A Guardian's Fate (Book #2)

Chapter Thirty-Three

"You are not listening to anything that I am saying, are you?" Elouise questioned Fayre.

They were sitting across from each other in the library. Elouise had finished explaining to Fayre about the letters and her first training with Eldon. Instead of nodding along and offering her usual commentary, Fayre was merely staring off at the window. Elouise even glanced outside to see if there was anything particularly fascinating happening today to keep Fayre so distracted. All she saw were the castle walls and a blue sky, though.

Fayre blinked hard, returning to her senses. "Of course, I was listening. You received another letter and told Eldon. But Elouise, I thought you said you were not going to fear them."

Elouise frowned, averting her eyes to her hands. "I am not afraid for myself. They are beginning to threaten Eldon as well, and I... I cannot—"

The doors opened, and Elouise groaned as she listened to someone coming toward them. Her annoyance quickly switched to shock when she glanced over her shoulder and saw Victor. She leaped to her feet, her red velvet chair screeching back.

Fayre rose as well and moved to Elouise's side. They locked eyes, both wide and confused.

"Why is he here?" Elouise asked in a whisper.

Fayre shook her head. Then Victor reached them, smiling slyly. He stood by the end of the table and squinted at Elouise. 

Elouise opened her mouth, though words were lost as Henry and Ivy came to mind.

Victor was here for them, wasn't he?

He shifted his cold gaze to Fayre and cleared his throat. Elouise wasn't sure what he meant by that until Fayre huffed and bowed to him. Victor grinned, revealing the dimple in his right cheek.

It took all of Elouise's willpower not to scowl at him. "Ah, King Victor, we were not expecting you."

He nodded. "Yes, but you wrote to my brother, and the message worried me. Since I could not locate his whereabouts, I came instead to ensure everything was alright with you. But upon my arrival, I was told that my brother was actually here."

If this encounter wasn't terrible enough already, it certainly was now. Elouise fidgeted with her pearl ring, doing her best to ignore the dread filling her stomach. "I-I- well, I thought you were aware. I sent that letter b-before he—"

"You needn't explain yourself," he said, waving his hand. "I've already spoken to him. And I must apologize for his and Ivy's intrusion."

Elouise quit her fiddling. "Why apologize when I've immensely enjoyed their presence here?"

Victor's jaw clenched, and she swallowed hard.

Then the doors opened again and whoever it was came running inside. The soles of their boots obnoxiously squeaked against the marble. Elouise could hear them panting too. She moved out of the space between her chair and the table, turning to face their visitor.

Eldon's face was pink. His attention immediately went to Victor. And he looked painfully disappointed. She could relate.

"And what do we have here?" asked Victor, eyeing Eldon like he was a filthy rodent.

Elouise gritted her teeth, resisting the urge to snap at him. She noticed Fayre giving Eldon a bow gesture and pointing at Victor with her thumb. Eldon sighed and obliged.

Then Elouise got an idea.

"Sir Eldon!" she chirped, rushing to his side. She faced Victor, beaming. "Sir Eldon is my personal knight." Although Eldon raised his eyebrows, he nodded.