Chapter 41
Author's Note- thanks to the reviewers who've been supportive of the new pairing. It means a lot! (If you go to my homepage, I DO provide an explanation.) This will be my LAST UPDATE before I go away to sleep away camp for a week.
When Eliena arrived back at the palace, she wasn't hungry. She knew that she couldn't eat anything until she went to talk to Leo.
She went to his room—connected to her parents'—and knocked on the door. "Who is it?" he called. Eliena didn't answer, she just went in. "Oh, its you." Leo didn't look exactly thrilled to see her.
"What, no warm welcome?" she asked, opening her arms. "I'm still your betrothed, you know."
"You smell like ale," Leo told her.
"And this whole room smells like rum," she retorted. "What, did you drown your sorrows in the bottle?" Leo glared at her. "Raoul would be the first to tell you how terrible that is."
"Did you come to hassle me or do you have something to say?" Leo asked.
"I came to tell you that I'm giving my mother her ring back. We're done." Eliena went to the door. She took and deep breath and turned back to him. "Don't try to make me feel guilty, Leo, because it won't work. I'll explain it all to you in good time." She wrinkled her nose in distaste. "When you haven't been drinking." She left and went straight next door. Her father opened the door before she knocked.
"Oh, Eli! We were just going down to lunch," Jonathan said. "Why do you smell like ale? Where've you been?"
"The Lower City," she replied. "With an old friend at the Dancing Dove."
"That place is still standing?" Alanna asked. "I'm shocked."
"I knew you two knew the place," Eliena remarked with a smile. "Uncle George and all. My friend lives there."
"You're friends with one of the Rogue?" Alanna assumed.
"Not 'one of', mother, the Rogue. It's a long story—blame Uncle George if you must. For now, I'm hungry and this belongs to you." She pulled the ring off her left ring finger and handed it to her mother. "Leo and I are through—permanently."
Author's Note- I'll leave it there. Short, I know, but I have packing to do before I leave. And I need to take out my contacts. I'll see you in a week, hopefully with updates!