The Luna Choosing Game

I knew this had been part of Julian and Nicholas’s plan to make me untouchable. With the credit of the kill, I became the hero of the hunt. This surely made whatever scheme Lena and Joseph planned backfire spectacularly.

Vindicating, truly, but I wasn’t sure how it made me invincible.

Nicholas had said to trust him, and I did. But I really hated lying like this. I was keeping too many secrets

already, I didn’t want anymore.

When the spectacle was mostly over, Nicholas led me to a stone bench in the gardens and had me sit.

“I will return with the physician,” he said.

A few minutes later, the physician appeared without him. He’d kept his word, and I was honored that he cared enough to seek out the doctor to begin with.

Yet I couldn’t deny the twinge of disappointment I felt inside when he had not joined her.

The physician checked me over. “You should stay off of your ankle as much as you can. I will have a wheelchair brought in to help you to your room. I’ll make sure you are provided with crutches as well, if

you’d prefer.”

Fortunately, outside of the barbecue tomorrow, not much was on the schedule for a few days until the night of the first elimination ceremony. This would give me enough time to recuperate without much

issue.

I thanked the physician. Once the wheelchair was brought, she helped me up to my room. I thanked her

for that too.

Elva was worried for me initially, when she saw me in the wheelchair. But when she learned I was more or less fine, she was excited to ride the chair around.

Looking around, I noticed that only the quiet maid was there to attend us now. The stranger maid was

nowhere to be seen.

“Did something happen to the other maid?” I asked.

“She won’t be returning by royal orders,” the maid said “I hope that I will be enough to serve you from

now on.” Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Of course you are enough,” J sald quickly. My mind reeled. “Royal orders…?

She leaned forward. “Prince Nicholas gave the order himself.”

My heart pounded against my ribcage. He was personally seeing to my protection yet again. I pressed my hand to my chest, trying for calm. It didn’t mean anything. I couldn’t quite get my heart to slow,

however.

“Tell me your name,” I said to the quiet maid. When she hesitated, I added, “I know it’s not proper, but… you have aided me when few others would. You are more than a servant to me, you are a friend. I’d like to know how to address my friends.”

She seemed embarrassed but she said, “Charlotte.”

I offered her the kindest smile I could. “Nice to officially meet you, Charlotte.”

After I learned her name, Charlotte became much less quiet. “We watched some of the hunt on television. The two princes Nicholas and Julian lost the cameras and the crowds very early on.”

1 heard they did that,” I laughed.

Charlotte gave a soft smile. “So much of the hunt itself didn’t make it into the program. But, from what I saw of the finale, and the public reaction, everyone is behind you, Piper.” 1

Her words filled me with a sense of pride. I was so pleased that people had begun to cheer for me, and even wanted to back me in this competition. As foolhardy as it was.

Even with my good showing. I knew the end was neigh for me on this competition.

The royal family didn’t want me to win. They just wanted my presence.

It didn’t matter how well I did, I knew when the time came for eliminations, I would be sent home.