Rising from the Ashes

Chapter 19

There is a big pro when it comes to working for Cadence. Elenora hardly has time to breathe much less think of Nakoa though he always remains somewhere in her thoughts.

The first day went terribly. She didn't learn all the herbs on the list until midnight. Cadence had left hours before she did and told her she better be there at four with the needed herbs. Elenora had just enough time to leave the shop, find the herbs, and go right back. She had sent one of the warriors waiting outside of the shop to go find Mia and let her know she will not be coming home.

Thankfully after years of being a rogue, Elenora is more than used to not eating or sleeping for days on end. Cadence had put that ability to the test. If Elenora had expected her completion of each ridiculously impossible task to be met with approval from Cadence she would have been sorely mistaken. As each day went on Cadence had only gotten more and more harsh towards her.

Her intentions became clear quickly. Cadence is expecting Elenora to lash out. She is expecting anger. She is expecting Elenora to lose her temper. This is the fifth day working for Cadence and Elenora has yet to speak one word to the girl much less snap at her. Cadence isn't half as bad as Vermont was and she has been the distraction Elenora needed. The con is the lack of time she has to spend with Charlotte.

After crushing the last of the worms Elenora stands up and goes to the sink to wash her hands. "I expect you here early again tomorrow. I think three o'clock is a good time. Don't be late."

Cadence tells Elenora without looking up. Elenora resist the urge to smile. "I am only yours to control five days a week. Tomorrow is my day off." Elenora doesn't mention that she will be here tomorrow anyways to clean and organize her desk. Elenora had caught onto what Cadence plans to teach her next and she had bought a couple of books with the hopes of getting ahead on her days off. It is fair to assume Cadence will be extra hard on her after two days off and so hopefully getting ahead will help prevent staying extra late only to come here after two hours of sleeping. The only sleeping she has done this week had been on the hour break Fergus insisted she had alongside two fifteen minute breaks he pulls her away for. He does not approve of Cadence's teaching style.

The only reason he hasn't stepped in is because of Elenora insisting that he doesn't. Every day Elenora shows up is another day Cadence works herself to near death. Cadence still has to check to make sure Elenora is doing everything right while still working her own heavy loud. She looks more exhausted than Elenora does and it is almost laughable. Who does she think she's torturing? "So she speaks?" Cadence all but snaps, her lips curling to a scowl. "Would you rather play catch up after two days of lazing around or would you rather work seven days?" She asks as if she is certain the answer will be I would rather stay and work with you because you are absolutely wonderful to be around.

I don't answer her of course. After five days of working with Cadence I have learned one very important thing. The best weapon to use against her is silence. When Cadence threw a book at Elenora's head she had merely stared at her blankly. Elenora gave no hints as to what she were thinking, what she might have been planning to do in retaliation. She let Cadence guess, she let her think the absolute worse.

When Cadence had run to Fergus and claimed that Elenora was scheming something, Fergus had asked Cadence if Elenora had threatened her in any way. Fergus knew the answer before he asked the question. He seems to know exactly what Elenora is doing. He's mad at both of them. Cadence for the way she treats Elenora and Elenora for refusing to discourage her on any of the assumptions she throws out.

"Herbs and then back to the shop?" Gary asks Elenora the moment she steps outside of the shop. Nolan hands her a piece of meat, wrapped in foil. Gary and Nolan seem to be her official guards. By the third day of her sleeping at the shop they seemed to pick up on Elenora's ridiculous schedule. They had done everything they could to help and wouldn't answer when she asked why they were bothering. They both don't seem to like her very much at all though Elenora hasn't exactly brought out the curse to be certain.