The Luna Choosing Game by Jane Above Story



Chapter 0550

Elva glanced up at Veronica and her laughter stifled. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Veronica startled a little, then tried to smile again. It wasn't as big as before. It barely twitched her lip, and certainly did not meet her eyes.

"Nothing's wrong," Veronica said. "I'm glad you liked the trick."

*How long does it last?" I asked, though as soon as the words left my mouth Elva's purple glow began to fade.

"Aww," Elva said, looking at her hands. "Do it again!"

"Elva, honey," I scolded lightly. "We don't demand things from people."

"I'm tired now," Veronica said. "Maybe another time."

Elva tucked her chin down, disappointed. But she said, "Okay."

*Thank Veronica for the magic trick," I reminded Elva.

Elva kicked her feet on the ground. "Thank you..." she mumbled.

"You're welcome," Veronica said.

Elva lifted her folded bird again. She glanced at me, as if for permission.

"Go on," I said. "Have fun."

Nearby I saw the nanny coming up onto the deck. Elva saw her too, and ran toward her, holding up the folded bird. With Elva thoroughly distracted, I turned to Veronica, looking for an explanation. "What just happened?"

actually an incantation I read about in this book." She motioned toward the merfolk book on the top of the bar.

up and I perked up. She said 'remove them'! That should be exciting, a great sign! If the book talked about how to remove the curse, then maybe we didn't need to wait for the

Veronica looked anything but happy

because looking at Veronica, I was

the nature of Elva's curse and the magical power level needed to remove it. It's

was the one to make the curse, on her own daughter no less. I'd come to accept that

"Yes," Veronica said.

purple. Is that good?" I was

one for false hope. Although in this case, it pulled my heart out a little. I

the most intricate of the curses," Veronica said. "It will

amount of power? Veronica was the only one I knew who could do any

her curse?" I

far." She sighed. "What I do is mere

I had built up for myself crashed and burned all around me. It was my

no. No, no," I said quickly. "This isn't on

"If I were stronger-*

closer to her. I dipped my head into her line of vision so she could see

with herself. I couldn't talk. I knew exactly how it felt to not

oracle," Veronica said. "She's the only one with enough power to have

when I had removed doubt from my heart. I wanted to arrive, to help Elva, but I still didn't know if I could fully trust her. The oracle was a stranger. This magic was foreign, even to Veronica. How could I be certain I could trust

"I've only just started. Maybe there's more I can

from the bottom of my heart. I hoped she knew how much I appreciated her. I wasn't sure she would until Elva was

a little ways, wanting to give her some space. I looked out

to Nicholas, who had just stepped out onto the deck from the house. She explained in her roundabout child way that Veronica had made it and given it to her, and that she loved it and its name

said to the

pile of napkins in an attempt to replicate the bird.

his way over to me. Together we stood side by side. We both turned to look out over

down," Nicholas said. "I'm

didn't think he had anything to be sorry about. "I'm not