The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 0591

Everyone, myself included stood there staring at Bridget with wide eyes. Did she... just slap the crown prince of the werewolf kingdom?

At least, I supposed, she didn't do so in front of the cameras, or in front of Ambassador Zale and his merfolk guards. But even so, to do so at all...

Nathan was as shocked as the rest of us, but he seemed to recover first among us, enough to rush forward toward Bridget and grab her arm.

*What in hells name do you think you are doing?" he said with barely concealed outrage. As much as Nathan liked Bridget, as much as he'd been ordered to make her look good, an assault on the prince could not be tolerated.

Whatever her offenses against me, this might have been the one that would land her in the most trouble.

"Did you just slap Prince Nicholas?" Nathan demanded, though he all saw it happen. We all already knew the truth. A vein was beginning to pulse in Nathan's forehead. I glanced nervously at Nicholas, half-hoping he would step in before Nathan had some kind of medical emergency.

"Nathan," Nicholas said, likely seeing as well as I was that he was about to explode.

Nathan stilled at once, but he didn't otherwise move. "Yes, my prince?"

*Calm down before you have a heart attack," Nicholas said.

Nathan lowered his head. He forced a breath. "Yes, my prince."

Nicholas motioned to his guard who stepped forward in Nathan's stead. The guard moved toward Bridget and grabbed her roughly by the arm.

Bridget seemed surprised for the first time. Had she not considered that she would be reprimanded for her actions. I supposed she hadn't thought through what she was doing at all, one way or another.

*Get your hand off of me," she snapped and tried to struggle herself free. The guard, trained for these situations, held onto her without much effort.

The guard looked back to Nicholas for more instruction.

*Bridget will be kept under supervision all night, and in the morning. Hell, even when we are on the airplane, I want her under watch and kept away from Piper and Elva," Nicholas said.

"Nicholas," I softly reminded him. "You are the one she slapped."

He looked back at me with fondness. "You are the one she almost killed. Let me protect you, Piper."

I couldn't argue with that so I nodded.

"This is ridiculous!" Bridget shouted. "You can't prove anything!"

*I want her under supervision until the King and Queen can be consulted about her behavior here." Nicholas looked at Nathan once more, who still kept his head lowered. "Is that agreeable, Nathan?"

"Most," Nathan said. He seemed slightly relieved now.

Regardless of my personal feelings toward Nathan, I could see now that he was a loyal man if nothing else. His first instincts will always be to the crown, the King primarily, but the princes soon following. I was pleased to see that violent actions against the princes would be taken seriously, even if done by someone with favor.

I couldn't help, however, the growing worry within me. That none of this had been taped, meant only that Nicholas, myself, Veronica, Nathan, Bridget, and the guard knew the truth of what happened here. Perhaps the King's judgement would differ from our own.

It was possible even this scenario could somehow be spun to benefit Bridget in the public's eyes.

The guard dragged Bridget inside the house. She didn't go easily or quietly. She kicked and she struggled. Her screaming likely woke the whole house.

"You can't do this to me! I'm the best shot this kingdom has at peace!"

Only when the door closed behind her and her voice became muffled, did the rest of us find a moment's peace.Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

I inhaled and exhaled. Cóntent from NóvelDrámá!!

What a night.

"I have to see Elva," I said. "I need to make sure she's alright."

"Wait a moment, here with me," Nicholas said. He slid a second arm around me and held me comfortably against him. "We don't want to run into Bridget in the hallway."

I agreed to that and so we waited.

A few moments later, we opened the door, listening for raised voices. By now, it seemed, Bridget had worn herself out.

Quickly, we took to the stairs. Inside my room, we found Elva seated on the foot of the bed between Julian and the nanny. She had tears in her eyes. When she looked up and spotted me, those tears came pouring down. "Mommy!"

She jumped off the bed, and I rushed to her. I fell to my knees as she ran into my arms. We held each other tightly. She was crying so hard that when she spoke, I didn't fully understand the words. "You are okay now. We both are," I told her. "The bad guy's been caught. He's going to jail okay? Zale is going to keep him locked up. Remember Zale? The Ambassador for the merfolk?*

Elva nodded.

"There's nothing to be afraid of anymore."

I didn't want to worry her by also mentioning Bridget's part in this. But that threat too has been neutralized for now. At least until we returned to the palace and the King said otherwise, Bridget would be kept under supervision.

*See, kid?" Julian said. "I told you there was nothing to worry about."

Eventually, after being offered calm words from me, Julian, Nicholas, and even the nanny, Elva cried herself to sleep.

Julian looked over at Nicholas and me. I don't know what kind of look Nicholas was giving me, maybe one fueled with his own fear of my demise. Julian recognized it, though.

*Go on, you two," he said. "Go talk it out or whatever. The nanny and I will keep an eye on things here."

It was a generous gift. My heart ached for Julian. How much he must have cared for me, to have feelings for me but still push me into the arms of the man he knows I adore.

I wished to give him a hug of my own, but I didn't want to conflate his feelings. He was being generous enough.

Then I looked at Nicholas and saw his eyes for myself. The gold was molten, the green flecks impossibly dark. He held out his hand for me, and I placed mine in his, entirely entranced by him.

We left the room quietly. I thought me might tum me toward his bedroom, but instead, he led me back down the stairs.

"What is this?" I asked, whispering. The rest of the house had gone quiet again. Only some nightlights guided our way. "Where are we going?"

Nicholas did not answer, choosing instead to let me see for myself. At the base of the stairs, we turned left toward the deck. But then we moved right into the kitchen. Nicholas clicked on the light. Then he locked to door behind us.

I lifted both brows at him. This is the very spot where Ronan had gotten the jump on me. It's not the fondest of memories.

Nicholas seemed to know that. He approached me, wrapped me in the safety of his arms and then kissed me soundly.

Immediately, I wasn't so worried about where we were anymore.

*You have had a difficult time in this beautiful place," he said against my lips as we parted. "I will replace each of

those memories one by one with fonder moments."

Then he kissed me again.

And I melted.