We cleaned up the training room and spent the rest of the day running around the city. Beth lagged behind me, but only by a few yards. Otherwise she kept a good pace. Nia outpaced us both, but that was to be expected. It was exhausting work, but necessary to prepare me for the tournament.

  Nia slowed down to a walking pace before stopping in front of an abandoned building near the center of Adelbern. A sign in front of the building showed that it was for sale by Sunset Adelbern Freight & Entertainment, and had been for some time. I took the opportunity to lean against the building and rest. Beth sat down on the sidewalk and gasped for air.

  “What a shame…” muttered Nia as she stared at the boarded up windows. Her brow was furrowed, a deep frown set into her face.

  “What’s wrong?” asked Beth.

  Nia shook her head. “Nothing. Let’s keep going.”

  “Wait, what is this place?” I asked. Was I trying to get out of more running? Yes, but I was also curious. Kind of.

  “The Drunken Demigod, or that’s what it was,” said Nia. She closed her eyes and smiled. “Voitto used to sneak inside and barter for snacks from the drunks. Whatever he got before Steve caught him and threw him out, he’d give me half.”

  “Sounds like a good brother,” I said.

  “Yeah.” Nia took a deep breath. “Alright, enough resting. Back to it!”

  I took one final look at the abandoned building. It was in a good part of the city, the perfect place for a tavern. Sunset Adelbern Freight & Entertainment, why had they let this place go to waste? Mentally shrugging to myself, I followed Nia and Beth. There were other matters to worry about.

  As we continued our run around Adelbern, I couldn’t help but feel like someone was watching me. Well, Nia was watching my running form, but I felt like someone else was watching me too. They’d started following us soon after we left the remains of the Drunken Demigod. Since arriving in Adelbern, I’d waited to see if Zadona would contact me at all. Now it seemed like the moment was at hand.

  Beth ran next to me, her face red and covered in sweat. “This… is… torture,” she said between deep breaths.

  “Could be worse,” I replied, glancing at Nia out of the corner of my eye. “I’d rather run than have her hit me again.”

  “She… hit you?” asked Beth with wide eyes.

  “With a stick.”

  As soon as we got back to Valna’s mansion, Beth collapsed on our bed. I would have fallen asleep next to her, but my rumbling stomach had other plans. Groaning, I threw on a fresh pair of clothes and left to find the kitchen. There certainly were benefits to working with the rich leader of an entire church.

  The kitchen was empty. There were still a few hours until dinner, so I wasn’t too surprised. Though I was disappointed. After searching around the room for a bit, I managed to find enough ingredients to make myself a light meal. Hearty enough that I would be satisfied, but not enough that it would ruin my dinner.

  However, before I could start, I noticed that I wasn’t alone. Sitting in the corner of the room, hidden in the shadows, was a slim figure wrapped in a dark cloak.

  “You’re staying with Adherent Valna?” they asked, their voice sounding feminine.

  I took a step back, my heart pounding in my chest. “Zadona?”

  “Maybe,” said the figure. “Is that who you’re hoping I am?”

  “Why did you ask me to come here?”

  The figure stood, her body still in the shadows. “You don’t know?” she teased. “I thought Lord Trafford explained it well.”

  “I need to know more,” I responded, stepping closer to her.

  Her hood turned toward the doorway. “Lord Trafford wanted me to keep an eye on you, but… I know you arrived with the princess and that disgusting druid yesterday afternoon. Why?”

  “Don’t you dare call my friends disgusting,” I said, glaring at her through the darkness.

  She flinched. “I didn’t mean to offend you, Norman. Please, take a seat.” She gestured to an empty chair near her.

  Cautiously, I sat down. She grabbed her chair from the corner and sat down as well. Now that I was closer, I could see a bit more of her face. She had brown skin and red eyes. Her hair was pulled back into her hood, but I could see enough to tell it was either white or gray. When she moved her head, I could see her pointed ears. She was a Kanta elf, just as I’d suspected.

  Besides her large cloak, she wore a dark-colored short sleeve shirt and breeches. On her hip was a quiver full of arrows. Leaning to the side of the chair she was sitting on was an unstrung longbow. When I met her gaze, she turned away.

  “What does he want with us?” I asked, trying to take control of the conversation.

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  “To be honest, Norman, I was hoping you wouldn’t answer my letter. Yet, here we are,” she replied, sighing.

  “Zadona,” I said, taking on a stern tone that caused her body to stiffen. “Why are you working for him? Why are you hunting druids?”

  “Why did you bring Beth?” she asked in return.

  “Are you going to answer my questions?”

  There was no reply.

  “She wanted to come. We missed you.”

  “You’re putting her in danger,” said Zadona as she glared at me.

  I scoffed. “I wasn’t the one attacking us with a bow.”

  She laughed, a sweet laugh that made me feel nostalgic. “Maybe you’re right. But I had a job to do. Lord Trafford won’t pay if I don’t complete the job.”

  “So you’re really working for him? Why? Do you know what he did?”

  “Maybe. How about this, you tell me why you’re traveling with the druid and I’ll tell you why I’m working for Lord Trafford.”

  I looked back toward the hallway. While we weren’t being loud, I wasn’t eager to be interrupted. Though it wasn’t a pleasant conversation, this was my first conversation with Zadona in years. She was on edge, ready to bounce at a moment’s notice. Any sign of another person, and I was sure she would be gone.

