Memories began to pour into her: her mother’s laughter, her father’s smile, the smell of her house, the warmth of her own bed. The memories all came crashing down on her and she could no longer hold back the tears.
As the tears began to fall, they became a much needed cleansing for her soul, one that she didn’t even know she needed. She sobbed. She cried for the injustice of life and for the loss of innocence. She cried for the dark years Trik allowed himself to live and she cried for the pain he would continue to endure as a consequence of the darkness he let reign for so long. She cried for Elora and Lisa and allowed herself to finally come to terms with the intense loss she felt at not having her best friend with her. She cried until she was sure there were no tears left inside of her and then, lying there in the courtyard by herself, she fell into an exhausted sleep, somehow a little better off than she had been before.
As the darkness of night wrapped around the light-elf castle, Trik found his Chosen lying curled in a ball in the corner of the courtyard. He let out a deep sigh of relief as he knelt down beside her and brushed some strands of hair away from her face. He had been looking for her for several hours. Though he knew that nothing bad had happened to her, not knowing where she was had driven him crazy. He scooped her up in his arms and the fact that she didn’t even stir under his jostling testified to how tired she was. The past three days of training had been brutal, but he knew it was necessary. Better she be exhausted from training, than be exhausted in the middle of battle when it counted. He carried her to their room; well, it was really her room he grinned to himself. He had managed to weasel himself into her space and she had yet to kick him out. He wasn’t about to willingly leave. He laid her down in the bed and pulled the covers up over her. After one last glance, he left her to sleep. He still had some planning to go over with Tamsin. Though all he wanted to do was crawl into the bed next to her and shut the world out, he had to make sure there was a world left to shut out before he could allow himself that time with her.
Cassie felt warm breath on her cheek and for a single heartbeat she thought it was Trik. As soon as the large hand clamped over her mouth she realized how very wrong she had been. Her eyes snapped open and her heartbeat sped up as fear settled in her bones. She felt the blankets being ripped from her and the cool night air rushed over her. When another set of hands grabbed her ankles, she realized there was more than one attacker and she tried not to let that revelation push her from fear to complete terror. Her heart pounded relentlessly against her chest and she briefly considered the chances of her having a heart attack at her age, not likely even under great duress. She mentally berated herself for thinking about something so silly at such a critical moment.
“What do you think he would do to get you back?” A deep gravelly voice whispered in her ear. “What do you think he would give up?”
Everything, was the answer she would have said if she could because she knew it was true. She also knew she couldn’t allow them to take her because Trik was needed, and he couldn’t save the elves and humans if he was focused on getting her back. With a renewed sense of purpose, she began to fight back. For three days she had been training with the most deadly assassin to ever grace her realm or his own. She wasn’t just a helpless little high school-er anymore. She was a queen. She wrenched back on of her legs and twisted her hips at the same time. It must have caught her attackers off guard because suddenly one leg was free. She pulled it back and kicked with all her might and the loud grunt that followed told her she had connected with her target. She flung her body, rolling it over and over, jerking herself free from the one who had covered her mouth. She rolled clear off the edge of the bed, and four days ago she would have landed on her rump, but her training with Trik had her reflexes on overdrive.
She rolled off the edge and flipped her legs around so that her feet landed on the floor with a thud. Swiftly springing up she looked around the dark room. Her eyes adjusted quickly and she saw both men were looking at her with wide eyes. Long dark hair, tall lithe forms, and shining eyes gave away their dark-elf heritage. They had expected easy prey. Well, they had another thing coming if they thought she would just lie there while they tied her up like a prized hog. She crouched down into the fighting stance that Trik had taught her and she met each of their eyes.
“So, are we going to dance or what?” she asked with bravado that she didn’t really feel. Just as the one she had kicked made a move towards her, the doors behind her flew open, and Trik and all his power came storming in. His arm stretched out and the two dark elves were flung back against the wall. Their legs dangled uselessly several feet from the floor as they were held in place by the sheer will of her mate. Trik walked straight to her and looked her over. He must have seen something he didn’t like because his eyes began to swirl and glow silver.
“Are you alright?” he asked her gently as he cupped her face.
She nodded. “I was using what you taught me,” she told him proudly.
His lips turned up in a slight smile. “My fierce beautiful queen.”
“Don’t you forget it,” she teased him back. She reached up on her tippy toes and pressed a kiss to his lips. “I’m fine,” she whispered against them. “They didn’t hurt me.”
Trik’s forehead pressed to hers and she could tell that he was barely holding it together.
“Why did he send you,” he finally asked as he turned to face the two dark elves. They stared back at him blankly as if he had spoken a foreign language. “Agog,” Trik said the elf’s name with a familiar purr. “I believe you have been on a few missions with me. You know what I’m capable of.”
“You’re a light elf now,” Agog interrupted him.
A slow smile spread across Trik’s face and it sent chills down Cassie’s arms and not the good kind.
“When it comes to my Chosen, there is nothing that I am not capable of. So if you think for a minute that I won’t utilize all of my skills, vast as they are, in order to protect her, then you are so very, very mistaken.”
