the final work, as she had the

newest maid began arranging the mannequin for the dresses photo shoot. Elva’s dress was not to be included in the shot, since that would ruin the anonymity

something outside the window, likely the horses again, with the stables so

I

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

and I were over long

the room, nervousness

called to me. “Mommy,

for the distraction, I

toward

Lilliana stood near the entrance of the stables as horses were brought to

hands.

black stallion that greedily accepted

horse chosen for Lilliana was a brown and white mare that seemed nervous around

to sidestep whenever Lilliana came too

left his own horse to approach Lilliana. He offered

her head, refusing to

hear the 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 her

ing dirty.

getting dirty.

how she would

I

horse himself. In his presence, the mare

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

her waist, keeping

the times we had gone horseback riding together. He had

same way.

still feel the phantom touch of his strong hands on

said then. “Tell

had given him a playful smile. “What

I

under the sun. “Then we should give up on horseback riding for today and return to one of our rooms instead. If you want me

properly

was saying much the same thing to Lilliana, But, no. They didn’t

Nicholas moved his hands away from her waist quickly and without

these two did not seem to

had chosen her, out of

He waited for Lilliana to bring her mare alongside his horse, and then together they started to ride forwards at a slow pace – which brought them closer

at the window.

realized, “He’s coming over

what she was going to do, she shouted

She waved both arms.

glowered, but Nicholas’s stern expression seemed to

hand