The Luna Choosing Game by Jane Above Story

Chapter 0540

Palm trees zig-zagged around, some of them bent at odd angles. One even looked like it had grown sideways for a while before bending back upwards.

Sitting there on the sideways part of the tree, was Nicholas. Just where Julian had said he would be.

"Piper?" he called.

I smiled a little as I walked toward him. When I was close enough, he reached down and offered me a hand. I accepted it, and he pulled me up onto the tree beside him.

From this height, three or four feet off the ground, the view was beautiful. More of the ocean stretched out before me. The light flickered on the rippling water, the rising and falling waves.

We sat in comfortable, companionable silence for a moment. His hand placed flat at his side, resting on the palm tree. Mine was placed directly beside his. We weren't touching, but I could feel the heat of him. I was so attuned to him, I swear our breathing matched just from being so close.

"You saw my outburst," he said. It wasn't a question.

thinks it's good for you, to look more human

rubbed his forehead. "Julian saw my

"Yeah," I said. "Sorry."

over us again, and we

with

snapped to

then what I could remember from Julian and Selma's conversation. I was clear about the

popular again," Nicholas said. "Good. That will make it easier to protect you." He sighed in clear aggravation. "I'm getting tired of this. I want so hard to be a good leader for my people. I also want to be a perfect son. But... my parents seem to be succumbing to their darkest impulses lately. It's a path I don't know if I can or want to follow

didn't know where to even start to try

how they might have

on the tree. "I'm not in

in his eyes, kindled

his fist, then turned his hand palm up

everything that is required of me and never stepping one foot out of line, even for the things I so desperate want," he said. "I want