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

Merfolk greeted each other with a deep bow, and not

the more gullible

had been in worse situations. Heck, even lunch hour in the

overwhelming, with everyone shouting orders and demanding

irritable customers as a waitress,

careful. I had to try

have to stand in the rain for

were directed into a line to wait our turn to meet the ambassador. As

shorter,

the ambassador had mixed reactions. Some seemed

But most

the time it was my tum, I was a nervous ball of energy who felt a bit like I was

den.

a servant to escort me to the ambassador, as had guided

was the one who offered me

to escort you to Ambassador Zale,”

Whether Nathan had

you,” I said, accepting

noticed right away that he was guiding me the

“You!

Prince Nicholas met a Merfolk

believe that Merfolk bow at the waist as a form

what they taught us in the Academy,” I

some Merfolk, that remains a tradition,” Mark conceded. “However, the royal family and their ambassadors have a much

wasn’t just going to tell me what

over their gills on either side of their neck. ‘My life, my friendship,‘ they say. It’s a symbolic show of

Mark was trying

always seemed an honest type of person. Surely he wouldn’t be so cruel

me humiliated, or worse.

the Merfolk and the Werewolves

They don’t always correct the incorrect greeting out of politeness

showed Nicholas

hand on either side of the

phrase,”

“My life, my friendship.”

now to a waiting gentleman. Compared to everyone else in

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

bridge of his nose.

moved with breath. I remembered reading

and under

Chapter 0052

tuxedo, though with a

red as they

may I

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

on either side my neck “My life, my

eyes went

I

upset him? Was this a trap? How would I

Piper. I had yet to meet a candidate tonight

exit now,” Mark said, backing

absence, Zale stepped closer. He must have been an older Merfolk. I could see

and the lines beside his striking

you come to know our greeting?”

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

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

when Mark told me.”