As he knelt there, captivated by his Chosen, he felt the pull of his King. Lorsan had the ability to call his elves back to him no matter the distance. For the first time in his long life, Trik ignored his Lord’s call.
~
Cassie walked next to Elora through the drab, crowded halls of their high school. Rows and rows of lockers lined the halls, crowding the students as they stopped to retrieve their personal belongings. To any new student, the school might seem interesting, with all the inspirational posters hung on the walls. The posters contained such stirring proverbs as “There is no I in team,” and Cassie’s personal favorite, “Change is inevitable and life changes as swiftly as the wind blows. It’s which direction that you let the wind blow you that matters.” Some student, bound to be indispensable to society, had crossed out the word ‘the’ and then added a ‘Y’ to the end of ‘wind.’ Cassie might not get a quality education at Northpointe High, but she would certainly learn the important lessons in life, like how to smut up an inspirational poster.
As they walked, Cassie kept looking over her shoulder to ensure that Trik was still behind her. He leaned casually against a row of lockers, arms crossed over his chest, looking way too edible for his own good. She was the only one who could see him, and that was a good thing since he was in his Elfin form. He had started out the day in his human guise but she had asked him not to use his glamour around her. She didn’t know how but she had felt a wave of pleasure emanate from Trik when she had made this request.
“Is he still there?” Elora asked as she bit into the bran muffin Cassie’s mom had shoved into Cassie’s hand on the way out the door. Cassie didn’t have the heart to tell her mom that she hated bran, so she continued to accept them and pass them on to Elora.
“Yep,” Cassie answered.
“And he’s just going to follow you around all day?”
“So he says.”
Elora shrugged. “If you need me to remind you not to pick your nose or dig out a wedgie just let me know.”
Cassie rolled her eyes. “Good to know you have my back.”
Elora raised a single brow. “Somebody has too. I leave you alone for one night and you go and get yourself tied to a dark elf assassin.” She shook her head as she continued to eat her muffin. “Only you, Cassandra. Only you would wind up with the bad boy when really you should be with Mr. All American.”
Both girls jumped when Trik appeared next to them back in his human guise, apparently having decided to allow Elora to see him as well.
“Who is Mr. All American?”
Cassie tried not to look at Trik as she answered. “What?”
“You’re dark friend here seems to think you would be better off with him.” Trik’s indignation and possessiveness at her statement were apparent in both his voice and his glower.
Elora made her famous give me a freaking break face. “Get a grip man, aren’t you some bad ass killer?”
“Yes, please pass that on to this, this All American you are talking about.”
Cassie laughed and quickly covered her mouth.
Trik leveled her with a piercing stare.
“It’s not a real person Trik. It’s a type of guy, you know, like a ‘knight in shining armor’ type.”
“You picked a real winner here, Cass,” said Elora. “I think this guy is one arrow short of a full quiver.”
Trik's head snapped around to Elora. “How did you know I had a quiver?”
This time Cassie couldn’t catch her laughter.
“What are you two laughing at?” Trik growled. “I always keep my quiver full.”
The girls roared, Elora losing her usual stoic composure. “That just sounds so wrong,” she said when she finally caught her breath.
Trik just shook his head, looking back and forth between the two girls.
“Yep,” Elora said as they arrived to their class. “Another day in the life of a typical American teenage girl, walking to class with her dark elf boyfriend, discussing the size of his quiver. What more could a girl want?”
Trik stood looking at them in confusion as Cassie smothered her laughter and Elora glanced back at him with a dismissing wave.
“What the hell just happened,” he said to the now empty hall.
Cassie took her seat, trying, but miserably failing to keep her laughter under control. Elora simply had a mildly amused look on her face.
“Quiver?” Cassie murmured from where she sat behind Elora.
Elora turned slightly so that she could see Cassie and the front of the classroom.
“I was taking a guess, but everyone knows that elves use bows and arrows. I thought about the whole wielding a sword thing but really that would have been much worse.”
Cassie snorted. “Leave it to you to toss out some sexual innuendos to the dark elf assassin.”
“My brother must be wearing off on me,” Elora murmured just as Mrs. Davis walked in.
History was one of Cassie’s favorite subjects, but even today’s lecture about Native Americans couldn’t keep her mind from continually drifting back to Trik and the unsettling awareness that she could feel his closeness. She knew that he was just outside the door, waiting on her. She didn’t know how to explain it, but that same something that kept drawing her to him, simply knew that he was close. And if she were going to be really honest with herself, she would have to admit that it was comforting knowing he was there.
The class seemed to drag as she fidgeted restlessly. Cassie was beginning to feel anxious as the class wore on. She needed to see Trik. She needed him to tell her that what she was feeling was normal. Just as the bell rang to indicate class was dismissed, she felt a gasp pulled from her chest and an ache take its place. She wasn’t in pain exactly; it was more of a feeling of emptiness, as if something essential was missing. She knew then, on the tail end of that thought, that Trik was gone. She snatched up her things and rushed out of the room, not bothering to explain to Elora. She needed to see it for herself.
