Page 105 of Quest for her Knights
I see what he’s talking about. It should be hard to see out here, but lanterns hang from the branches, casting enough light for us to see and enjoy the gardens.
“It’s beautiful.”
“Just wait. You haven’t seen the best part yet.”
We continue along the well-groomed path for a few minutes until I start to hear running water. When we round a bend, I see a huge fountain. No, not a fountain, a waterfall. It’s about seven feet high, cascading into a small stone basin about five feet wide.
It doesn’t look man-made, but it seems too perfect to be natural.
“Wow.”
I let go of his hand and lean over the edge to touch the water.
“Oh! What’s shining down there?” I ask, noticing lots of lights reflecting from the bottom of the pond.
“It’s a wishing fountain. Here.” He holds out a small gold coin to me.
“So I make a wish and throw it in?” I ask as he pulls out a coin for himself.
“Yep.”
“Hmm…” I tap my finger on my lips and watch him out of the corner of my eye as I move closer to the waterfall. “What to wish for…”
“Do you already have everything you want?” he asks, suddenly sounding very serious.
“Not yet,” I tell him as I flick the coin into the waterfall and watch it disappear. I close my eyes and wish that all four of my knights and I can live happily ever after.
When I open my eyes, Ranger is staring down at his own coin, a serious look on his face. He glances over at me and his eyes go wide.
“Elora… listen to me carefully,” he says, staring over my shoulder in fear. “I need you to very slowly walk towards me. No sudden moves and do not turn around.”
My entire body grows tense wondering what the hell could be behind me. I fight every instinct I have to run or turn around, and instead I follow his orders, walking slowly towards his outstretched arm. His other hand is on the pommel of his sword, and the second I’m close enough, he grabs my hand and pulls me behind him at the same time he pulls out his sword and swings it where I had just been standing.
I try not to scream as I finally get a look at what he’s fighting. At first it resembles an ogre, but it’s much smaller and scarier. It’s all black with large fangs and claws.
Ranger manages to slash it across its chest and it staggers back with a snarl, then turns and runs into the trees.
He stays on guard, sword at the ready as he listens for a minute, before deciding it’s not coming back.
Spinning back to me, he looks me over as he sheaths his sword, then grabs my elbows as he asks, “Are you okay? Did it touch you?” He turns me around to inspect my back.
“N-no. I’m just a little shaken.”
“Of course you are.” He scoops me up into his arms and quickly marches back through the garden the way we came. “That was a nightstalker. Very rare. And almost never found this close to a village.”
He stares ahead with a look of determination. “Ranger, areyouokay?”
He frowns down at me. “Me?”
“Yeah, you’re kind of freaking me out.”
We step off the garden path and into the edge of the town square where he stops and sets me on my feet. His hands come up to cup my cheeks as he eyes bounce between mine.
“I was terrified it was going to harm you. I feel like I keep failing you.”
“What are you talking about? You just saved me, and I don’t even have a scratch on me.”
He releases a small breath and nods. “You’re right. You’re okay, but it’s because you listened to me. I know how they hunt. If you had turned around or moved too quickly, it would have pounced on you.”
