The sun had begun to dip below the horizon as Gloria and Eragon made their way back to the school premises.
The tension of the day had somewhat subsided, but the plan Eragon had concocted still hung in the air. Gloria couldn't help but be impressed by his cunning.
She shot him a playful look, still processing how perfectly he had laid the groundwork to expose Ailson.
"You're so cunning," Gloria said with a grin, nudging Eragon's arm. "I thought fairies were supposed to be rigid and straight.
"Eragon smirked. "I'm an anomaly," he said, his eyes glinting with mischief.
The cleverness of his plan had revealed a side of him she hadn't seen before, a strategic mind, sharp and careful.Their plan was simple but effective: let Ailson think she was succeeding in her twisted pursuit of Eragon.
They would string her along, giving her just enough rope to hang herself. When the time was right, they'd reveal her treachery to the council.
Ailson's dangerous obsession with power, and with Eragon, would be her undoing.After hanging out for a bit, they returned to the parking lot to wait for their respective drivers.
The air was cool now, and the sky was tinged with the orange and pink hues of twilight. Gloria stood close to Eragon, savoring the comfortable silence between them.
As they approached Duke, who was already waiting by the lot, Gloria's heart gave an involuntary flutter. There was always an intensity around her brother, even when he was calm.Duke stood near the car, his piercing eyes watching them as they approached.
His gaze lingered on Gloria and Eragon, and for a split second, his expression tightened."Do I ask them to spill the truth? She smells different... like a wolf in heat, and she has his scent... no way."Duke's internal monologue was interrupted by the blaring horn of their driver, snapping him out of his thoughts. Gloria waved to Eragon, who stood on the sidewalk as she and Duke entered the car.
"Bye, Eragon!" Gloria called, smiling as the door shut behind her. Eragon gave a short wave, though his thoughts seemed elsewhere.As the car pulled away, Eragon watched it disappear down the road, feeling a slight sense of relief.
He glanced down at his watch, waiting for Sebastian, their driver, to arrive. He couldn't help but sigh. "Damn, Sebastian. He's always late," Eragon muttered under his breath.He lived on 125 Silverleaf Street in the quiet, upscale neighborhood of Ebonridge in Valterra, but there was an unspoken rule that kept him from riding in their car, Duke.
Despite their friendship, Duke's overprotective nature always stood between them like an invisible barrier. Eragon respected Duke, but there was something in the vamplock's eyes that told him Duke didn't entirely trust him around Gloria.