“Silly human,” Trik teased, “you are the most precious thing in my world. Don’t you know that yet? Have my actions not revealed that?”

“Sometimes it’s just hard to believe that you love me, not…,” she held up her hand to stop his rebuttal, “not because I don’t think I’m worthy of your love, but because it just seems impossible. Dark elves, light elves, a whole other realm? I mean, seriously Trik, if I told people about this they would think that Lisa had sold me some bad incense or something.”

Trik brushed her messy hair from her face and ran his thumb across her lips. His eyes met hers and pinned her in place, but it was his words that held her captive.

“After centuries upon centuries in darkness, with enough blood on my hands to condemn hundreds of men, I found you. That, my love, is something to truly be in awe of. And for some reason you want me, when I deserve nothing less than your scorn, you give me acceptance. When I deserve your shame, you find pride in who you think I can be. When I deserve your judgment, you give me grace and love me anyway. It is I who should be unable to believe that any of this is real, Cassie. It is I who should be worried that I’m going to wake up and realize that this was all just a dream and that you aren’t real, that you aren’t mine.”

She smiled at him as she pressed her forehead to his. “We are quite the pair aren’t we?”

“That we are love.”

Cassie looked past him to the window and saw the light of the sun was beginning to break through the darkness as night was quickly fading into day. “Today is a big day,” she told him with what she hoped sounded like enthusiasm, though she was really dreading it.

Trik’s lips twitched in amusement as he stood and pulled her to her feet. “You forget that I can hear your thoughts when we’re touching, A’maelamin.” He switched to speaking to her thoughts as he stroked her flushed cheek. “You can’t hide from me.”

“I’m not hiding. I just don’t want you to think that I don’t support you,” she explained honestly.

“Hmm,” Trik said, drawing the word out as he searched her eyes. “I know you support me. I know that you will stand by my side, but I don’t expect you to be doing cartwheels over the fact that we are going to war.”

“I know, but I feel like we need to go all Braveheart for the warriors who will be fighting to get them all pumped up,” she told him as she stepped around him and headed for the bathroom. “I always thought it was weird in the movies that right before a big battle, the leader always gives this big speech to get the men all excited,” she called out over her shoulder. She turned just as she was shutting the bathroom door and met his eyes. “Because really all they were doing was just getting them pumped up to go and die.”

Trik stood staring at the now closed door, his Chosen’s words ringing ominously in his mind. It was his job to get his warriors inspired for the coming fight, but not to die. He needed them to fight on to be victorious in spite of the casualties that were bound to happen. It was his job to encourage them, but it was also his job to prepare them for the battle they would be facing and what a battle it would be. Despite his youthful appearance he was ancient, so he had no grand designs that they would charge into combat and emerge on the other side unscathed. It would be ugly, bloody and deadly. That is what war was. But just as it was death, it was also life. It was a new beginning and an end to old ways.

“Ready?”

Cassie’s voice drew him back from his thoughts and he turned to see her standing, dressed in the clothes of a light-elf warrior. His mouth dropped open and he had to make a conscious effort not to drool.

“You look incredible,” he told her breathlessly.

She smiled at him. “Syndra said if I’m going to be a bad ass, then I have to look the part.”

The snug dark brown pants hugged her thighs and calves, lovingly accentuating her curves. The sleeveless green vest fit just as closely. The elfin material moved with her body, allowing her free range of motion so that she wouldn’t be hindered in a fight. Her knee high brown boots tied around her legs and he grinned when he saw a dagger shoved down in the built in holster. Yes, his Chosen was a warrior, and she was hot.

“It suits you,” he told her with a wink.

She snorted. “Right, now if only I had the moves to go with the clothes.”

Trik took her hand and began to lead her from the room. “Beautiful, you got moves, don’t doubt that. But today we’ll just be adding to your repertoire.”

“Fantastic,” Cassie groaned.

Trik chuckled. “I do love your enthusiasm.”

“Shut-it quiver boy.”

“Feisty,” he continued to laugh. “I like it.”

“Trik.”

“Yes love.”

“Keep it up and I’ll use my new moves on you first,” she warned.

“Mm, that’s what I’m hoping for, A’maelamin,” he crooned.

“It has been a long while since you’ve had to make weapons,” Tamsin said as he watched Syndra flit about the throne room directing people here and there as she prepared it for the day’s activities.

She stopped beside him, her long hair pulled back in a braid down her back. She was wearing her warrior garments instead of the human clothes she favored so much. Her eyes met his and a sad smile appeared on her beautiful face. “It has been a long time since we have needed so many weapons all at once.”