“Thank you,” he murmured against her lips as he pulled back and then peppered her jaw with gentle kisses.

Cassie laughed. “You’re thanking me for marrying you when you pretty much ordered me to?” she teased.

He paused and looked at her, his head tilted ever so slightly. “I guess I am.”

She shook her head at him and kissed his neck. “You do realize you’re stuck with me now, right?”

“I think I can handle that.”

He continued to kiss her neck down to her collar bone.

“Um, Trik,” she cleared her throat as she felt his hands slide lower on her back and lower still. “Don’t we have a dark-elf king to de-throne?”

His hands stopped and his forehead pressed against hers. “Dude is so dead for interfering in my honeymoon.”

“I don’t think you can blame this one on him, Quiver Boy. It’s your fault for planning your wedding on the day you are supposed to attack him,” she pointed out, oh so helpfully.

“Oh, I’m blaming him alright.” Trik held her hand and pulled her after him as he strode from the room. “If he wasn’t an evil bastard, I would be bedding my woman right now instead of hauling her off to war.”

“Be still my beating heart; my man has a way with words,” Cassie crooned sarcastically as she hurried after him.

“I never claimed words to be my specialty, my love. But what I can do with my hands, now that’s talent.” Trik looked over his shoulder at her and winked just as they entered the light-elf throne room.

Cassie grinned wickedly at her mate as she spoke. “If Elora were here right now she would tell you that it’s actually what you do with your quiver that counts.”

Trik let out a low chuckle as he stepped up to the front of the room and turned then to gaze at the eager faces of the warriors gathered.

Syndra stepped up beside them and looked from one to the other and then shook her head. “Married and still haven’t done the deed,” she muttered.

Cassie’s jaw dropped open at the queen but she quickly clamped it shut as Tamsin’s voice rang out.

“All hail, King Triktapic and Queen Cassandra!”

The room erupted in a united chorus, echoing what Tamsin had said. Cassie took that moment to lean towards Syndra. “We’ve been married all of twenty minutes.”

A single brow on the light-elf queen’s face rose. “Well how long could it possibly take?”

Cassie bit her lip to keep from busting out in completely inappropriate laughter and wished for the hundredth time that Elora was there to say the inappropriate things that she could not.

“Let’s just get the dark elves under control and not worry about my virginal status, okay?” she retorted.

Syndra covered her laugh with a cough. “Virginal? Really, my Queen?”

Cassie shrugged. “It was all I had.”

“Today is a great day,” Trik’s voice boomed, effectively drawing her attention. “Today I have taken Cassie to be my wife in the way of her people.” Cheers erupted. “And today we take back our freedom as a people, one sovereign nation of elves. We will no longer be divided by tyranny—no longer be separated by a chasm of hate.” The room grew quite as they hung on his every word.

“We are no longer light or dark. We are the Elfin nation, one people, with one purpose—to do what is right in the sight of the Forest Lords—to stand for what is good, to protect those who need protection, and to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. Today we go to war!”

Cassie felt her heartbeat speed up as the room roared its approval of Trik’s words. The walls seemed to shake around them as the cheers grew louder. Trik held his hands up and just as quickly as the noise had risen, it dissipated.

“Tamsin has no doubt given you your orders. Each elf has his or her part to play. Stick to the plan and we will be victorious!”

There was a flurry of movement as Tamsin began directing the warriors. Trik turned to Cassie and leaned down so she could hear him over the noise. “You stay close to me. The world will not be safe from my wrath if something happens to you.”

“We’re doing this to protect the world, remember?” she asked him coyly.

Trik gave his famous smirk as he rubbed his thumb across her lips. “Just stay alive for all our sakes.”

“As you wish, my Lord,” Cassie said in syrupy sweet voice.

“Remember that phrase for later,” he purred back.

“I’m seriously going to gag to death if I have to listen to you two toss sexual banter back and forth the entire way to the dark castle,” Syndra huffed.

“Could you please refrain from dying until after we’ve won?” Trik asked her.

“Only if you can refrain from getting it on in the bushes.”

Cassie snorted but quickly schooled her face when her husband shot her and Syndra a warning glare.

“He’s cranky,” Syndra muttered.

“He didn’t get to get it on with his new bride,” Trik growled back as he motioned them to follow.

Cassie shook her head at his back as Syndra smiled unrepentantly.

They traveled surprisingly quickly for such a large group and after a half hour on foot in the forest, Cassie found herself in Trik’s arms.

“You’re going to carry me there?” she asked him skeptically.

“I didn’t get to carry you over the threshold of a new house, so I suppose the threshold of the castle we’re storming will have to do,” he teased.