"Oh?" said the king, looking down at him with a curious expression. "What is it, Elliott?""Well... Why did you help me reveal Oscar Lightfoot's letter to the centaurs?" asked Elliott. "It could have painted your father in a bad light.""My father is a great king, but he is not perfect," said the king, his voice low and calm. "It is important to acknowledge his mistakes, so that we can learn from them.""But your majesty, isn't it more important to do what's right for the kingdom, even if it means sacrificing your own ego?" asked Elliott, his voice growing bolder.The king's expression hardened, his eyes narrowing. "It is not about my ego," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "It is about maintaining the stability of the kingdom. If I am seen as weak, it could lead to disaster.""But at what cost?" asked Elliott. "The centaurs did nothing wrong. It was all Oscar's doing and not Magnus. The centaurs and the elves could be united once again. Why put that relationship at risk for the s

The other huntresses looked at Talia, waiting for her nod of approval before they showed Leo and his companions to their tent. Nicklaus was having a hard time keeping Valor under control, as the griffin's nose was twitching with the scent of the food laid out on the mat. The huntresses exchanged amused glances, clearly amused by the sight of Nicklaus struggling to control his griffin."Come, Valor," Nicklaus said, his voice firm but gentle. "We must be polite guests." Valor let out a low growl, but allowed himself to be led away from the food....The ladies had been laughing and joking with Cedric, enjoying his easygoing manner and quick wit. But then, as if on cue, they all fell silent, their faces growing serious. They glanced nervously at Talia, and then filed out of the room without a word. Cedric was left feeling puzzled and a little concerned. He faced Talia and he jumped."I'm sorry, Talia," Cedric said, his voice strained. "I know this is difficult, but we can't let our perso

"Hold on a second, Fiona. I think we need to start this whole hunt over. Cedric's distraction affected the outcome of the game, and it wouldn't be fair to declare a winner based on that."Cedric felt his face flush with embarrassment. He hadn't meant to cause such a commotion, and now he had made things more complicated than they needed to be. He was already dreading the next three days of ...hunting, knowing that he would have to work extra hard to redeem himself. And worst of all, he would have to face the disappointment of his friend Leo, who had worked so hard to win the hunt. He wished he could take back his actions, but it was too late for that now. All he could do was try to make things right.Gianna, ever the voice of reason, stepped in. "I think Talia is right. It's only fair to start over and give everyone a second chance." She looked at Cedric, her expression kind but firm. "You included, Ced."With a collective sigh of resignation, Leo and Gianna set off into the forest on

Talia drew a crossbow from her cloak, much to Franklin's amazement. She aimed the crossbow at the imps, her hands steady and her expression fierce."Stay back!" she cried."You really brought a crossbow to a party?" Franklin said, raising an eyebrow. "A bit excessive, don't you think?"Talia smiled, her eyes glinting mischievously. "I always come prepared, Coppernight. You never know when you might need to defend yourself.""At a dance party? That's a bit paranoid, even for a warrior.""Indeed!" Nicklaus exclaimed, brandishing his sword. "And what kind of a warrior doesn't bring a weapon to a party?" He flashed a mischievous grin at Franklin, who rolled his eyes."You're both ridiculous," Juniper said, her plantlike tendrils swirling around her. "But I must admit, I'm glad to have a few warriors on my side right now."As the group prepared to defend themselves against the imps, the doors of the ballroom burst open. A swarm of imps rushed in, their faces twisted into wicked grins.Wit

And so, Dahlia left her position as head advisor, and set out with Franklin and the other women.Franklin's reluctance to confront Diablo was rooted in his painful past. Though he had experienced tragedy before, he had never faced anything like this. He knew that by facing Diablo, he could be putting others in danger. But he also knew that by running, he would be allowing Diablo to continue to oppress others. So, with Talia's hand in his, he took a deep breath and resolved to do what was right, even if it was hard.Talia, sensing his hesitation, looked him in the eye and said, "We will make it through this, together. You are not alone, and we will face this challenge together."With Talia's hand in his, Franklin felt a surge of comfort and strength. He looked down at her hand, tanned from the sun, and thought about how different it looked from his own, pale and cold from the long months he had spent hiding from Diablo. He squeezed her hand, feeling the warmth of her touch, and a smil