The Luna Choosing Game



Nicholas

After leaving Piper's room, I knew what I had to do. What I should have done from the start, as soon as I learned of Piper and Julian's fake relationship.

I went to my father's rooms and requested an audience. Nathan didn't seem thrilled about it, but announced me all the same. The King generally had an opened-door policy with his sons, assuming no other matter was pressing, so I was welcomed inside.

The King was at the head of his long table, shuffling through some documents I didn't recognize. At a glance, they appeared to be reports from our border patrols. More unrest in the North?

My father lowered the documents as I approached. He did not address them. Instead, he kept his gaze on me.

"Something's bothering you," he said.

My father appreciated straight-forwardness, so I dove in without preamble. "Piper should not need to be in a relationship with Julian."NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

The King sighed. "I knew you would disapprove. But you must understand that their relationship is of vital importance to our public relations."

"Find a different way to improve it," I said firmly. "Something that doesn't involve Piper." "Using Piper is the easiest way."

"I don't care about easy," I said. "I don't want her involved in this."

"She's already involved, Nicholas. Her entire presence here at the competition has only ever been to improve our image with the common people." The King rubbed his temple. He seemed bored with this discussion, which irked me to no end.

He didn't care about Piper. Maybe he didn't care about any of the commoners. He only seemed invested in optics.

"Piper is a tool in our repertoire. One we need to properly utilize," he said.

"She is not a tool. She is a person."

The King sighed. He wasn't listening, not really. If I didn't turn this conversation around, he'd likely just dismiss me without a resolution.

From his demeanor, I could tell he wasn't going to change his mind on this. Piper was in the thick of it here, and I wouldn't be able to convince him to let her out of it

Perhaps I could offer a compromise instead.

"Let me be the one to date her," I said. "If she has to be with one of us, I'm the more stable choice."

*Absolutely not," the King said flatly. I opened my mouth to argue, but he beat me to it. "We all expect that you will be the one to inherit the throne, Nicholas. We cannot have you tangled

in scandals like this."

"It won't be a scandal -

"It's already a scandal!" He smacked his hand down on the table. "Do not think for one minute that I have forgotten your antics at the last elimination ceremony. Already there is talk of what is going on between you and Piper. But let me make one thing very clear."

An unusual fire burned in his eyes, something like betrayal and hatred, likely stowed by Terry and simmering since. I knew he didn't hate me. He didn't hate Julian either. But his position forced him to see shadows when there were none.

"Piper will marry none of my sons, not even Julian. When the time is right, and it will no longer reflect badly on us, they will go their separate ways. And a public breakup with Julian would be far less damning for the entire family than anything involving you, Nicholas."

"Father, if you would hear me out..."

"There's nothing more to be said on this matter," the King said. "If you stay, I expect you to speak only of different matters."

I closed my mouth.

"That's what I thought." The King sighed. "Do not let this trouble you overmuch, son. When the competition progresses, Piper will soon enough be gone and we can all move forward."

I didn't want to move forward. I didn't want to move any direction that would not include Piper.