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

other with a deep bow, and not a fist bump

to the more gullible

tried not to panic. I had been in worse situations. Heck, even

shouting orders and demanding

hungry, irritable customers as a waitress, I could

to be careful.

stand in the rain for

to wait our

shorter,

ambassador had mixed reactions. Some

confident. But

a nervous ball of energy who felt a

den.

instead of a servant to escort me to the ambassador, as had guided everyone else,

the one who offered

escort you to

gift, being given his name. Whether Nathan had

I said, accepting Mark’s

noticed right away that he was guiding me

“You!

met a Merfolk he made a common mistake. Most

at the waist as a form of

the Academy,”

that remains a tradition,” Mark conceded. “However, the

wasn’t just going to tell

of their neck. ‘My life, my friendship,‘ they say.

Mark was trying to lead me astray,

Mark had always seemed an honest type of person. Surely he wouldn’t be so cruel as to want

me humiliated, or worse.

the Merfolk and the Werewolves have

kingdoms. They don’t always correct the incorrect greeting out of

showed Nicholas the correct

on either side

the phrase,” Mark

“My life, my friendship.”

now to a

was practically otherworldly. He had a head of wild

bridge of his nose.

fluttered at his neck, though his chest moved with breath. I remembered

above and under the

Chapter 0052

he wore a tuxedo, though with a blue shirt

deep red as they focused

may I

was now or never. Trust Mark, and presumably Nicholas,

placed a hand on either side my neck “My life, my

went

I

heart pounded hard. Had I upset him? Was this a trap?

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

said, backing away. “If you

Mark’s absence, Zale stepped closer. He must have been an older Merfolk.

lines beside his striking

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

wild moment, I tried to think of a lie, but in the end, what could I

learned it long ago, but the

when Mark told me.”