Syndra smiled at Lisa. She looked like she was there for a friendly visit, not the intense meeting they had been having.

“Everything is fine, Lisa,” Syndra assured her. “We were just on our way out.”

Cassie stepped towards Syndra but didn’t make it far before Trik wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back towards his chest. Cassie didn’t bother to acknowledge the possessive gesture.

“Um, I have a question,” she told the Light Elf Queen.

Syndra motioned for her to continue.

“Is Elora on your hit list since she has seen you and Trik in your true form?”

Lisa’s eyes widened at that question.

Syndra shook her head. “We have made an exception for Lisa and her daughter. Things are changing. You are going to need your friends to support you, Cassie, and I will not take from you what you are going to so desperately need very soon.”

Cassie stared at Syndra in shock. She felt a tightening in her chest and a feeling of inevitably set in. Syndra’s words were not an exaggeration. She was not trying to induce unfounded fear. Cassie could see in her eyes the knowledge that haunted the Queen.

Tamsin took his Chosen’s hand and together they walked to a large mirror that stood in the far back corner. Cassie had never noticed it before, but it now made sense as to why Lisa had it there.

“We will see you soon, Trik,” Syndra announced just before they stepped into the mirror.

“So, what’s it going to be lover boy?” Elora’s arms were folded across her chest and her foot tapped impatiently. Her eyes were narrowed at Trik.

Cassie pulled out of Trik’s hold and he reluctantly let her go. She turned to look up at him. She saw so many emotions warring in his eyes and her heart ached for him. He reached for her hand and pulled it to his chest laying it over his heart.

“I need to speak with you,” his voice was soft but Cassie still heard the edge of his anger that lurked beneath the surface. He looked over to Elora then.

“Elora can you please take Cassie home?”

Elora cocked her head to the side. “Is that what you want Cass?” She asked ignoring Trik.

With her hand on his chest, Cassie could see into Trik’s mind, confirming that he needed to speak with her privately and that it was important.

“Yeah, we obviously have some things to discuss.”

“Fine, let’s go,” she motioned towards the door.

“I will meet you there,” Trik told Cassie as he tucked her hair behind her ear. He leaned down and gently, though possessively, kissed her. Cassie felt light headed as he pulled back. She felt the warmth of his lips all the way to her toes and thought disappointedly that it was entirely too short of a kiss. Her hand still lay against his chest and he chuckled at her thoughts.

“Later,” he whispered in her ear as he walked past her and dropped her hand at the last possible moment. He looked back and his silver eyes met hers. For a moment she wanted to run to him, wrap her arms around him and tell him it would be okay. But she couldn’t. She couldn’t because she didn’t know if it was going to be okay.

~

They pulled into Cassie’s driveway and just sat in silence. Cassie made no move to get out of the car. She just needed a moment. She needed to gather her thoughts and prepare herself to be alone with Trik. He was just too much at times. His confident, devil may care attitude was alluring, and the way he looked at her was disarming.

“How’s your brother Elora?” Cassie’s voice shook, though her question was simple and totally unrelated to the mess she was in.

Elora shook her head with a small laugh. “He’s good. He’s actually enjoying the whole college experience.”

Cassie nodded with a small smile. “That’s good.” She paused. “How do you think you did on the English paper?”

Elora tilted her head at her friend and empathy filled her purple contact colored eyes. “You’re stalling.”

“Pretty much.”

“You don’t have to go up there.”

“Yes, yes I do.” Cassie grabbed the door handle and pushed the door open.

“Cassie.” The worry in Elora’s voice made Cassie pause as she placed both feet on the pavement. She looked back over her shoulder.

“They will protect you, Syndra and Tamsin. You will be safe.”

Cassie’s face softened as she let out a weary sigh. “Yeah, but who will protect Trik?” She climbed out of the car and shut the door behind her. Taking a page from Elora’s book she didn’t say goodbye, but simply headed for the front door of her house.

“Mom, I’m home,” Cassie announced.

“Okay, I’m in the dining room.”

Cassie found her mom sitting at their dining room table, stacks of paper surrounded her. She had a pencil tucked behind her ear and her shoulder length hair had been pulled up haphazardly in a ponytail. Her mom was a lawyer and a good one. She practiced family law and she worked nonstop for her clients, oftentimes it seemed she was more a therapist than a lawyer.

“I’m going to head up to my room to work on some homework,” Cassie told her mom as way of an excuse for her to spend a Saturday in her room.

Her mom nodded at her, waving her understanding, never taking her eyes from her work.

Chapter 8

“Once an elf has found his Chosen, the union must be bound in blood by the King. Once the binding has been completed, the elf’s loyalty and devotion will always be to his Chosen first and foremost. This is to preserve the future of our race. The ambition of Kings could keep their warriors allegiance to the point of failing to protect, cherish, and love their Chosen as the Forest Lords originally intended. The unions of our race must not be taken lightly, for it is by strong unions that we flourish as a people. It is by the example of the devotion in our unions that our offspring learn integrity and commitment. Woe be it to us if we should ever forget that. ~ Myrin, advisor to Lorsan.