Chapter 75: Asking For Help
Rosalie:
To my own surprise, I didn’t collapse the moment Eiden announced the morning run was over.
In fact, I remained standing.
My legs still ached, my breathing was heavier than normal, and I was fairly certain every muscle below my waist would file a formal complaint later in the day, but compared to the first morning when I had practically crawled to the porch before collapsing onto the steps, today felt... different. Better.
I could actually feel the improvement. I wasn’t fast, not even close, but I had finished the run without stopping every few minutes, and my chest no longer felt like it was about to explode. A strange sense of accomplishment settled inside me, making a small smile appear on my lips.
Instead of heading toward the porch where Eiden and Zaiden had already settled down with their water bottles, I wandered into the front garden, pretending to admire the flowers blooming beneath the warm summer sun. The flowerbeds surrounding Eiden’s house were as beautiful as always, filled with roses, lavender, lilies, and dozens of other flowers whose names I didn’t even know. Despite the peak of summer, every plant looked healthy, vibrant, and carefully cared for.
I absentmindedly brushed my fingertips over the petals of a white rose while trying very hard not to think about the conversation I needed to have. Unfortunately, avoiding the conversation didn’t make it disappear.
I could practically feel the two pairs of eyes following me from the porch. I didn’t have to look to know they were watching me. And perhaps that was exactly why I couldn’t bring myself to walk over there.
Last night I had decided I would ask Eiden for help.
Only Eiden.
Not because I didn’t trust Zaiden. Quite the opposite. It was because I trusted him too much.
The idea I had in mind required a person with influence, but more than that, it required asking for a favor. Somehow asking Eiden didn’t seem quite so intimidating. He had always been easy to talk to. Easy to approach.
Zaiden, on the other hand... every time I stood in front of him, I suddenly forgot half the words in the dictionary. He had never once made me feel unwelcome, yet there was something about his quiet authority that made every request feel incredibly important. I simply couldn’t gather the courage to ask him for something like this.
So instead, I continued walking around flowerbeds. Once. Twice. Three times. I examined flowers that I had already looked at three minutes earlier. I crouched to inspect a lavender bush. Then stood again. Then pretended to admire a climbing rose.
If anyone had been watching from outside the property, they probably would have thought I had developed an unhealthy obsession with gardening overnight.
Nearly ten minutes passed before a familiar voice finally reached me.
"Rosa."
I turned immediately.
Eiden was looking at me with obvious amusement.
"Are you alright?"
His question pulled me from my ridiculous attempt at delaying the inevitable. This was my chance. If I didn’t ask now, I probably never would.
Taking a deep breath, I brushed imaginary dust from my clothes and finally walked toward the porch. The closer I came, the faster my heartbeat became. By the time I stopped in front of them, I had already forgotten the speech I had rehearsed on the run home.
"I..." I cleared my throat awkwardly. "Eiden..."
He looked up expectantly.
"Can I... talk to you?" I paused just for a second before adding softly, "...In private?"
Silence settled over the porch. And almost immediately, both men looked at each other. The glance was brief, lasting barely three seconds, yet somehow an entire silent conversation seemed to pass between them.
I frowned.
What exactly had that look meant?
Before I could wonder further, Zaiden stood up. He didn’t ask questions. Didn’t look annoyed. Didn’t even appear curious. Instead, he brushed invisible dust from his trousers before calmly saying, "I’ll head back to the packhouse."
Then he looked at me and gave that small nod he always did before leaving.
"See you tomorrow, Ms. Hale."
Before I could respond properly, he had already started walking toward the black SUV parked near the entrance of the property. The driver immediately opened the door for him, and within seconds, the vehicle disappeared down the road.
I stared after it for a moment longer than necessary. Only when the sound of the engine completely faded did Eiden speak again.
"Come inside."
I followed him automatically.
The familiar house welcomed me with the comforting scent of herbs and freshly brewed tea that somehow always lingered inside. It had become strangely familiar over the past week. Every morning after training, we spent some time here recovering before I returned home and later went to work.
He led me directly into the spacious kitchen.
Without asking further questions, he opened one of the cabinets and took out a kettle.
"Water?" He glanced over his shoulder. "Or would you like juice?"
I smiled faintly. "Water is fine."
He nodded before placing a glass in front of me.
Then, as naturally as breathing, he began preparing one of his countless herbal teas. Watching him work had become oddly relaxing. Every movement was practiced and unhurried. Measuring dried herbs. Heating water. Grinding leaves with a small mortar. Even something as simple as making tea looked graceful when Eiden did it.
Only after placing the kettle over the stove did he finally look back at me.
"So..." His smile returned. "What have you been thinking so hard about this entire morning?"
I wrapped both hands around the cold glass of water. Suddenly, my carefully prepared explanation didn’t seem nearly as organized. Still, I had already come this far.
"I got a job."
His eyebrows lifted as he confessed, "I know."
I blinked, clearly surprised.
"Mrs. Holloway mentioned meeting a wonderful young woman."
I laughed softly. "She talks to everyone, doesn’t she?"
"She does."
The laughter eased my nervousness a little and I continued, "So you might already know that a week ago she offered me a position to manage her bookstore."
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