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?"

She motioned toward the merfolk book on the top of the bar. "The book contains many sections on curses and

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

looked anything but happy about

good news?" I asked, because looking at

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

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 left to Jane, the

"Yes," Veronica said.

I was beginning to suspect that

supposed I 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 best color, that it

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

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

remove her curse?"

I do is mere child's play compared to

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 was not very good.

said quickly.

"If I were stronger-*

vision so she could see my face and know that

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

"She's the only one with enough

appear 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.

only just started. Maybe

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

her some space. I looked out over the water. The view was pretty good from the

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

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

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

cool down," Nicholas said. "I'm

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