Elfin (38 page)

“Damn these mirrored walls!” Trik growled.
He could follow him, but that would leave Cassie alone and he would never do that again.

He turned back to Cassie and held out his hand. “Come, we need to get out of here.” Cassie walked over to him but she didn’t take his hand.
Trik shook his head in frustration but didn’t push her. She followed him to the wall and grasped a small piece of his shirt to keep from being separated from him as they passed through the mirror.

They stepped out of the mirror into
Trik’s cabin and Cassie nearly wept at the feeling of freedom, but it was fleeting as the pain from the withdrawals began again. She grabbed for the chair at the small table to steady herself. Trik wasn’t looking at her. Instead he was standing with his eyes closed as if deep in thought. She remained as quiet as she could as her hands shook and sweat trailed down her back.

Just as Trik opened his eyes
, another body came out of the mirror and then Syndra’s arms were wrapped around her.

She tried not to cry out in pain but there was no holding it back.
Syndra pulled back. She looked into Cassie’s face and Cassie felt the Light Queen probing her mind.

“NO!” Cassie yelled and pushed herself from her. She fell to the ground and scrambled backwards
, putting space between her and the two elves.

Trik watched in horror as his Chosen shook all over, her face was white as snow and the pupils in her beautiful eyes had n early covered all of the color. He took a step towards her and she screamed out again and held up a shaking arm to keep him from coming closer. Trik fought every instinct he had to keep from denying her wish and pulling her into his arms.

“Cassie love, let me help you.” He spoke softly and knelt down so that his face was level with hers.

She shook her head and her eyes were wild and unfocused. “Th-th-there is n-n-n-no help f-for me. You heard what Lorsan said.” Her words came out in a string of stuttering and she growled in frustration.

“Trik,” Syndra pulled his attention
from Cassie. The Light Elf Queen’s eye shined with unshed tears. “It’s the Rapture?”

Trik nodded.

“What does she mean there is no help?”

Trik bowed his head as he thought of the King’s words. “He said the addiction to it was too much for the humans, and the withdrawals were more than their bodies and minds could endure. Already some have killed themselves because they couldn’t get any more of the drug.
”

Syndra’s hand came up to her mouth as a small gasp escaped. She looked over at the once full of life, fiery human and saw that the withdrawals were killing her.

“Syndra, I must ask you to leave us and do not allow anyone to come here. She would not want anyone to see her like this.”

“What will you do?” She asked him cautiously.

“Whatever is necessary.”

“Trik,” Syndra knew what he meant and she also knew
that there was nothing she could say that would sway him from his decision.

She knelt down and looked at Cassie. Cassie saw no judgment, no pity in the Queen’s eyes and it made the tears she had held onto fall.

“Cassie, fight! You are loved, you are needed. You will fight this and you will win.” Syndra stood and left without another word. She had total confidence in her commands, as if Cassie had a choice in the matter.

Trik sat down on the floor as close to her as he could without her going into a fit of hysterics. He watched her tremble and longed to hold her.

“What can I do
A'maelamin?
Tell me what to do.” Trik felt like his heart was being ripped out all over again as he sat helpless to comfort his mate.

Cassie hadn’t spoken in so long
that he thought she might have fallen asleep but then she looked up at him. He had never seen Cassie look at him like that, a predator hunting its prey. Under different circumstances it might have made him feel differently, but seeing that look in her eyes now made his stomach clench.

“Get me what I need
, Trik.” Her voice was a purr as she unfolded herself from her sitting position and began to move towards him in a sultry crawl. “If you will get me the Rapture, everything will be fine, I will be fine.”

Trik knew this wasn’t his Cassie speaking
. He knew that it was the drug in her, the addiction. But to see her like this, attempting to seduce him into doing her will, it broke something in him.

“I can’t do that
, Cassie, you don’t need it,” Trik told her firmly. “I’m here. We can get through this, beautiful.”

Once she was within touching distance
, she ran a finger up his stretched out leg and Trik caught it before she could go higher than his thigh.

“If you will just get me my drink, then we can do a whole lot more than just get through this.” Cassie reached up to untie one side of her dress and Trik stopped her.

Her eyes snapped up to his. “You don’t want me?” Outrage and hurt quickly distorted her face but then the sultry smile was back.

“I can make you want me
, Trik. I can dance for you. The others liked it when I danced for them, but for you it will be special.”

Trik bit the inside of his mouth so hard that he tasted blood.
It’s the drug, he told himself over and over again. He pushed the image of men leering at her perfect body while she danced for them from his mind and focused on reaching his Cassie. But he had no idea what he was in for and he prayed to the Forest Lords that they both would make it through the battle for Cassie’s soul.

Chapte r 19

Rescue mission advice #1: Have a plan. Rescue mission advice #2: Have a plan…Rescue mission advice #142: Have a plan.

You would think that would be a no-brainer
, right? Tell that to the two humans and five elves that went traipsing off into the dark elf realm hell bent on rescuing the King and Queen, dispensing justice where it was needed. Ask them how that worked out for them once they get their own asses rescued. ~ Elora

“Lisa, if you ask me if we’re there yet one more time, I swear I’m shoving you through some reflective surface and back to the human realm,” Elora growled as they walked through the dark forest. Tamsin, Beleg, Nedhudir, Rincavornon and Sidhion, which were four of Tamsin’s strongest warriors, along with Lisa, and Elora had all set out together. Syndra had stayed behind at the command of the King to keep an eye out for Trik should he return. They had been walking for two days and Tamsin had finally seen fit to tell them that Lorsan could hinder their progress by shifting the realm so that they were literally going in circles.

