Loran lunged, his face twisted with hate. The elven crowd gasped in horror. It was a shameful, dishonorable attack.
Ren saw the dagger coming. He was not worried. He was about to simply step aside and break the elf's arm. But he did not have to.
CRACK!
A thick wall of thorny, living vines erupted from the ground between Ren and Loran. The dagger stabbed into the hard wood and stuck there. Loran was thrown back by the force of the magic.
Everyone turned to see who had cast the spell. Elara stood at the edge of the arena. Her face, usually so gentle, was now furious. Her hands were held out, glowing with a green light.
"You would attack an unarmed guest from behind, Loran?" she shouted, her voice ringing with power. "You have no honor!"
The elven guards in the arena moved quickly. They seized the disgraced Loran and took his dagger. His lies about the gorge, and now his dishonorable attack, had destroyed his reputation forever. Lord Aerion, Elara's father, watched from his high seat. His face was full of shame for Loran and a new respect for Ren.
That evening, Lord Aerion invited Ren and Lyra to dinner. This time, he did not treat them like servants. He treated them like honored guests. He apologized for his cold welcome and for Loran's actions.
"You have shown great power, and great restraint," the old elf said to Ren. "You are welcome in my home."
Later, Elara found Ren in the beautiful garden of her house. The moon was bright, and the air smelled of night flowers.
"I am sorry for what Loran did," she said softly. "And for my father's coldness."
"It's okay," Ren said. "I had fun." He looked at her and saw that she still looked a little sad. "You are home now. Why do you look so sad?"
Elara looked at the perfect, beautiful garden. "This is my home," she said. "But... after what I saw in the world outside... after our adventure... this all feels too quiet. Too slow. I felt more alive when I was with you and Lyra, fighting monsters and helping people. I felt... useful."
Ren understood. She had seen a bigger world, and now her old life felt too small.
He gave her a kind and honest smile. "Then your adventure doesn't have to be over," he said. "Our home is your home. Our party is your party. Whenever you want to see the world again, just say the word. You will always have a place with us."
Elara looked at him, and her heart felt warm. He was offering her a choice. A family. She did not have to choose now, but she knew that she belonged with these strange, kind, powerful new friends.
Just then, Lord Aerion walked into the garden. He looked very serious.
"Ren," he said. "You have proven your strength. But the Council of Elders must hear your story. They are the rulers of the Silverwood. They must know the truth of what happened in the gorge."
He looked at Ren with a warning in his eyes. "Be ready. The Council is old and traditional. They are even more suspicious of outsiders than I was."