Page 76 of Daemon Master

“Of course. I always intended to return it to you.”

“You mean, once you were done having your daughter spy on us.” Elana’s faint blush was all the confirmation he needed. “No wonder she was the only one to approach us. How hard was it to convince her to brave the vile daemon masters?”

Elana frowned, tracing her fingers over the wooden arm of her chair. “While I admit I badgered my daughter for information, she’s done nothing but sing your praises. She chose to vouch for you at the meeting, just as she’s chosen to spend time with you since. I’ve never been able to convince that stubborn girl to do anything.”

Maybe it was wishful thinking, but studying Elana’s exasperated smile, Adrian found himself believing her. “Then why hang onto our journal in the first place?”

“I hoped to find something in it to offer me wisdom.”

“Wisdom about what?”

“About you.”

When it became clear she didn’t intend to elaborate, he sighed. “You’ve been avoiding us.”

“I thought it prudent to keep my distance while I ponder your presence here.”

“And? What conclusions has yourponderingled you to?”

She fiddled with her hands in her lap, kneading her fingers together as she studied him. “So far, I’ve seen no signs that you intend us harm, and I must admit that I find the idea of defying Serenity Corp appealing. But we founded the Enclave toescapethe League’s problems, not to embroil ourselves in them. Mypeople are scared, and after everything we’ve seen before coming here, I can’t blame them. You are a threat to our very way of life.”

Fresh annoyance spiked through him. “Seymour and I have done nothing to them!”

“You represent temptation—a way to possess the power of a bond without the associated guilt. It’s a tantalizing proposition, one many of them believe too good to be true.”

“Like your sister?” he guessed.

Elana grimaced. “Leda is stubborn, but she’s always had the Enclave’s best interests at heart. Even if she can be…set in her ways.”

That wasn’t really an answer, but he let it slide in favor of the bigger question nagging at him. “What are we supposed to do then? You make it sound like we should give up and leave.”

“Do what you think is best.” Her shawl shifted as she offered a small shrug. “Prove to them—and to me—that you are genuine. Show us that we have nothing to fear.”

With that, she rose and shuffled toward the door. Clearly, the conversation was over.

“What about the rest of our gear—Seymour’s armor and our bags?” he asked as he stood.

“It will be returned to your quarters by nightfall.”

Clutching Crastley’s journal to his chest, he nodded and made to leave. He paused by the entrance to glance back at the Enclave’s leader. “Other than your daughter, you’re the only person in this entire village who seems inclined to give us a chance. Why?”

Elana considered his question before bowing her head. “Everyone here carries their own stories—their own pain that drove them to join the Enclave. For my part, I learned long ago to keep an open mind and to always treat others with kindness. Not everyone shares my optimism. Still, though you might not believe it yet given the reception you’ve received,my compatriots may yet be swayed…if you give them adequate reason to do so.”

Her words echoed in his head as he departed. Too restless to return to his hut, he wandered the village streets. His frustration had faded, replaced once more with doubt. Neither putting themselves out there nor retreating from the public eye had reassured anyone, and Elana seemed content to let the rest of the Enclave make up their own minds. Without the people’s endorsement, they’d never receive hers. And no matter what she said, so far the people wanted nothing to do with them.

Well…except for one stubborn girl. According to Elana, Freya genuinely trusted them. Could they leverage that connection somehow?

He found Freya pacing outside his hut. When she saw him approach, she stilled, her anxious eyes shifting from side to side.

“It’s all right,” he called as he hurried toward her.

She squinted at him. “You’re not mad?”

He stopped several paces away. “Why would I be?”

“I betrayed your trust,” she said with a grimace. “I should’ve told you all the stuff my mother asked me, but I was worried you wouldn’t talk to me anymore.”

The genuine distress in her voice eliminated his remaining reservations. He could imagine how frustrating it must have been to have a keen interest in daemons and the outside world while growing up in a place like the Enclave. Especially with an aunt like Leda.