"She's going to kill us all if you don't teach her how to control her power," Xavier said, folding his arms as he leaned back.
"I think she'll manage to take Dorian out even without magic," Aeson laughed, but when he caught his king's thunderous look, he fell silent.
"You never know when to shut up, do you?" Dorian muttered under his breath, glancing toward the door with growing impatience.
"At least she doesn't seem to be angry with us…" Aeson shot back, and Dorian pressed his lips into a thin line.
"That's enough," Marcus cut in. "Leonie's been through a lot; it's only natural she's upset. My friend," he turned to Dorian, "you should go after her before she hurts herself by accident." He jerked his chin toward the door. "And if I were you, I'd really watch myself before she decides to skewer you in a fit of rage," he added with a grin.
Dorian grumbled something under his breath, then got to his feet and strode outside.
Meanwhile, Leonie was wandering between the abandoned houses, seething. She had spent a long time thinking about what Dorian had told her the day before. That she should trust him. Judging purely by what had happened, that would indeed be the logical choice. But her heart… her heart trembled every time he came near.
She had feared the baron for years, but she had never expected anything from him beyond what she got. She had never believed he would be better. With Dorian, though, she had started to trust. For brief moments, she had felt safe. And his betrayal shook her far more than any beating the baron had ever given her. She had no idea why. Life had never given her a real chance to grow close to anyone. Esthelle had been the only somewhat stable point, the only one who sometimes spoke kindly to her. She had never had a truly intimate bond with a man, so she had no idea what she was supposed to do with Dorian. She ached for his care, yet that very yearning unsettled her and made her even more uncertain.
"Leonie," a deep voice called from behind her.
She stopped and spun on her heel. Dorian's tall figure loomed in front of her.
"I don't want to hear it," she said, folding her arms over her chest. She was sick of him offering half-truths, keeping anything uncomfortable for him conveniently to himself.
"You really won't want to hear this, but I have to say it," Dorian sighed, his gaze locking with hers. "You didn't let me finish earlier."
Leonie opened her mouth, but he quickly continued.
"I can't ask them, because… aside from you, there isn't a single one left."
He took a step toward her. He had wanted to put this off—Leonie had already been through too much in the past few days.
"How… how do you mean?" she asked, not fully understanding what she had just heard. Dorian had to be twisting the truth again.
"Leonie… you're the first forest elf we've met in a thousand years," he said, taking another step toward her.
"No. That's not possible!" Her hands balled into fists as she shouted at him. "You're lying! You're lying again!"
She couldn't accept it. Now that hope had finally begun to glimmer, she couldn't let it go so quickly. She couldn't accept that she was alone. And if she couldn't accept that, what was she supposed to hold on to?
"I'm sorry," he said, stepping closer. The abandonment she had felt all her life burst out of her like lava, and as she buried her face in her hands, Dorian carefully drew her into his arms.
"I'm so sorry," he murmured. "I wish I could tell you something else, but I'm not lying to you. Not anymore."
And he meant it. He never wanted to tell Leonie another untruth, and never again did he want to keep something from her.