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?"

incantation I read about in this book." She motioned toward the merfolk book on the top of the bar. "The book contains many sections on

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

anything

I asked, because looking at

show the nature of Elva's curse and the magical power level

that won't happen," I said. Jane was the one to make the curse, on her own daughter no less. I'd come to accept that Jane would never come around, not to help herself or anyone else. If

"Yes," Veronica said.

Is that good?" I was beginning to suspect

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

said. "It will require

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

you remove her curse?"

Not by far." She sighed. "What I do is mere child's

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

quickly. "This isn't

"If I were stronger-*

closer to her. I dipped my head into her line of vision so she could see my face and know that I'm earnest. "We wouldn't

I couldn't talk. I

need the merfolk oracle," Veronica said. "She's the only

to help Elva, but I still didn't know if I could fully trust her. The oracle was a stranger. This magic

only just started. Maybe there's more I

I hoped she knew how much I appreciated her. I wasn't

and I walked off a little ways, wanting to give her some space. I looked out over the

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 she loved it and its

Nicholas said to

of napkins in an attempt to replicate the bird. Unfortunately, Veronica didn't notice to be able to help.

Together we stood side by side. We both turned to look out

cool down," Nicholas

had anything to be sorry about. "I'm not mad