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

being one myself. But people like

had little reason to believe that even with my slight advantage, I would make

mean I wouldn’t

and I had split the design for my

were ready to combine the three elements into

finished Elva’s matching dress

doing the final work, as she had the most experience

dresses photo shoot. Elva’s dress was not to be included in the shot, since

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

I

wasn’t sure why, I kept thinking about Nicholas’s solo date, but it shouldn’t be enough to bother

were

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

Elva called to me. “Mommy,

for the distraction, I joined her at the

pointed down toward the stables. “It’s

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

hands.

that

and white mare that seemed nervous around

trying to sidestep whenever Lilliana came

horse to approach Lilliana. He offered her a sugar

shook 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

ing dirty.

getting dirty.

she would hold

I

cube to the horse himself. In

and with Nicholas’s help, lifted herself up into

near her waist, keeping

gone horseback riding together. He had

same way.

remember, I could still feel the phantom touch of his strong hands on

fall,” he’d said then. “Tell me when you are okay, and

had given him a playful smile. “What if

I

for today and

properly

the same thing to Lilliana, But,

Nicholas moved his hands away from her

did not

her, out of all the

bring her mare alongside his horse, and then together they started to ride forwards at a slow pace –

at the window.

she realized, “He’s coming over

could figure out what she was going to do,

She waved both arms.

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

lifted a hand