The Luna Choosing Game by Jane Above Story

Chapter 0309

In the following days, new rules were assigned to the candidates. None were allowed to wander the palace without a personal guard. No one was allowed outside, not even into the gardens.

The King and Queen had totally barricaded themselves away. Joyce had too. Only Nicholas and Julian could occasionally be seen, flittering through the hallways with maps and blueprints under their arms. 3

They’ve kept me privy to their activities, mostly with messages sent through Mark.

Despite the number of passageways found, my sister remained like a ghost. She always seemed to be one step ahead. No one really knew how it was possible. Julian and Nicholas were getting more and more frustrated.

The tension in the palace was cracking, soon to break one way or another. The candidates were stir-crazy. Even the guard seemed unnerved. Outside, the protestors chanted day and night without end.

One morning, at breakfast, Tiffany dropped her face onto her empty plate and said, “I’m going to scream.”

Veronica calmly continued to eat her oatmeal.

Susie leaned forward. “All this is only temporary,” she said. Then she looked at me. “Right?”

I worried my bottom lip with my teeth. Truthfully, I had no idea. No one did. That was part of the reason everyone was so on edge.

“I…”

“Piper,” Nathan said from the doorway, startling me so badly, I nearly jumped out of my skin. Susie placed a concerned hand on my shoulder.

“You okay, Mommy?” Elva asked from my other side. Her eyes were wide and fearful. She hadn’t asked many questions lately about what was going on, but surely even she could feel the terse environment around her.

I immediately wanted to put her at ease, so I forced a smile. “Of course, dear. I’m sorry to have scared you.”

“It’s okay,” she said, but looked at me strangely, like she didn’t quite believe me.

Nathan stepped closer to us.

him, as I pushed myself up from my chair. “What did you

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King wishes to see you,”

table. Most of the candidates looked at me with curiosity.

“Susie, can you walk Elva to

T

such a thing, meant she would

matter concerns the child as well,” Nathan said suddenly, Susie’s smile fell. Mine did

Elva,”

gave her a flat look. Elva wilted a

held out my hand for her. “We’ll go together,

her small

Elva as well? What matters could possibly concern her? She was just

best reasons for doing anything could be akin to treason, depending. And while the King might not be looking to kill me, I had

sitting room where the

then looked at me and Elva and smiled. He

came closer, I hissed

head, then turned his attention to Elva. “Why don’t you stay with me,

said excitedly. She looked up at me. “Can I, Mommy,

could also tell that Julian was trying to spare Elva from some harsh conversation. I felt unnerved, like I wasn’t sure what I was walking into, but knowing Elva would be

you can,” I said.

won’t go far,” Julian said, and started leading her to the

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knew I would have to face the King and Queen, two

me.

chairs. A deck of cards was on the table between them, cards a

said, which gave me pause. In my previous meetings, the King never seemed to care about my comfort. This made me more concerned, but I took the