~
“Lisa!” Elora hollered as the little bell over the door of Enigma, her mother’s store, jingled. Cassie followed her into the new age shop, her eyes never ceasing to widen at the many interesting things that decorated Lisa’s store. They walked to the back of the store where the cash register sat and waited for Elora’s mom to come up from the backroom.
“What are you girls doing here?” Lisa asked as she drug a large box from the storeroom. Cassie walked around the counter to help her and Lisa smiled. Cassie once again noted to herself that Lisa had one of those disarming smiles that made her feel like everything was going to be okay.
“Cassie saw some elves and then met one who has pretty much put a claim on her,” Elora said nonchalantly.
Cassie’s mouth dropped open as she listened to her best friend explain the situation to her mom as if she were talking about the weather and not about some mythical species.
Lisa froze and looked from Elora to Cassie, her eyes wide, with disbelief or surprise, Cassie couldn’t tell.
Elora shrugged. “I didn’t tell her anything, I just gave her an explanation for what she saw.”
Lisa took a step towards Cassie. “What exactly did you see?”
Cassie was surprised that Lisa wasn’t laughing or telling them that they were absolutely crazy for even considering such an idea.
“Well…” Cassie started. She explained everything she had told Elora and waited for Lisa to finally tell her that she needed some sort of medication for her hallucinations.
Lisa stepped back and leaned against the counter, her arms crossed in front of her chest and a thoughtful look on her face. A face that was nearly identical to her daughter’s. Her hair, a dark brown, could have been the same color as Elora’s. But Elora had kept hers dyed since before Cassie could remember, so there was no way to be totally certain.
“So what do you think about Elora’s ideas about this?” Lisa asked Cassie carefully.
Cassie cocked her head to the side. “What do you mean, what do I think? Are you telling me that you believe her?”
Lisa nodded slowly. “I believe her because I know that it’s true, as does Elora.”
“How?” Cassie practically shrieked.
“We know elves,” Elora said in her usual matter of fact tone.
Cassie coughed on her own saliva as she attempted to swallow. “Y-y-you know elves?” She stuttered out her question.
“Have you seen the products I carry in this store? Where do you think I get most of this stuff?” Lisa asked.
Cassie shook her head. “I need to sit down.”
“Yeah, you are definitely going to need to sit down before I tell you the really scary part.” Lisa walked around the counter and pulled out a chair for Cassie to sit in.
“The really scary part?” Cassie’s brow rose. “You’re telling me that elves being real isn’t scary enough?”
“Are you sure that the elf you met said that his name was Trik?” Lisa asked.
Cassie nodded.
“That’s not good.” Lisa tapped her lips with her forefinger, her eyes unfocused in thought.
“Why exactly is it not good?” Cassie was trying to grasp what Elora and her mother were saying, but it felt like they were making her drag the information out of them.
“Well, if it is the Trik, then you met the Dark Elf King’s most deadly assassin,” Lisa said.
Cassie’s head fell forward and landed on the counter with a thud. “You have got to be kidding me.”
Elora snorted. “Only you would meet the most dangerous elf out there and have him basically tell you that he wanted you to be his woman.”
“Thanks Elora, that is really helping,” Cassie thudded her head against the counter repeatedly hoping that if she knocked herself out she would wake up and all of this would have been a dream.
“Okay, that’s enough,” Lisa grabbed Cassie’s ponytail to keep her from hitting her head on the counter again. “We have a more serious concern. You said you saw the gentlemen in the conference room in all their Elfin glory. That’s not good, Cassie.”
Cassie raised a single brow at Lisa. “Really, because the death looks they gave me before chasing after me wasn’t a clue at all.”
“Well, don’t you want to know why they were chasing you,” asked Lisa.
“I guess that would be useful information to know.”
“It’s against Elfin law for a human to ever see an elf in its true form. My family has known of them for generations. I’ve known of the Elfin my whole life, and even have a close Elfin friend named Syndra. None of us—not one—has ever seen them in their natural form.
“What does that mean, exactly, that I’m not allowed to see them?” Cassie asked nervously.
“Unfortunately, Elfin law states that if a human has seen one in their true form, then the human is marked to die. Even the light elves, who are supposed to be the good guys by the way, stick to that rule. So essentially…”
“Your ass is grass,” Elora said absently as she nonchalantly flipped through a magazine as if they weren’t discussing her best friend’s imminent demise.
“Again, thank you, Elora, for the overflowing empathy,” Cassie said matching her friend’s dry tone. “Okay so let’s say that I believe you, what do I do?”
“I will speak with Syndra and see if there is some loophole that I don’t know about. Maybe there is a way to petition the Light Elf King.”
“So we are going to basically beg for them to let me live even though I know their little secret?”
“Pretty much,” Lisa said nodding her head.
“You two are just little rainbows of positivity, you know it?” Cassie said sarcastically.
Lisa laughed. “Meanwhile, you need to see what Trik wants with you. He is a dark elf, Cassie. No, no, he is the dark elf. He isn’t one to be trifled with.”
“Yes because I make it a habit to trifle with dark elves,” Cassie snorted. “Sorry, Lisa. I’m not trying to be a butthead; I’m just a little overwhelmed.”
“Understandable,” Lisa said as she patted Cassie’s shoulder. “We’ll figure it out, alright?”
“Did you know my dad’s company was owned by the elves?” Cassie asked Lisa.
“Yes, but we aren’t allowed to reveal that we know about the Elfin, which is why Elora has never told you that she knew about them.”
“Are you going to be in trouble?” Cassie asked her.
Lisa shook her head. “I don’t think so. After all, we didn’t reveal them to you; it was Tamsin’s fault.”
“Who is Tamsin?” Cassie asked apprehensively, not sure if she really wanted to know.
“He’s the Light Elf King. I imagine he was probably one of the one’s you saw in the conference room.”
Cassie stood as she blew out a deep breath. “I think I need to head home and stick my head in the ground. Hopefully when I finally emerge maybe the elves will have forgotten about me.”
“If you are on Trik or Tamsin’s radars, I imagine they aren’t likely to forget about you,” Elora told her friend.
“Okay, you are not allowed to speak anymore,” Cassie pointed a finger at Elora. “Take me home please and keep your happy thoughts to yourself.”