A Savior's Worth (Book #3)

Chapter Five

Elouise spotted Udolf skimming the desserts at the table. She raised her head high and made her way toward him. She wondered if she appeared determined. not entirely certain how she wanted to go about this. As she had told her friends, she would improvise. Although she could not imagine that ending well, she had faith in herself. Or perhaps she wanted to. Belief in one's ability was enough to get through any situation, was it not?

Elouise made it halfway toward Udolf when Avery and Alaina reached her first, blocking her path. She gaped at them.

"There you are!" Alaina stated. "Where did you run off to?"

Elouise blinked. "Oh, I..." She peered over her shoulder, seeing her friends part ways with each other. Neither of them turned her way. Elouise then smiled at Alaina. "I... I needed some air?"

Avery chuckled. "Are you asking us?"

Elouise laughed along and averted her gaze.

"Never mind that," Alaina said, waving her hand. Elouise looked at her again. "Avery and I haven't created our invitations yet, but we thought it would be best to voice our to you."

"An invitation?" Elouise glanced back and forth between them. "What is the occasion?"

Alaina giggled. "Our wedding, of course! We've decided to have our ceremony in St. Winston during the next blooming season Oh, you have not lived until you have seen how beautiful it is there during the month of Monius."

"This invitation expands to your father and each of your companions," Avery added. "As many as you wish to bring along with you. The more, the merrier."

Elouise hoped her falling smile wasn't evident. Attending a wedding in a gorgeous kingdom seemed like such a wonderful idea. Considering everything occurring in her life, she wished she could genuinely say yes to this.

"I... I cannot wait," she said anyway, and she swallowed hard.

"Neither can I," said Avery, turning his head to gaze softly at his fiancée. "It'll be the best day of my life." He then leaned in and kissed her cheek, making her grin.

Elouise raised her eyebrows, a foreign tug of yearning stirring inside her chest. She searched the crowd until she found Eldon standing alone in the far-right corner. He leaned against a pillar with his hands stuffed into his pockets, watching everyone. It didn't take him long to catch Elouise's stare, and he stared back. Then she smiled at him, and that yearning increased—even ached—when he returned the smile.

Elouise sighed. She couldn't risk any time for distractions. She'd come back to the ballroom with a purpose. And that purpose seemingly couldn't decide which treat he wanted to indulge in. Elouise politely excused herself from Alaina and Avery and made a beeline for Udolf.

Udolf started to reach for a shortbread cookie when he noticed her. He withdrew his hand as if he were a child caught in a mischievous act. Elouise picked up the glass platter and held it up to him. He grabbed a few cookies and thanked her. She set the plate down and peeked over at Eldon who gave her a nod, undoubtedly reassuring her she could do this.

Yes, she could!

"You look troubled, my dear princess," Udolf mused.

Elouise forced a small laugh. "Oh, no! Not, not troubled at all. What would be troubling me?" She gestured toward herself, then glanced over at Eldon once more, noticing him smiling funny at her.

Goodness, he's laughing at you, she thought, her heart twisting.

Udolf snickered. "Ah, I see."

Elouise widened her eyes and looked up at him. "Pardon?"

Udolf shook his head and took a bite of the shortbread.