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 like Lena and Joseph existed

to believe that even with my slight advantage, I would make it

mean I

design for my dress into three

combine the three elements into a complete

finished Elva’s

insisted on doing the final work, as she had the

the dresses photo shoot. Elva’s dress was not to be included in the shot, since that would ruin the anonymity of the

outside the window, likely the horses

I

wasn’t sure why, I kept thinking about Nicholas’s solo

and I were over

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

Elva called to me. “Mommy, come

the distraction, I joined her

Elva pointed down toward the stables. “It’s

the stables as horses were

hands.

horse was a regal black stallion that greedily accepted

brown and white mare that seemed

trying to sidestep whenever Lilliana

approach Lilliana. He offered her a sugar cube and

Lilliana shook her head, refusing

exact words spoken beyond some mumbled voices, but with the way Lilliana held

ing dirty.

getting dirty.

wondered how she would hold

I

the horse himself. In his presence,

with Nicholas’s help,

her

gone horseback riding together. He

same way.

feel the phantom touch of his strong hands

“Tell me

smile. “What if

I

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

properly

saying much the same thing to Lilliana,

much at all. Nicholas moved his hands away from her

two did

why Nicholas had chosen her, out of all the candidates, for his first solo

his horse, and

at the window.

realized, “He’s

going to do, she shouted

She waved both arms.

immediately looked up. Lilliana glowered,

a hand and

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