The Luna Choosing Game by Jane Above Story

Chapter 0078

Nicholas

As I watched, Piper seemed to crumble in on herself. The guilt and the worry pushed down on her

shoulders and made her small. It didn’t suit her. She was strong, a fighter, yet fear for Elva tore straight

through her.

I I had known the child a few short weeks, and already I was in agony, watching her cry and shake with

fever. I could only imagine how Piper felt. To watch her daughter be sick now, and so often, must have

been a special kind of torture.

Holding Piper’s arm, I turned her into me to offer her the physical support of my body. She clung to me, likely about to fall if I did not hold her upright.

I may have been angry at Piper for all that had occurred between us. She had betrayed me once, for reasons I still didn’t fully understand, when all I had ever done was love her.

Yet seeing her like this, so scared for her daughter, I could not help but soften to her.

“It’s not your fault,” I told her. “It could have been any illness. Even someone with a cough could have sent the germs her way.”

“But I was sick.” Tears clung to her eyelashes. They made my chest ache. “I should have waited to see

was just so

up and down her back in

your fault,” I

unwilling to hear me and

I would try again. For now, I understood Piper’s worry made reason difficult to accept. Even bad things were easier to comprehend when there was a cause and effect. Chaos

things scarier.

you, doctor,” I told the physician, who

on her several times throughout the night,” the physician said. “When her fever breaks, send for me, and I

you,” I said

said Piper, voice

the maid stayed nearby. I nodded to Mark and he moved a

Gently, I led Piper

and cradled

situated, I walked back to the table to retrieve a second chair. Mark

“Prince Nicholas?”

to stay,” I told him. “Go and alert my family’s servants

saluted. “At

he exited the room, I motioned toward the

to stand up to me. Yet

someone who cared about Piper

said, softer. “They will need you

one last glance over Piper and Elva, she turned and left the

to Piper’s side, carrying a second chair. I placed it beside

down upon