The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 0640

Nicholas was here. I didn't know how. I didn't know why. But he was here, and that gave me the strength I needed to act.

I ripped my arm away from Joyce's hold and rushed into the room where Hawk was choking my sister on the ground. Using all of my strength, I plowed into Hawk.

My surprise more than my strength likely overwhelmed him, because he released her and rolled away, knocking his head into the wall. That disoriented him for a few minutes. He grabbed at his head as he struggled to pull himself up to his knees.

"Jane!" I called and rushed to her.

Clutching at her neck, she gasped for air. When she saw that I had been the one to save her, her eyes went wide." What the hell are you doing?"

"Can you see now? These people are not your friends. He doesn't care about you. He doesn't want to help you." I spoke quickly, knowing I was short on time.

I grabbed Jane's hands and helped her stand. We had to get out of here right now. Hawk could collect himself at any moment.

"Piper!" Joyce called from the doorway. He was looking nervously down the hall, then up at the ceiling as the building continued to shake around us. More dust filled the air.

*Jane, please." I continued to hold her hands, even as she tried to tear them away. "Just come with me. We can figure this all out. Despite everything that happened, you are still my sister. And we're both... princesses? Doesn't that give us both a bright future?"

Jane's face twisted in disgust. "They were going to throw me away anyway, because I didn't have a wolf or a bear. They considered me freak, Piper. I will never have a place there, not as I am."

"We can work it out," I pleaded. "If you stay here, they'll use your or kill you or both. Jane, please."

"You've never cared what happens to me," Jane sneered. She ripped her hands free from mine. "Don't pretend to care about me now!*

"I've always cared about you!" I shouted back. "How could you never see that? Everything I ever did was to protect you! I want my sister back."

*Your sister is gone!" Jane said.

*Then I just want you! However you are! Whoever you consider yourself to be! You are my flesh and blood, and we will work through all of this together. As it should be! You know I'd never leave you behind!"

"Do I know that?!"

"I gave up my wolf for you, Jane. And Elva, ..."

I would never forgive Jane for the things that she had done to that little girl. Jane had been the one to place the curse! After abandoning her child.

But even with that, I still wanted to help Jane. I would always protect Elva, but if I kept them separate. If I could get Jane into some kind of hospital... get her the best treatment the werewolf or bear kingdom could offer... then maybe she would eventually return to herself.

*Jane, please." My voice trembled.

Jane's eyes had been icy since the start of our reunion all those months ago now. But as she looked at me in this moment, I saw a sliver of hope. For the first time in such a long time, some of her anger seemed to thaw and she was that little girl with pigtails who followed me around.

We were twins, but I was the big sister. I was the one always looking out for her. Despite her cloudy memories

and the underground's manipulations, I never once left her behind. She was forever in my heart, even when we had been separated.

Jane swallowed hard. Tears welled up in her eyes. "Piper..." Her voice broke.

For one gleaming moment, I had my sister back. My heavy heart lifted, weighed down for so long by the regret and the pain that Jane had been lost. But now, here she was.

"We'll work it out," I said, and held out my hand for her to take. "We'll work everything out, Jane. It's going to be okay."

She believed me. I could see the hope spark within her. She lifted her hand to take mine.

Then, she froze. Her mouth dropped open in a quiet gasp.

The tip of a blade protruded from the front of her chest. A bloody starburst spread outward, staining her clothes and dripping down, down...

Her eyes stayed on mine as the hope there dwindled. She was frightened.

My heart lurched and I started forward. "Jane!"

The blade ripped away from her, and she slumped forward into my waiting arms. She was heavier than I expected and we both toppled to the ground. I rolled her over onto her back and cupped her face. My fingers were red with her blood.

Her eyes were empty now, the life gone from within them.

Jane was dead.

There was no trick this time. No missing body, lost in a fall. No disappearing acts.

I held her here, face growing cold in my hands. Her skin paling. Her eyes blank as death.

*Jane?" My own tears welled, then fell over my cheeks in fat wet globs. I shook her a little, as if we were children again, and if I shook her enough, she would awake. "Jane.... please..."

She was gone. I knew that. But my body and mind were in shock.

After everything we've suffered, even at each other's hands, I never thought it would end quite like this.

"Piper!" Joyce called as he rushed forward.

I lifted my head sluggishly, and saw Joyce in a grapple with Hawk. The bloody blade faced Joyce now. Joyce kicked Hawk in the chest, sending him stumbling back. In that distraction, Joyce grabbed me and dragged me toward the door.

I knew we had to flee, but it was difficult to make my legs work. Still, remembering Elva, I tried.

Yet as we made our way to the door, we were suddenly blocked by Hawk again, knife in hand.

He had teleported.

Joyce tucked me behind him. Rarely had I seen such bravery from him before. To see it now, I was in awe of him. He had broken the last of their brainwashing all on his own. He did not seem tempted by their false promises any longer.

Hawk didn't seem like talking to him at all.

The building shook. More dust and dirt floated down around us, like a malevolent snowfall.

Nicholas was near. If I could clear my head, if I could speak to Hawk, stall him somehow...

I forced myself out of my grief-addled shock, enough to shout the question that burned in my mind.

"Why did you do this? Why kill Jane?!"

*She had served her purpose," Hawk said, voice ice cold. "She brought you here."

"Me?"

*The only princess the bear kingdom wants," Hawk replied. "Jane was ever a disappointment. But you..."

"Don't talk about my sister that way!" I shouted.

He ignored me. "You are the key. With you at my command, I will have unparalleled control over both kingdoms, and soon, all of the world will fall in line."

"I will never be at your command!"

"Oh, no? We'll see about that," Hawk said, and lunged at Joyce.