Cassie turned to see Tamsin and Syndra both enter the room. Syndra hurried over to her. “Are you alright?” Cassie was slightly surprised when the light-elf queen hugged her.
“Yeah, I’m good. They didn’t get a chance to hurt me,” she told her honestly.
“What are you going to do with them, Trik?” Tamsin asked him.
Trik stared up at the men and with a flick of his wrist they crumpled to the ground. They weren’t dead. Cassie could still see their chests moving up and down as they breathed, but they were definitely unconscious. “Lock them up. I’ll question them after I’ve had a chance to make sure my Chosen is alright.”
Cassie started to speak up but the look Trik gave her had her snapping her mouth closed. Trik took her hand and led her to the bathroom. He shut the door behind them and turned the lock on the door, effectively shutting out the others.
“Trik.”
“Shh.” He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his lips to hers. It started out sweet and gentle but then something changed, and suddenly he had her pushed up against the wall with his hands in her hair tilting her head back to deepen the kiss. She could hear his thoughts loud and clear in that moment. He was terrified of losing her again. He was terrified of what Lorsan would do to her if he got her. She ran her hands over his face as she returned his kiss and gradually he softened until he finally pulled back. He panted as he tried to catch his breath and she was glad she wasn’t the only one that sounded as though she’d been running a marathon.
“They could have taken you,” he whispered against her lips. He may have stopped kissing her, but he wasn’t moving away from her. His hands ran up and down her arms and back and then gripped her hips. “They could have,” he didn’t finish the sentence; the horror of it was shining in his eyes.
“But they didn’t,” she pointed out, “and I was fighting back and doing a pretty darn good job. They were expecting a helpless girl, but you have taught me that I don’t have t
o be helpless. You’ve taught me to defend myself.”
Trik shook his head. “A female, a human female against dark-elf males doesn’t have a chance, Cassie. They could have killed you. The fact that you are alive means that Lorsan doesn’t want you dead.”
“Well thank goodness for small mercies,” she said as she blew out a weary breath. “Now why exactly are we in the bathroom?”
Trik shook his head as he looked briefly away from her. “I needed you to myself for a few moments,” he sighed then added. “I needed to calm down so that I didn’t kill those two men.”
Cassie’s eyes widened at his confession. “You aren’t going to kill them?” She was more surprised by the idea that he would let them live, not that he wanted to kill them.
“I didn’t say that. But for now I need them alive. Lorsan has a plan and they probably know at least a little about what it is. Once they give me all that they can, then I’ll decide their fate.”
“You know you don’t have to kill them,” she told him carefully, fully aware of how touchy he was when it came to her safety. “They can’t harm me, not anymore.”
Trik’s eyes met hers and she felt the intensity of his stare to her soul. It was as if he were stripping her bare, revealing every layer, shining light on every dark place. “It’s not about what they can or can’t do anymore, love. Some dark elves only understand one thing, and that is life and death. They only value one thing and that is themselves. To ensure that others do not come after you, I have to make an example of them. The dark elves have to know that I will not tolerate threats, and I will protect you at all cost.”
“And what about mercy? Don’t kings grant mercy?” she challenged. “Weren’t you granted mercy?”
“When it comes to your safety, your life, I have no mercy in me.”
Elora wiped drool from her bottom lip as she pushed away from the passenger side window where she had fallen asleep. She noticed the night was beginning to fade as it gave way to morning and the sky began to have a pinkish hue as the sun started to rise. As she stretched her arms above her head, she heard a throat being cleared. Her head turned slowly and she saw Cush’s light blue eyes raking over her.
“Sleep well?” his deep voice rumbled across the vehicle, causing warmth to spread inside of her.
“You totally just saw the drool didn’t you?” she asked, more annoyed than embarrassed.
“Could be worse,” he told her.
She snorted. “True, I could have farted,” her head snapped up. “Holy crap, tell me I didn’t fart,” she said desperately.
Cush chuckled. “My Little Raven is all flustered; it’s a cute look for you.”
She rolled her eyes and waved him off. “Whateve. So where are we?”
“We’ve been driving for about three hours, which, according to the GPS means we still have about three more to go,” her brother spoke up from the back seat.
“Do we have a plan for when we get there?” she asked Cush.
“Humans stay in the car while the elves burn down the place.”
“What?” she snapped. “You expect me to just sit back and watch while you get to go all Fourth of July on the dark-elf king?” She shook her head and folded her arms across her chest. “Nope, not gonna happen. This chick plays with matches.”
“She can’t blame that one on her dark side,” Lisa spoke up. “She totally gets that from me.”
Exactly two pee breaks, a snack break, several arguments, and three and a half hours later, Cush pulled onto the long dirt road that would supposedly lead them to the fields where the Almare plants were being grown. Having been at one time a famous vineyard, finding the farm hadn’t been too difficult.
He pulled over to the side of the road and turned the engine off. The tension inside the vehicle was palpable. None of the humans wanted to be left behind, and although Cush only cared what happened to Elora, he knew he had to protect the others because she cared for them.
