The Luna Choosing Game

Bridget’s words stuck with me more than I wanted them to. As I rested in bed that night, I stared at the ceiling replaying everything that happened — not just last night with Bridget, but every time I had been with Nicholas before. Where had Elva been? Had she noticed any of my behavior? I didn’t think myself a whore for spending intimate time with the man that I adored, but that wasn’t necessarily an aspect I wanted Elva to see and learn and think acceptable.

When it came to be morning again, I think I had slept for maybe an hour or two total. Elva was fully rested and excited, bouncing out of bed at the first sign of light. She talked and talked about the merfolk children and how much fun she had. It was endearing and sweet, but I was very tired.

Still, I tried to be as attentive as I could. I rolled out of bed and made my way over to the dresser to pick out our day clothes. As soon as I opened a drawer, Elva switched her topic of conversation and said, “I knew someone was in here yesterday.”

My hand stopped halfway to the drawer with Elva’s shirts. I looked at her. She was serious.

“How?” I asked.

“They knocked over that pot,” Elva said, pointing to a decorative set of vases on top of the dresser. And yes, she was right, one of the vases had been knocked over and then not set correctly. Neither Elva nor I had done that, and Charlotte certainly would have fixed it if she had done it.

No, the person who had knocked over that vase must have been in a hurry.

Perhaps searching through the drawers for my swimsuits.

We knew someone must have come in here to steal my things, so it wasn’t providing any new information to point out that mistake of our thief.

However, for Elva to have noticed it before me rattled me. I always knew she was observant and smart, but to have this reminder so soon after Bridget’s words...

Maybe Elva did notice the nights I didn’t come home, or came home late.

Maybe I was teaching her that it was okay to be out all night with a man that you weren’t committed to. A man who had several other women vying for his attention. | | | I didn’t want Elva to grow up and find herself in the same situation as me.

She shouldn’t know the hurt I feel, being so closed to the man I admired while knowing it was doomed to fail. I wanted Elva to only know love and want and affection. 1 | I shook my head, clearing my worries away. Someday, when Elva was old enough to date, I would sit her down and explain most of what happened here between Nicholas and myself. I would make sure she understood that this was a special case romance, and not something she should repeat. 

For now, at least, I had some time. So rather than focusing on that, I needed to live in the present.

And in the present, we were both awake and there was still no sign of Charlotte. On a normal day, she would have been here by now, to help us dress and prepare for the days events.

She’d been missing yesterday too. I wondered if she was sick, but I worried if this didn’t run deeper than that.

Someone wanted me to miss the merfolk banquet, enough to sneak into my room, steal my swimsuits and turn off my alarm. To achieve their success, they would have also needed to make sure Charlotte was out of the way.

Maybe I was overthinking things. But I wasn’t willing to take the chance that I wasn't.

When the nanny arrived, I kissed Elva on the forehead, promised we’d reconnect later to make sandcastles, and then slipped out of the bedroom.

I stumbled backwards at once, but a sturdy arm wrapped around my waist, steadying me.

“Careful,” Nicholas lightly chided.

A blush touched my cheeks.

Slowly he lowered his arm, and I took a step backwards. He then turned back to the guard, who I noticed was different than the one I recognized.

“You know your orders,” Nicholas said.

“Yes, your Highness.” Nicholas nodded. He looked at me once more, and then dipped his head forward, suggesting we start walking. I fell in step with him instantly.

Glancing back at the new guard, I asked, “Did you bring on more people?”

“One person cannot realistically guard your door at all times,” Nicholas said.

“Now there are three separate guards on rotation, who will protect you and your things.” I sighed with relief.

“It is definitely unnerving, knowing someone was in my room, stealing my things.” Nicholas straightened slightly.

“I understand.” Near the top of the stairs, he stopped walking and faced me.

Worried he might bring up last night, something I was not ready to process yet, I said quickly, “Have you seen Charlotte?” He opened his mouth, closed it.

Confusion tilted his expression. “No,” he said at last.

“IT haven't seen her since the day before yesterday,” I told him. “I'm worried she might be sick or...” 1 didn’t want to admit out loud the other fears that I had, as if saying them aloud might curse Charlotte by making them real. od

E a (% ] +15 BONUS “That’s why you were late yesterday,” he said. “She never arrived to help you.” “That, combined with my alarms all ~ being turned off, yes.” Nicholas’s confusion gave way to realization, then understanding. “We should speak with the head | housekeeper, Selma. She should know everything that goes on with the staff.” “Okay,” I said, nodding. I turned to go down the stairs then, on a quest now to find Selma, but Nicholas gently grabbed my arm and held me back.

“Piper...” He wanted to talk about what happened last night with Bridget, I knew that. It was a reasonable request, after the accusations Bridget had made.

But I still wasn’t ready to talk about it. I didn’t want to hear Nicholas say that Bridget was right, that he would never choose me. I knew he wouldn't mean it personally, that it was simply a matter of what was right for the kingdom.

It still hurt to think about. To have him actually say the words might just kill me.

“Later, Nick, okay?” I asked. If I could have some more time, just a few more blissful hours of lying to myself, letting myself believe that I lived in a world where Nicholas could be my mate and husband, I would cherish every second.

Someday I'd have to wake up and face reality, but not yet. Please, not yet.

Nicholas schooled his expression.

Whatever he was thinking in that moment, even my deep understanding of him couldn’t reveal to me.

His eyes bore down into mine with such intensity that it made me shiver from the base of my neck all the way down my spine.

“Later,” he said, and sounded stern.This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

It was a promise, one he wouldn't jet me break.

“Later,” I agreed, and dreaded it.