A Savior's Worth (Book #3)

Chapter Six

A week later, Eldon found himself walking alongside the railing in front of the training grounds, watching the poor souls of the newest recruited trainees. They had to suffer through the captain's lectures for the next year. Most of these boys and girls were younger than the people he'd trained with, and he spotted a few of them with tears in their eyes.

Eldon sighed. This was about the time Leanne stepped in and talked back to the captain for being so rough. He wondered when she would return from visiting everyone in Ilsen. He'd said he'd go with her, but she'd decided one morning to go and told him right before she took off.

"Yer needed here right now," she had said. "You just became a knight. I ain't gonna take you away from yer responsibilities already. Besides, there's some things I gotta take care of alone. Come with me next time with Elouise." Although Leanne had smiled the entire time, Eldon felt strange about her reasoning. But he didn't ask her anything about it. If he knew her—and he did—she would explain when she got back.

It'd been about two weeks since then. He wasn't sure how long Leanne planned to stay in Ilsen. For someone who'd been desperate to leave and find adventure, Eldon doubted she'd stay longer than a month. She'd also promised Ivy that—no matter when she'd decided to go to Ilsen—she'd be around for her birthday. Ivy's birthday was the 22nd of Anitus. Plenty of time for Leanne to come back.

After listening to the captain shout at one of the trainees about posture, Eldon walked away from there. He'd just been wandering, passing time until Elouise finished with the People's Word. Eventually, he reached the ash tree and plucked out Ashton's ring from his pocket. He sat against the trunk and glared at the ring.

"I don't get why you and whatever other voices that's talked to me are so secretive? If yer tryna help, why don't you help?"

"And here I thought I was losing my mind," he heard Henry jest. Eldon turned his head, seeing Henry walking toward him with a light smile on his face.

Eldon stood and brushed down his breeches.

"Who were you speaking to?" Henry asked. But then he quickly waved him off and added, "Never mind. It's none of my concern."

"It's fine, Henry. Just tryna get the voices to talk again."

Henry blinked. "You do realize if I did not know about you and Elouise, that statement would've been quite terrifying?"

"I'm guessin' it still kinda terrified you just now."

"Well... yes." Henry stood beside him and pointed to the old knight ring. "Is that supposed to help with speaking to the... voices?"

Eldon pursed his lips. He didn't need to give Henry another reason to be scared, though. "No. It just belonged to Ashton Ward. You remember 'bout him, right?"

"Oh... the previous healer. Or rather, guardian, I think."

"Yeah, him."

Henry blinked slowly. "El said there was no trace of the Ward family here. How did you get his ring, then?"

"I'll let Fayre tell you about that. She's the one that got it."

Together, they started to walk toward the garden.

"I can't quit thinking about what's been happening in Estria," Henry mentioned. "It's unfortunate Udolf didn't have any answers for Elouise."

"I expected nothin' from him," Eldon bluntly admitted.

"I shouldn't have either. I suppose it's merely frustrating how we still hardly know anything." Then Henry's face reddened, and he chuckled nervously. "I'm sorry. I meant you and her, not we."