  “He’s my friend,” I said, turning back to the elf. “When Gunner kidnapped Henry and Arienne, he helped me save them.”

  “Arienne?” she asked, arching her brow.

  “My daughter.”

  Zadona nodded slowly. “A kid, wow. You and Beth really are together. I would have never imagined…”

  I shrugged. “Two kids, but that’s besides the point. Things change. Why are you working for Trafford?”

  “Why did it have to be you?” she muttered. I waited patiently for her answer. The elf hesitated, her gloved fingers drummed on the armrest of her chair. “He won’t like me telling you.”

  “That was the deal we made.”

  She leaned toward me. “He hired me to hunt down any druids traveling near Adelbern. When he heard about a large number of druids planning to invade a harska fortress, he sent me to investigate. That’s when I stumbled upon you. Imagine my surprise when Trafford told me he knew you.”

  “He told me that Piopus taught him as well.”

  “I know,” she replied, frowning. “He was here not too long ago. I avoided him, but I know he still talks about you.”

  “So Trafford asked you to send me that letter?”

  For a brief moment, she looked like she was going to nod. Instead, she looked past me. “Something like that.”

  “What happened to you? How did it turn out like this?

  Slowly, she grabbed her bow and stood up. She crept to the door. I stayed in my seat, waiting to see what she would do. She looked back at me one last time. “Goodbye, Norman. I’m glad you and Beth are doing okay. According to the boss, we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other in the next few weeks.”

  “He asked me to fight in his tournament!” I shouted, causing her to pause.

  “I wish it hadn’t been you. Be careful, Norman.” She opened the door and slipped past it as quietly as a passing shadow, leaving me stuck in my chair.

  It took me a few minutes to recover from our encounter. I stood up to follow her, only to realize how tired I really was. All I could manage was walking to the front door, looking out into the street for any sign of the Kanta elf.

  Exhausted, I stumbled back to my room. The empty hallways twisted and turned. Why was she working with Trafford? What happened to the Zadona I used to know? Even as the questions swirled around my head, I felt myself smile. Her laugh was the same.

  I was so focused on my thoughts, that I nearly walked into Greenspring. At first, he gave me a confused look, then concern washed over him. Grabbing my shoulders, he examined every inch of me. Once he was sure that I wasn’t injured, he let go but still stood close enough for me to lean on if I needed it.

  “Are you alright, Norman?” he asked. “You are as pale as snow.”

  “I feel like I’ve seen a ghost,” I muttered.

  “Perhaps you have,” he replied. “Tell me everything.”

  I hesitated. It wasn’t like I didn’t want to tell Greenspring everything, but I wasn’t sure I could explain it if I tried. How could I put into words the jumbled emotions I felt? Trafford, Piopus, Valna, Zadona. All of them connected in an ever-growing web that I seemed to have fallen into.

  It was so simple with Gunner. He kidnapped Arienne and Henry, and I had to save them. Was Zadona in trouble? Should I trust Trafford? Piopus seemed to trust him, and I trusted Piopus. More than that, Piopus was my idol. I looked up to him. Disgust stabbed through my spirit. How could I call myself a bard if I couldn’t articulate emotions into words?

  Greenspring stood patently, a slight smile lifting the edges of his beard. In that look, I saw understanding. A look from someone who had been as lost as me, and had found his way back. After taking a deep breath, I poured my worries and regrets onto him. He didn’t interrupt except to ask a few clarifying questions.

  In the end, all he could do was rub his neck and sigh. “If I told you it will all work out in the end, would you be satisfied?” he asked.

  “I don’t think so,” I replied, leaning against the wall to support my weary body.

  “Neither do I,” said Greenspring, his eyes staring down the empty hallway. “Norman, life is not so simple that one phrase will put your mind at ease. Nor can a thousand. You may not know it, but I too have felt what you are feeling now. The crushing weight of destiny, yes, I know it well.

  “Your friend, Zadona, walks down her own path. Until you know more, you can do nothing to help her. Believe me, Norman, there are many I have known that I wish I could have saved. The truth is, we can not save them unless they want it. When she knows this for herself, offer your help. I have no doubts that she is still the friend you once knew.

  “Adherent Valna is strong, stronger than you or I know. Do not pity her. She will make the right decision in the end. Already she has become an invaluable ally. If you fear her betraying you for Trafford, then keep her at length, but do not abandon her. That mistake will cost you a friend.

  “Do you remember the first time we met? I insulted Piopus and you grew angry. Do you feel that now? How much of your time are you going to spend defending your teacher? He is an adult, just as you are, let him fight his own battles. If what Trafford said was true, and Piopus is not as righteous as you think, then accept that truth. Do not let your past fester in the present. The happy memories you had with him can coexist with the reality that he may not have been good.

  “Sometimes, those happy memories are all that keep us going.

  “As for Trafford, you are not alone. Nia, Beth, and I are with you, Norman. We will not abandon you. Your family, your friends, they will be safe. As long as I breathe, no harm shall befall you. That is a promise.”

  Before I could say anything in return, he pulled me into a hug. The smell of mint filled my senses. I pulled him close, my fingers digging into the moss and leaves that made up his clothes.

  “Thank you.”