The next day, Eliora sat on a small wooden chair in Elder Lily's cottage. Her mind was far away, thinking about the cold silence between her and Zarek.
"Your Majesty," Lily called.
Eliora didn't move. She just kept staring down at her hands.
"My queen," the old woman called again.
Still, Eliora didn't hear her. She was too lost in her own thoughts.
Lily sighed and raised her voice. "Eliora!"
She jumped in her seat and finally looked up. Lily was standing right in front of her with a piece of white chalk in her hand, shaking her head with a small smile.
"Your mind seems far away today, child," she said gently. "If you don't pay attention, you will end up making people very sick instead of healing them."
Eliora forced a weak smile and nodded. "I'm sorry, Lily. I will pay attention now."
She tried to look at the board, but the words and drawings just kept blurring together. She couldn't stop thinking about Zarek.
