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?"

took a breath. "That magic trick' was actually an incantation I read about in this book." She motioned toward the merfolk

exciting, a great sign! If the book talked about how to remove the curse, then maybe we didn't need to

looked anything but happy about

good news?" I asked, because looking at Veronica, I

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

on her own daughter no less. I'd come to accept that Jane would never come around, not to help

"Yes," Veronica said.

that good?" I was

appreciated her bluntness. She was never one for false hope. Although in this case, it pulled my heart out a little. I wanted her to say purple was the

intricate of the curses," Veronica said. "It

Veronica was the only one I knew who

remove her curse?"

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

dropped down to the ground. Any false hope I had built up for myself crashed and burned all around me. It was my own

no. No, no," I said quickly. "This

"If I were stronger-*

dipped my head into her line of vision so she could see my face and know that I'm earnest. "We wouldn't even know any of this if it weren't

clearly dissatisfied with herself. I couldn't talk. I knew exactly how it felt to not believe you were

the only one with enough power to have a

again to me 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

said. "I've only just started.

I told her, and meant it from the bottom of my heart. I hoped she knew how much I appreciated her. I wasn't sure she would

give her some space. I looked out over the water.

me, Elva called, "Nick-lass! Look at my birdie!" She showed her folded bird 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

Nicholas said to the

rushed over to a pile of napkins in an attempt to replicate the bird. Unfortunately, Veronica didn't notice to be able

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

down," Nicholas said.

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