I blinked, the surprise of hearing my name from her lips startling me out of my grief. “Who are you?” I asked, though part of me already knew. The Elves were spoken of only in whispers, their existence more legend than reality.
“I am Elenora, of the ancient Elven tribes,” she said, her eyes never leaving mine. “And I’ve come to offer you something far more important than you can imagine.”
Noelle and Samuel tensed beside me, unsure whether to trust this stranger. I felt Samuel step closer, his protective instinct kicking in, but something in Elenora’s gaze told me she wasn’t a threat, at least not to us.
“What do you want?” I asked, my voice cautious but curious. I didn’t have the strength for more betrayals, but I couldn’t deny that Elenora’s presence stirred something in me. Something
