The Luna Choosing Game by Jane Above Story

Chapter 0212

The wait for midnight was nearly unbearable, but when it finally arrived, I left Elva sleeping in the bed,

and sneaked out into the hallway.

Mark was standing there with two other guards. He typically wore a serious expression, but today he

seemed especially grim. He must have shared Nicholas’s frustration with the plan.

“Be careful tonight. If anything happened to you…” He let the words hang.

I was confused. Surely the safety of his prince was more important than me. But he didn’t say anything

more. Instead, he just stared at me expectantly.

“ll be careful,” I said.

He nodded.

Turning from him, I started down the hallway. Nicholas met me halfway. He didn’t say anything, just offered his arm. I slid my arms in his and together we walked down toward the kitchens and into the

cellar.

Brian was guarding the door to one of the rooms there, the one containing the passage. He stepped

aside when we came close.

the passageway, and an eerie dark opening loomed in the

Julian carried a large, industrial–style flashlight.

the flashlight, seeing the end of the tunnel was impossible. The stretch of the tunnel was long, and the darkness eventually swallowed

Nicholas said. “Whatever happens, no one gets left

the rules,” Julian said.

each other, and then we followed

brick, rounded along the top. Our footsteps on the stone floor echoed down the long, empty corridor. The air was

tunnel felt so old that it

hairs on the back of my neck stood

Julian

carefully through the tunnel. The light of the room we’d come from

behind us.

flickered. We all stilled.

warning in his voice. A warning that would come far too

and then went out.

breath caught in

Nicholas’s chest with one hand and Julian’s shoulder with the other. Nicholas caught my hand in his and held it. Julian placed

mine and squeezed my fingers.

place in the dark, but having them so

own ways, helped me feel safe again.

the

didn’t last.

junk,”

to change to new batteries,” Nicholas said.