The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 295

Nodding at Nicholas, I moved past him and returned to his rooms. He released me at once and fell in step behind me instead.

Inside his rooms, I moved toward Lilliana, who was down on one of the ornate rugs. Her legs were kicked out of her, her nightgown drawn up to her hips. She peered up with a sultry look, likely expecting Nicholas.

She sighed when she saw it was me, but didn’t move much otherwise.

“I should have known he’d invite you too. Well, it’s all the same, really. I can do a three some if that’s what he wants. What do I care anymore?” Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“Uh, no,” I said at once, taken aback both by the sudden and inappropriate offer, as well as her resignation to it. This had to be the worst seduction in the history of wolf-kind.

She clearly wasn’t into any of this. Was this what she thought she had to do to maintain Nichola s’s interest? Surrender her body without passion or desire for the sake of a crown?

My anger slowly dimmed and I felt pity instead.

What a sad life, to never be able to live for herself. To sacrifice so much for power alone. Did she even like Nicholas at all? Did she find him as se xy as I did? Did she gravitate toward his generous, caring

heart like me?

It sure didn’t seem like it. Instead, it seemed like she wanted this to be over as fast as possible so she could sleep.

To me, it seemed the drunkenness had been a necessity for her, to do what needed done. How… tragic. “Lilliana… Is this even what you really want?” I asked. Lilliana shrugged, then stretched out more fully on the rug. “What I want doesn’t matter. I will do anything to please my prince.” Nicholas, meanwhile, was nearby but facing the wall, not looking at Lilliana at all. To Nicholas, I said, “Can you get a bathrobe? Something soft and fluffy?” He moved at once, rushing into the bathroom. To Lilliana, I said, “You can’t be very comfortable on the floor? Perhaps you’d like to return to your own room, your own bed, and get some sleep? It’s late.”

“I am sleepy…” Lilliana yawned. She tried not to. “But I came here for a reason. I have to…” Another yawn, larger than the first. “I have to…”

Whatever she was going to say, she didn’t finish it. I didn’t press, not wanting her to remember why she came here. Nicholas returned with a white fuzzy bathrobe, exactly what I had been hoping for. I accepted the robe from him, and with effort, was able to convince Lilliana to pull it on. “Aren’t you cold?” I asked. “Yes,” she said.

It took longer still to convince her to stand off the ground.

“The prince might trip over you and hurt himself,” I said.

“Oh, that’s true,” she said and let me help her up.

The sleepier she got, the more complacent she grew.

“I think the prince would be happier if you slept in your own bed,” I said. “He wants you to. be comfortable.”

“Oh. Okay.”

Nicholas started to open his mouth as if to say something of his own, but I cast him a sharp look, quieting him. If Lilliana heard his voice, who knew what would happen.

Out in the hallway, I propped Lilliana up against the wall and went back to the doorway to speak with Nicholas lightly.

“I’ll see her back to her room,” I whispered.

“Thank you, Piper. You are a lifesaver.” He paused a moment, but I knew he wanted to say more so I lingered. “You came here for a reason tonight. I never asked what it was.”

I looked away from him, back to Lilliana barely holding herself upright against the wall. “Maybe I was making my own reckless choices,” I said and left him to help Lilliana.