251 A Fruitless Search

Brightblade remained at the mansion in the following week, providing Arran with protection from any would-be assassins. There was no sign of any enemies, however, and instead, she spent much of her time making a valiant effort to eat all the food his cooks could prepare.

This proved a battle she could not win. Voracious though her appetite might be, it was no match for the cooks' tireless efforts. If she devoured a roast chicken, they would bring a beef roast. If she fought her way past that, an entire roast pig would be brought out. It was a challenge she could not defeat, but she faced it eagerly.

Arran, meanwhile, spent most of the week training.

He had been told to rest and recover by the Matriarch, but his only real injuries were self-inflicted, and even those were fully healed by the end of the first day.