The Luna Choosing Game by Jane Above Story

Chapter 0052

In the werewolf tradition, he wore a tuxedo, though with a blue shirt rather than white.

His eyes were deep red as they focused on me.

“Ambassador Zale, may I present Piper,” Mark said.

Well, it was now or never. Trust Mark, and presumably Nicholas, or take the chance myself.

Reaching up, I placed a hand on either side my neck. “My life, my friendship.”

Zale’s eyes went impossibly wide.

My heart pounded hard. Had I upset him? Was this a trap? How would I explain this to the Queen?

But then Zale smiled, showing a set of sharp teeth. “Nice to meet you, Piper. I had yet to meet a candidate tonight who know the proper Merfolk greeting.”

“I’ll make my exit now,” Mark said, backing away. “If you will excuse me.”

In Mark’s absence, Zale stepped closer. He must have been an older Merfolk. I could see now the gray at his temples, and the lines beside his striking eyes.

“Tell me,” Zale said. “How did you come to know our greeting?”

For one wild moment, I tried to think of a lie, but in the end, what could I saw but the truth?

I

“I’m sorry, sir, I wished I could tell you I learned it long ago, but the truth is… I only learned it just now when Mark told me.”

His eyes went wide again.

I shouldn’t have said that.

But then he threw his head back and laughed so hard his gills fluttered,

“Oh, Piper. How delightful you are. Do you have any idea how truth is valued in my culture? I am so used

to your kind attempting to deceive me. To have you here, so honest and open, is a great comfort to me as a stranger in a faraway land.”

I’m sorry the others tried to lie to you,” I said.

I couldn’t agree that I was an overly honest person entirely. If I was, I would have told Nicholas from the start about Elva and what truly happened to my powers.

Chapter 0051

The girls around me were freshening up their Merfolk language. Some were fluent. Others, less so. Though most seemed to have a baseline knowledge.

My grasp of the Merfolk language was rusty, at least. I vaguely recalled some lessons during my days at

the Academy, but that felt like so long ago now.

T’hadn’t had any need for Merfolk language or traditions in my day to day since leaving the Academy. I

didn’t really retain any of that knowledge.

I thought I might be able to recall some customs, though the bits of information I was hearing now and

then around me confused with my memories and left me unsure.

Also, I couldn’t trust what the girls around me were even saying.

Linda, especially, seemed to be purposefully polluting the water of fact and fiction. My knowledge was

the Merfolk greeted each other with a deep bow, and not a fist bump like

to the more

in worse

with everyone shouting orders

hungry, irritable customers as

be careful. I had

really didn’t want to have to stand in the rain for a full

girls and I were directed into a line to wait

and shorter, my anxiety

the ambassador had mixed reactions. Some seemed pleased. Olivia and

confident. But most

time it was my tum, I was a nervous ball of energy who

den.

to escort me to the

the one who offered me

escort you to Ambassador

Whether Nathan had said it

said,

was

“You!

Prince Nicholas met a Merfolk he made a common mistake. Most

that Merfolk bow at the waist as a

us in the Academy,” I said. I’d been mostly sure

the royal family and their ambassadors have a much different formal

at him. Surely he wasn’t just going to

side of their neck. ‘My life, my friendship,‘ they say. It’s a symbolic

a moment, I wondered if perhaps Mark was trying

honest type of person. Surely he wouldn’t be so cruel as to want to

me humiliated, or worse.

bowed,” Mark continued. “Fortunately, the Merfolk and

always correct the incorrect greeting out of politeness

case, the royals showed Nicholas the

hand on either side of the neck,” I

phrase,”

“My life, my friendship.”

led me now to a waiting gentleman. Compared to

had a head of wild dark hair, and blue–green scales down

bridge of his nose.

his neck, though his chest moved with breath. I remembered reading that Merfolk

above and under

Chapter 0052

a tuxedo, though with a blue

deep red as

Zale, may I

Trust Mark, and presumably Nicholas, or take the chance

either side my neck

eyes went

I

Had I upset him? Was this a trap? How would

set of sharp teeth. “Nice to meet you, Piper. I had yet to meet a candidate tonight who knew the proper Merfolk

make my exit now,” Mark said, backing away. “If you

stepped closer. He must have been an older Merfolk. I could

the lines

“How did you come to know

lie, but in

I wished I could tell you I learned it long ago, but the truth is… I only learned it just

when Mark told me.”