Elian lowered his gaze, studying Leon with an expression that seemed to weigh something carefully. "No one would ever say 'I owe him a favor' to Prince Aric. In fact, no one dares to say such a thing to him or anyone like him."
"Why?" Leon frowned; confusion evident on his face. "I don’t understand."
Elian straightened up, his expression calm and composed, though his tone carried a trace of gravity. "Do you know where this place is?"
Leon shook his head. "I haven’t had the chance to find out. When I arrived, I was forced to start preparing for the wedding. Where would I find the time to learn anything?"
Elian offered a faint smile. "This is the Darkwood Continent," he said at last, his voice low and commanding. “For you, it might as well be another world."
Leon remained silent momentarily, his mind flashing back to the strange experiences he'd had so far. After a pause, he nodded. "That much I could guess. After all, one needs that kind of ritual just to get here."
Elian's gaze sudden
