The Prince did not forget her name. In fact, he spent the next three days pacing his velvet-carpeted dorm room, ignoring his tutors and refusing to have his hair curled.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡen9ANHyFz2
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYK6kC9E6Hq
"Luna," he muttered, tripping over a pile of silk shirts. "Luna Johnson. The girl who saw the snot bubble. The girl who saw me... perish... almost."86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmGW0dtLn4X
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQIWIBpQNcV
He realized that despite his "Golden Warrior Shout" (which he had now convinced himself was a real move), he was still terrified of the dark. Every time a floorboard creaked, he jumped into his wardrobe. He needed protection. But he couldn't hire a Royal Guard—that would mean admitting he was a coward.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr75vVAxCNe
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuoGLspX6ba
He needed someone who was already "nobody." He needed the girl who didn't exist.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXfHitkOpCU
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGwZ0Yz768k
Luna was in the school kitchens. It was 2:00 AM, the perfect time for a high-level mage to perform her most complex ritual: making the perfect cheese toastie without waking the head cook.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMqrItk0ey9
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyF6EjS3Slm
She used a delicate Heat Manipulation spell to toast the bread to a perfect golden brown while simultaneously using Spatial Isolation so the smell of melting cheddar wouldn't drift upstairs.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBTdT4z2uNW
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ST0pPfmEv
"Exquisite," she whispered, lifting the sandwich.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQfvCmBBuh
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaZfTFBujHG
"I RECRUIT YOU!"86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdQwtkbAYpP
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIzMGXtrruu
Luna didn't jump—jumping required too much energy—but she did accidentally singe the crust of her toastie. She turned slowly.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDgYh0Ff5e
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsj4wz4fty6
Prince Alistair was standing in the kitchen doorway. He was wearing silk pajamas with his own face embroidered on the pocket. He was holding a scroll tied with a massive gold ribbon.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcZx4vKMOP
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4eXo3zijnO
"It's two in the morning," Luna said, her voice like a flat line. "Why are you in the kitchen? Did you run out of hairspray?"86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC98kyZvY6p
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLOWgNGOwNP
Alistair marched forward, though he stayed at least five feet away from her, as if her "ordinariness" might be contagious. He unrolled the scroll with a flourish.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaAQ1TSwIDd
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfDl8KyNdZ
"I have decided to give you the greatest honor a commoner can receive! I am hiring you as my Personal Secret Shadow Guard!"86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpBPkmFSEgV
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW50kYFTmlj
Luna took a bite of her toastie. "No."86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCyIq4VRO4I
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7DxPBbHbbb
Alistair choked on his own breath. "No? Did you hear the words? 'Personal.' 'Secret.' 'Shadow.' It’s like a spy novel! I’ll pay you in gold! I’ll give you a badge!"86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCqNLASlQM
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn21D4hvt3Q
"I don't want a badge," Luna said, chewing slowly. "Badges are shiny. Shiny things attract eyes. Eyes lead to people talking to me. My answer is no. Go back to bed, Alistair. You’re getting eye bags."86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDasViydhfv
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaIeWGXgeXu
"WAAAAAH! You're so mean!" Alistair slumped onto a kitchen stool, his dramatic energy deflating instantly. "Please! Ever since that Shadow-Stalker, I can't sleep! I keep thinking every shadow is a claw! And the Headmaster told me that as a 'Rank F,' you need the extra credit or you’ll be expelled!"86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjM0vOtdJUZ
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8U6Wbx9R7T
Luna paused. That old man. He’s using the Prince to force me to do my job.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxUjy4KqBMG
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgUNRCSFu9
"Expelled?" Luna narrowed her eyes. "If I’m expelled, I have to go back to my village. My mother makes me do chores. She makes me... socialize at the harvest festival."86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54CRKRaDcI
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxGRmdYCxq
A shudder ran down Luna's spine. Chores were worse than monsters.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhDYAfQw91k
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSjgbNIXMKc
"Fine," Luna sighed. "I’ll be your 'Shadow Guard.' But on three conditions. One: You never tell anyone I’m doing it. Two: You stay at least three steps away from me at all times. Three: You stop crying when you see a bug."86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCHXXF0bYJI
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGAheXOwYvf
Alistair beamed, his face lighting up like a sun god. "I accept! Except for the bug thing! Some of them have far too many legs, Luna! It’s unnatural!"86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfUYH49kK4a
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDo2RpWPMFP
"Whatever," Luna said, sliding the second half of her cheese toastie toward him. "Eat this and be quiet. You’re giving me a headache."86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffFcN39Xjx
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3rC3qQgnN
Alistair looked at the toastie. He looked for a fork. He looked at Luna. Seeing her deadpan glare, he nervously picked it up with his bare fingers.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmaoBaU0VHc
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLxGJr3fqYN
"It’s... it’s crunchy," he whispered, eyes widening as he took a bite. "And warm? I’ve never had food that wasn't served on a silver platter by a man named Geoffrey."86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcDgk0zuwLy
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvFjGcZmsVb
"It's called 'bread and cheese,' your Highness," Luna muttered, leaning against the counter. "Welcome to the real world. It’s boring. You’ll hate it."86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqEJ9IifeGh
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf5zmu124bJ
As the Prince happily munched on the "peasant food," Luna looked out the window. She had a feeling her quiet, invisible life was about to get extremely loud.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVskRk4J8Pb
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCg2T7hlEq
1234 copyright protection82ＰＥＮＡＮＡalntZ7mQbo 尼86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQgtvxHZBJl