“Yes you do,” Flora challenged. “You do know and you need to listen to her. She’s calling for him isn’t she?”

Cassie was walking around the room in jerky, agitated movements. “I don’t know what you’re talking abo ut Flora, just stop. Stop talking.”

“NO!” Flora snapped. “Listen to your soul, Cassie Tate.”

Cassie met Flora’s eyes and Flora, though she wanted to take a step back under the furious glare, held her ground.

“Why do you care all of a sudden?” Cassie nearly snarled.

Flora paused and thought for a moment. “Because I’ve grown to care for you and no one should give up their soul mate. You will hate yourself and the elf waiting for you if you do this.”

There was a knock at the door and both of their heads whipped around to stare at it. Cassie moved first. She walked over to the door and put her hand on the handle.

“Cassie, wait,” Flora’s voice was urgent. “Listen to her, if only for a second.”

“No,” Cassie told her firmly.

“Why? Just tell me why?”

“IT HURTS!” Cassie yelled. “It hurts to listen to her. I don’t remember him, but he hurt me, he didn’t want me and I don’t want to hurt anymore.”

“You would rather feel nothing?” Flora asked.

“Nothing can’t hurt me, nothing can’t break me.” Cassie answered coldly.

“It can’t love you either.”

Cassie ignored her words and pulled the door open.

“It’s time.” The tall elf who had carried her to her room stood at the threshold. He was handsome. He was strong and tall and he wanted her. He held out his hand to her and she placed her small one in it. His fingers wrapped around hers and she fought not to pull her hand away and recoil at his touch.

He led her to a small room. It was lit in soft candlelight and a large bed took up over half of the space. She quickly darted her eyes from the bed, not wanting to even consider what might happen there. She turned to the opposite wall and saw Lorsan standing there with his Chosen next to him. They were the only ones in the room with them.

“Andaer,” Lorsan motioned for them to come stand in front of him.

Cassie shivered as she walked beside the elf who she now knew was named Andaer. She wasn’t sure how it was spelled but it sounded like and-dire and in that moment it struck her as slightly funny that she hadn’t known the name of the man that she was about to essentially marry. She tried to stifle a hysterical giggle and turned it into a cough. Three sets of eyes landed on her and she blushed.

“Sorry,” she whispered. “Just a little nervous.”

Andaer squeezed her hand in what she was sure was supposed to be a comforting gesture but it made her skin crawl and again she felt the pushing, the warring soul inside her.

“My King,” Andaer spoke. “This is the woman I’ve chosen for my Union and I ask your blessing.”

Lorsan nodded and held out his hand to his Queen. She placed a shiny, very sharp dagger in his hand. Cassie took an involuntary step back but Andaer wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close to him.

“A blood sacrifice must be made,” Lorsan told her holding out his hand. Andaer took Cassie’s hand and held it out to Lorsan. She didn’t want to watch but like a bad car wreck she couldn’t tear her eyes away. She sucked in a breath as Lorsan ran the dagger across her palm. Blood welled up from the wound and Cassie fought to keep her hand open. Lorsan made the same cut across Andaer’s palm and then he turned their palms so that they would meet.

“I, Lorsan, King of the Dark Elves, bless this Union. A sacrifice of blood has been made and the Union will be complete once consummated.” He pressed Andaer’s hand to hers and her first thought was that it could not be sanitary to be swapping blood with an elf she didn’t know. Again that made her laugh but she swallowed it down when Lorsan frowned at her and Andaer’s frown matched that of the King’s.

It seemed like they were waiting for something and when nothing happen Lorsan finally released their hands. She pulled her palm away from the elf—her now, what? Mate, husband? She stared down at the blood smeared there. Whether it was the sight of the blood or the screaming in her head that she could no longer pacify, she didn’t know but she felt darkness engulf her as she fell.

Andaer caught Cassandra as her body crumbled. She was pale and her skin felt clammy. He picked her up and took her to the large bed and laid her down.

“What is wrong?” He asked Lorsan, though his eyes did not leave Cassandra’s still form.

“Perhaps she doesn’t like the sight of blood,” Ilyrana suggested.

Andaer nodded, but his gut told him that that was not why his Bound had fallen. He heard the door close behind him and knew that the King and Queen had left him to be with his mate. There was a knock at the door and he called out gruffly. “Enter.”

There was a squeak behind him and he turned to find the she-elf who had been Cassandra’s handmaiden staring wide-eyed at the human.

“What happened?” She rushed over to the side of the bed and placed a cool towel on Cassandra’s forehead.

“She passed out after the Union,” he explained.

The she-elf tsked at him. She muttered under her breath as she wiped Cassandra’s face and positioned her hands on her stomach.

“Will she be alright?” Andaer asked her.

She glared up at him. “Yes,” she snapped, “she will be fine. But when she wakes you will want to give her this.” She held out a small bottle of Rapture.