“So, what’s it going to be, GI Joe?” Elora asked. “You gonna knock us out, tie us up, super glue our hands to the vehicle?”
Cush bared his teeth at her in frustration. Truth be told, he didn’t want her out of his sight. As long as he could see her, he could protect her. But if she knew he felt that way, she would use it to her advantage.
“Cush,” Lisa’s soft gentle tone floated up to the front of the cab. “I know that you are worried about her, believe me, as her mom I get that. But I also know that if you cage her, she will resent you. You have to let her come with you, you have to let her be where she belongs, and that is by your side.”
Cush knew she was right. He could feel the truth of her words all the way to his soul but the man in him wanted his woman as far from danger as possible. He felt a warm touch to his face and turned to face Elora. She had reached up and put her small hand on his cheek and seemed to be imploring him with her big, purple eyes.
“The truth, Cush?”
He nodded.
“The idea of not being able to see you is making me sick. The idea of not knowing if you are okay or if you need help is enough to drive me insane, and I have never felt this way about anyone. I’m totally out of my element with all of these touchy, feely, emotions and honestly, it’s making me want to hurt something. Please don’t leave me here. Don’t go where I can’t be with you.”
He nearly groaned at her heartfelt confession as he unsnapped her seat belt and hauled her across the console and onto his lap.
“This again? Come on, you two, seriously?” Cush heard Oakley’s words but ignored him, instead focusing on his Chosen.
“You’re killing me,” he told her. “All I want to do is keep you safe. All I want to do is make sure that at the end of the day you are alive and well, and you are asking me to drag you into a place that will threaten that outcome.”
“Consider it a character building exercise,” she teased.
Cush pressed his lips to hers quickly but firmly. “Stay with me. Do not leave my side.”
She smiled triumphantly up at him. “I won’t; I’ll be right beside you the whole time.”
“Where you belong,” he murmured to her.
“Right where I belong,” she agreed.
“I’ll take lead,” Cush said as the small group stood twenty feet from where they had exited the vehicle. “Rin, you pull up the rear. Oakley and Tony, you flank the women.”
“Flank the women?” Elora asked dryly. “It sounds like some freaky punishment.”
“Don’t tempt me,” Cush told her with a tight smile. “Our goal is not to engage the enemy. We want to get to the crops and set them ablaze. Hopefully that will draw out anyone inside. Then we will go in and see if there is a way to destroy the already created Rapture.”
They moved into the formation Cush had ordered and followed him. Elora had to trot to keep up with his long strides. He moved with such stealth that she felt like a bull in a China shop as she followed behind. The others behind her sounded just as loud, except for Tony and Rin. When she looked back over her shoulder at them, she saw that they were moving with nearly the same grace and silence that Cush did.
They moved off the road and headed into a field that had obviously been a vineyard at one time. The tall plants were overgrown and unruly. They twisted and climbed over each other and seemed to have taken on a life of their own without the guidance of a vinedresser. Cush pushed away branches and Elora was careful to hold them until her mom behind her was able to grab the branch to keep it from whacking her in the face. The ground began to slope and Cush stopped and looked back at them. “It’s going to get a little steep so tread carefully.”
When they began moving again, Elora found herself leaning back to keep from rolling forward and doing a head dive down the hill. After what seemed like forever, the land leveled out again. The sun was getting higher as the morning grew later. Elora hadn’t previously considered how large the vineyard probably was. She figured at this rate that it might be early evening before they reached the f
irst Almare crop.
“Bingo,” she heard Cush whisper.
All of a sudden she looked up and saw a very different looking plant than the ones they had been traipsing through for the past half hour. Before her stood rows and rows of tall leafy plants, each laden with small red fruits, about the size of a cherry, only brighter. Okay so not early evening then, she thought to herself somewhat relieved.
“What now?” she whispered to him.
“When I say run, you follow me and you run. No standing and staring or ooing and ahhing, okay?”
Elora nodded, not having a clue what he was talking about but guessing that it would be better for her to just agree with him than to ask questions.
Suddenly Rin and Cush both reached out their hands and bolts of light shot out. The field before them that had been overflowing with a lush vine–like plant was suddenly burning in a blue-white blaze. Elora felt her mouth forming into an O just as she heard Cush’s voice over the crackle of the flames. “RUN!”
She felt her arm being pulled and finally tore her gaze from the incredible sight before her. She turned and took off after Cush, pumping her arms in time with her legs. She glanced back quickly to make sure Lisa was with her and, sure enough, her mom was right behind. Though surprising because of the roaring fire, Elora could hear voices traveling over the fields. The sounds only made her want to run faster. They came upon another field and once again Rin and Cush did their flame throwing act and they ran again. Elora was convinced that somehow her body was feeding itself mega doses of adrenaline because she couldn’t believe she was still sprinting. Field after field they burned and then ran until finally they were brought up short by a large building.
“We’re not in Kansas anymore,” she said breathlessly as she hunched over her knees attempting to catch her breath. She looked over at Cush who looked annoyingly un-winded and unruffled. Butthead, she thought as he flashed her a rueful smile.