Since then they had been marking the trees with strips of fabric as
they walked, hoping that if they passed the same tree again they would know for sure that Lorsan was at work.

The night of the second day they were all si
tting around a campfire. Tamsin, Beleg and Sidhion had gotten them dinner in the form of some strange birds. Elora had made it a point to step away from the camp while they prepared the meal and was trying to keep from picturing the birds strung up while she ate.

“So can I ask something that I’ve been dying to ask?” Elora looked
at Tamsin and then at each of the elves. They all nodded. “I don’t promise an answer,” Tamsin added before she asked.

She
waved him off as she swallowed her last bite. “It’s not anything top secret.” She cocked her head to the side as she looked at the five male elves. “Then again, as strange as you guys are it may very well be a matter of life and death.”

Tamsin and
his elves waited patiently.

“
Is there a competition amongst your parents to see who can give you all the most difficult name to say and spell? Or do your parents just hate you?”

There was silence as the five e
lven men stared at Elora. Lisa’s mouth dropped open and she started to stand, thinking she just might have to protect her from the good guys when the five men erupted into laughter.

It was several minutes, while Elora stared at the beautiful
elves with weird names, until they found their composure.

“Our names have meaning,” Tamsin told
her as he wiped his watery eyes. “They are not just picked for how they sound. They are chosen based on their meaning.”

“Huh,” Elora nodded.
“Okay, let’s hear’em.”

Beleg was the first to answer. “My name means
strong . No hidden meaning for why my sire and mother named me that. It’s what they wanted for me; to be strong.”

Rincavornon spoke next. “My name means
quick moving .”

“
Did they think you were going to be chased a lot?” Elora asked with a straight face.

The other
elves laughed and nudged him.

“Like you have room to laugh,” Rincavornon gestured to
Nedhudir.

Nedhudir
made some of his own hand gestures, all the while spitting out what Elora guessed was elvish profanity.

“Wait,
wait,” Elora held up her hands. She looked at Nedhudir and a wicked grin spread across her face. “Come on, pretty boy, what are they ragging you so hard about? What does your name mean?”

Nedhudir
glared at the four elves who were failing miserably to stifle their laughter. He looked over at Elora and she had to lean forward to hear his muttered answer.

Her
mouth dropped open as she sat back and stared at him wide-eyed. “Shut-up! You’re parents gave you a name that means cushion? As in a place to set your butt after a long, hard day?”

Nedhudir
stood and walked over to a tree away from the fire. After several minutes, Elora composed herself and looked over at Nedhudir. She felt slightly bad for teasing him, sort of. Okay who was she kidding, his name was freaking cushion , how could she possibly feel sorry for laughing about that.

She watched him as he stood there
, quietly looking out into the forest. He didn’t look mad, just thoughtful. It was then, as she stared at him, that she realized that he was every bit as beautiful as Trik, only different. The elves no longer bothered to hide their true form from her so she saw them all now in their Elfin form and she had gotten used to the odd eyes, and out of a box colored hair. Nedhudir’s hair was long and he wore it in a braid down his back. He was blonde, not dirty blonde, but truly blonde and it shimmered like golden threads had been weaved into the strands. He wore a band around his forehead that should have looked odd, but somehow looked right on him.

His eyes were light blue and shined like glass.
He had a straight nose, high cheek bones and a square, strong jaw. Typical of his race, he had pointed ears. Elora didn’t know how he didn’t look feminine with pointy ears, but Ned was anything but feminine.
Ned, she thought.
Oh hell, I’m giving him a nickname.

He was tall, and a little wider than others of the
Elfin who tended to be leaner. Where they were more swimmer builds, he was closer to a linebacker. He wore a green vest, leaving his arms bare. He was muscular, and very, very intimidating.

Elora walked up to him and he slowly turned his head. He looked down at her
, and with a small nod said, “Elora.” And then went back to staring at the forest.

“Okay
, so maybe I shouldn’t have laughed at your name, but you have to admit being named after a butt pillow is just a tad hilarious.” Elora waited for his response but he didn’t even acknowledge her words. “I feel like I should disclose to you that I intend to call you Ned, or Cush, haven’t fully decided, but in your case a nickname is a necessary evil.” Still no reaction. Elora rolled her eyes and turned to walk away. “Glad we got that cleared up,” she called over her shoulder. She swore she heard a chuckle and quickly turned, but he stood, stoic as ever, without even the slightest smile.

The next day was
as uneventful as the first two, until after their third break. Tamsin and the other four elves suddenly all unsheathed swords, some of which Elora had no idea that they even had. Tamsin pushed Lisa to the center of the circle that the elves were making. Nedhudir grabbed Elora’s arm and pulled her behind him. Elora tried to quiet her breathing as she looked out into the foliage and forest around them. Tall trees towered above them and rich greens of all shades covered the leaves, the blades of grass, and the shrubs. She looked for anything that didn’t fit with the green and still she saw nothing.

The
n Tamsin made a motion with his hand and spoke words that Elora didn’t understand. Slowly they began to move, Lisa and Elora in the center of their elven shields, being herded to the cover of the trees. They didn’t make it.

“Well the day wasn’t a total loss.”

Elora’s head swung around as a deep voice resonated behind her.

“Lorsan,” Tamsin growled and it was a sound worthy of a pissed off lion.

“It’s been a while, Tamsin.” Lorsan stood casually, his shoulder leaned up against a tree. He didn’t seem worried over the very sharp swords pointed at him, or the very fierce elves that held them. “I’ve lost a prisoner and a dethroned King today, and thought that it would end without anything being accomplished and then this little gift is dropped in my lap.”