"Awake yet, sleepyhead?"
Eldon groaned and stirred. He peeked one eye open and saw a beige ceiling that almost pulled him back into his slumber.
"Eldon! Seriously!"
"What?" he managed, turning his head and looking right at Leanne.
Leanne smirked at him. "Had yer fun last night, didn't ya? I'm just mad you forgot 'bout me. But don't worry, Snow and I are just fine."
Eldon gasped and sat up. Then he groaned once more at the dull ache in the side of his head.
"Whoa, slow down," she warned him. "Princess Elouise told me you fainted."
Elouise.
Eldon's mouth went dry.
He healed the king last night.
He healed King Philip.
Eldon glanced down at his right hand. Then he focused on the visible veins in his forearm that had glowed with a golden light. With magic. His magic. And his lips twitched.
"So, what happened?" Leanne asked, sitting on the edge of the bed. "She just sent someone to get me, and she told me you weren't feelin' good."
"I just forgot to eat," he told her. "Guess I did too much sword fightin' with Prince Henry and used too much strength."
Leanne snorted. "When'd you become a weaklin'?"
Eldon narrowed his eyes at her, but then he smiled.
A knock came at the door. Leanne told them to come in.
The door slowly opened, and Elouise poked her head inside and grinned at them. Then she fully stepped into the room, holding a bowl of strawberries.
"Have you ever had a strawberry, Leanne? Oh, if you haven't, you must try one of these! You will find none as fresh as these." Elouise held the bowl out to her.
Leanne plucked a strawberry from it and thanked her.
"You may wonder why I'm here," she said, setting the bowl on the nightstand. "I thought I could answer questions you may have."
"For what?" Leanne tilted her head and took a bite of the berry.
Elouise blinked and looked at Eldon. "Oh, I apologize. She arrived an hour ago, and I thought..."
"I just woke up," he told her.
"Ah. Then perhaps I should return after? Or shall we tell her together?"
"Uh..." Eldon rubbed his neck.
Leanne swallowed and glanced back and forth between them. "A'right, one of ya's gotta say somethin' before I lose my mind."
Elouise just giggled and stared at Eldon. No way was she going to say it.
Eldon sighed. Leanne wouldn't be mad. No, she wouldn't... right?
"So, King Philip offered me a deal," he started. "Said he would give Penuriam everythin' they needed. More food, clothes, and plenty of gold..." Then he stopped, figuring it was best if Leanne took that information in first.
Leanne squinted at him, holding the strawberry near her mouth. "He just feelin' generous?"
"Ah, well," Elouise spoke up, "I suppose you could say that." Leanne looked at her next. "However, my father has requested Eldon's services in exchange."
"Services?" Leanne knitted her brows. "Whataya mean?"
Eldon licked his dry lips. "Bein' her... personal knight."
YOU ARE READING
A Guardian's Fate (Book #2)
Fantasy(BOOK #2 in the Secrets of Aristol series.) It's almost been three months since Elouise's birthday. Although she's kept herself distracted by Beatrice's past, she's left with more questions. Perhaps she isn't concentrating hard enough. After all, sh...
