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.

had already discovered the trigger for the passageway, and an eerie dark opening loomed in the middle of a wall, hiding behind an empty bookcase

Julian carried a large, industrial–style

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

close together,” Nicholas said. “Whatever happens, no one gets left

all know the rules,” Julian said. He

and I looked at each other, and then we

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

places, but this tunnel felt so old that it had become alive.

back of my neck

close,” Julian

light of the room we’d come from seemed very far

behind us.

We all stilled.

A warning that would come far too late.

light flickered again, and then went

breath caught in my

darkness, I reached out for both Nicholas and Julian and touched Nicholas’s chest with one hand and Julian’s shoulder with the other. Nicholas caught my hand

over mine and

in the dark, but having them so close, each offering comfort

own ways, helped me feel safe

his hand again and smacked the flashlight. The light flickered again, blinding,

didn’t last.

junk,” Julian

change to new batteries,” Nicholas said.