In this arc, after Elana gets abandoned by Adrian, she loses direction in her life.
After Adrian leaves, she doesn't know what she should do or where she should go. Completely clueless.
So, when the Duke—her father—gets the invitation from the King of Grimvale, Elana goes with them without any resistance and even agrees to get married…or more like she just goes with the flow.
If not for Allen, Olivia, and Sylvie, she might have gotten married and disappeared from the story. But the trio crashes into her life and makes her realize that her life isn't over and that she can still move forward. If she didn't want to progress in academics or as a Warden, she could become stronger and more influential, and she might be able to reunite with Adrian.
That gives her new hope, and after a big drama with the Grimvale family, and after breaking the heart of the Prince, Elana returns to the story.
