THE LUNA CHOOSING GAME - Season 7 Episode 33

We had spent the better part of yesterday, making searches and calls. We’d had a few hits that didn’t pan out. We were a far way from being finished, however.

“Maybe Julian will still let us help, even after we are gone,” I said.

Veronica gave me a flat look. Tiffany rolled her eyes.

“Not this again, Piper,” Tiffany said. “You are not getting eliminated today. No shot.”

“You didn’t hear the things the King was saying,” I said.

“Well, it’s not the King who is going to be married to you, is it?” Tiffany said. “Trust Prince Nicholas. He’s going to make the correct choice.”

I lowered my chin, embarrassed at having to need Tiffany’s support in this moment, when she was the most likely to leave.

*Sorry…” I said.

Tiffany lightly punched my arm. “No more frowns, yeah? Oh. There’s your prince.”

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I looked over in time to see Nicholas enter. He was sharp in his fitted tuxedo. I thought he might look at me, but he didn’t. In fact, he seemed set on looking everywhere but at me specifically.

Was that just my imagination? I felt sensitive to all things Nicholas at the moment.

Bridget took that opportunity to slink into the open space beside me.

“It will be so much quieter without you here, Piper. Tragic, truly,” Bridget said, though her toothy smile gave away her true feelings.

“You should be in prison for everything that you’ve done and tried to do,” I told her. “Nicholas might not choose me, but if you think for a second that you are going to be the one to stay, then you are more delusional than I thought.”

Bridget glare cut through me. She lowered her voice to a dangerous hiss. “I am not only staying, I am going to be Nicholas’s Luna and this nation’s Queen. Just you wait, Piper. You’ll be watching my coronation on the television from your small town soon enough.”

*Bridget,” Veronica said, stepping closer to me. “I thought I smelled something. Are you sure you put on enough perfume?”

Bridget not-so-subtly dipped her head to sniff herself. Then she lifted her chin. “I smell great, thank you.” Still, she scurried away.

*Thanks,” I whispered to Veronica once Bridget had gone.

*If she wins, we’re all in trouble,” Veronica said. “But she won’t. You’ll see.”

The candidates took our places on the stage while the King and Queen seated in their thrones with Nicholas and Julian beside them.

Nathan stood in front of the nearby camera, waiting for the countdown from one of the crew.

Three…

Two…

One…

*Good evening, ladies and gentleman. Thank you for joining us for the next elimination ceremony! Which of the princes’ candidates will be going home tonight?”

As Nathan spoke, a second camera came closer to our faces, giving us each close-up’s one at a time as Nathan said our names.

When it was my turn, I didn’t know where to look, so I tried looking over the cameraman’s shoulder while giving a shaky smile. My nerves were really working against me now, but I did my best to hold it together.

For me to even have made it this far was an accomplishment. I tried hard to hold onto that hard as my chest squeezed tight.

*Tonight, both Prince Nicholas and Prince Julian will eliminate one of their chosen candidates, leaving only two for each prince, and-”

“Wait!” Nicholas called out. Every eye in the room went to him as he stepped away from the throne.

“Nicholas,” the King whisper-yelled, but Nicholas kept walking. He stopped in the empty space between the stage and the throne.

*I have an announcement of my own to make,” he said, and I held my breath.