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?"

a breath. "That magic trick' was actually an 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 curses and how

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 oracle to appear again

anything but happy

because looking at Veronica, I was

curse and the magical power level needed to remove it. It's easier, of course, if the person who made

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 left to Jane, the curse on

"Yes," Veronica said.

Is that good?" I was beginning to suspect that

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 best color, that it indicated a curse easiest

"It will require the highest amount

power? Veronica was the only one I knew

remove her

far." She sighed. "What I do is mere child's play compared

Any false hope I had built up for myself crashed and burned all around me. It was my own fault. I should have known from Veronica's expressions that the diagnosis

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

"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

clearly dissatisfied with herself. I couldn't talk. I knew exactly

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

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

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

she knew how

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

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,

said to

and she rushed over to a pile of napkins in an attempt to replicate the bird. Unfortunately, Veronica didn't notice to be able to help. The nanny did the

me. Together we stood

needed to cool down," Nicholas

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