#Chapter 390 - Ally

I allow a tiny smile to find my lips as my eyes move over Elias’s tense face. He holds my gaze, determined and afraid, and I decide suddenly that he’s…either an excellent actor or very, very earnest. “He’s fine,” I whisper, nodding quietly to this Atalaxian prince. Immediately, the tension goes out of his shoulders and he exhales a long breath. “He’s fine, Elias. Totally fine.” He nods, sharp, and looks down at the table as color flushes in his cheeks. “Please. How do you know he’s fine?” “Because I saw him yesterday,” I say quietly, still studying him. “His name is Ben. He’s one of my best friends.” A shudder passes through Elias’s shoulders and he raises a hand to his face, covering his eyes. As Elias takes a moment to compose himself I try to think like Faiza, try to understand the stakes here. Because on one hand, Elias could be a man who just shoved a pitcher of cream off the table so his Luna would leave the room, so he could ask me the burning questions he’s had about hi