Chapter 491: Still a Knight?
For several minutes, the trio of Ashlynn, Heila and Ollie sat in silence as Ashlynn’s question hung in the cool mountain air between them. Pine needles rustled overhead as another gust swept down from the peaks, and Heila’s magical lights cast shifting shadows across their faces as the floating motes of light danced on the wind like fallen autumn leaves.
Once or twice, Heila looked like she wanted to speak, to explain more to her soon-to-be little brother. She wanted to tell him that his trial wouldn’t be that bad, and that if someone as common and unworthy as her could pass the trial, she was certain that he could.
A stern look from Ashlynn, however, was all it took to keep the Willow Witch silent. It was clear to Ashlynn that Ollie had grown up in more ways than one while they were away. It wasn’t just the transformation of his body, brought about by a vastly improved diet, fighting lessons from Marcel and Thane, and all of the physical labor he’d done to care for his new village either.
Ollie’s transformation went far deeper than that. He didn’t just carry responsibility for his own life anymore and his awareness of that fact was clear when he spoke of taking Justice and Hope as two of his virtues. Thane’s mentoring might be behind some of those changes, but all the elder vampire could do was provide the lessons. It was up to Ollie to learn them.
Now, Ashlynn wanted to know how far those lessons had carried him. The decision she’d laid before him was the hardest one he had ever faced. Joining her coven would transform him in ways he couldn’t possibly understand and the risk of death was only one of the challenges he would need to overcome. Ultimately, Ashlynn doubted that there was anything Ollie could do or say that would change her mind about offering a place in her coven, but if his answer was to place blind faith in her...
Across from her, Ollie’s brow furrowed in thought as he stared at the dancing motes of Heila’s magic light, which had drifted closer to the trees as if drawn to their stunted branches. The night had quickly grown colder with the setting of the sun and his breath now formed a small cloud that almost glittered in the silvery-green illumination of Heila’s witchcraft.
"Can I ask questions?" Ollie said after several moments of careful thought. "Just a few," he added quickly. "I just want to understand a few things before I give you my answer."
"Of course," Ashlynn said with a smile, relieved that he wouldn’t just accept blindly. "Ask all that you want."
"If I become a witch," Ollie asked hesitantly. "If I join your coven, can I still become your knight?"