She stumbled over her feet as she reached the door and caught herself just as she rushed into the hallway. She turned in a circle slowly searching through the throng of students, her eyes moved over every face and every corner, hoping to see him leaning there, but knowing she wouldn’t.
“Cassie, could you please explain why you nearly took out three of our classmates in an effort to get into the hall?” Elora asked her, stopping by her side and looking in the same direction she was.
Finally, Cassie made eye contact with Elora. “He’s gone,” she told her and her face fell as the words left her mouth.
“And how exactly did you know that while we were sitting in History class?”
Cassie shook her head. “I just knew. Somehow, I don’t know how to explain it, but I just know when he is close by.”
Elora stared at her questioningly. “Are you in pain this time?”
“No, I just feel like something is missing.”
“Duh, it’s your ass, I mean assassin.”
Cassie grinned weakly at her friend’s purposely slip of the tongue. “That was weak.”
“I’ll work on my material. So what are we going to do?”
Cassie shrugged. “What can I do? It’s not like I have a cell phone number for him.”
“Have you said his name? Isn’t that what brought him back the last time?” Elora reminded her.
“Trik?” Cassie said his name and it came out as a question. They both waited, their breaths seemed to freeze in their lungs as the anticipation for a response grew. The halls were beginning to empty as people made their way into their respective classrooms. Cassie hardly noticed. After several minutes, still nothing.
“O-o-okay,” Elora said drawing out the word. “So apparently you have to be in unbearable pain for that little trick to work. No pun intended, although that was a pretty good one.”
Cassie heard the bell ring and still she didn’t move. She knew she needed to get to her next class but she couldn’t get her feet to obey her.
>
“Cassie, you are going to have to suck it up and deal. We need to get to class. Your life does not stop simply because you find yourself painfully and ridiculously attached to Mr. Tall, Dark , and Delicious,” Elora said firmly as she took Cassie by the arm and tugged.
Cassie let out a deep breath and looked at her friend. With a single nod of her head, she finally began moving. “You’re right, this is silly.”
“I didn’t say silly. Bizarre, freaky, and quite possibly turning into an unhealthy attachment? Yes, but not silly.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Cassie growled.
“I don’t sugarcoat things Cass, not for anyone, especially you.”
“I know and I usually appreciate it. But could you maybe soften it a little this time?”
“No.”
“It was worth a try,” Cassie muttered.
~
Trik glared at his King. The indignation rolled off of him in waves that were palpable.
“You have never forced a summons on me.” His words were a knife slicing through the anger that radiated from both of them.
Lorsan met his warrior’s fierce stare. “You have never ignored one.”
“I have never had a Chosen before. She is human; she needs protection, especially since she has seen Tamsin and his closest men in their natural form. You know the laws they will hold her to.”
“You are my spy and assassin first, not her Sh'mai ,” Lorsan snapped.
Trik shook with rage as his fists opened and closed at his sides.
“Is that how you feel of your Chosen?” He asked. “Does your Kingship come before her?”
“That’s different and you know it.”
“Different how?” Trik challenged.
Lorsan’s hand slashed through the air disregarding Trik’s words. “Ilyrana and I have been united for more than a millennia. She has held my heart far longer than the existence of the humans, let alone you’re little human.”
“And that makes your relationship more important than the one between me and Cassandra?”
“I am in the middle of one of the largest endeavors our kind has ever had in the human realm. An endeavor that will bring the humans to their knees before us. Need I remind you of the part you are to play in this?” Lorsan paced restlessly as he struggled with his next words. “I would hate to have to replace you, Triktapic. You have served me longer than most. But do not make the mistake of believing you are irreplaceable.”
Laughter that would have caused tremors in a lesser man erupted from Trik. “You honestly think that you have someone amongst your warriors that is even comparable to me? Tell me, Liege,” Trik’s words dripped with contempt, “do you honestly believe you have a warrior with a tenth of my ability?”
Lorsan’s eyes glowed as he held the stare of his assassin. Both refused to admit defeat.
“I have always done what you asked. I have served you faithfully, but in this, I will not bend. She is the most important thing. You know as well as I do that I do not deserve her. I am being entrusted with something pure and good. Do you honestly believe that I would walk away from that?”
Lorsan crossed his arms in front of his chest and raised one hand to stroke his chin. His eyes narrowed as he considered Trik’s words. “I admit that I have to wonder why you, of all the dark ones, would be given someone like her. Do you believe that she can honestly care for you? Does she know what you are? What you do?”
Trik growled in frustration. “I have shown her.”
Lorsan’s hand dropped from his face abruptly. “You connected with her?” His eyes widened as he watched Trik nod.
“I won’t keep anything from her.”
“And what if she doesn’t want you? What if she says that she can’t deal with it and won’t accept that this is your life ? You will not walk away from who and what you are.”
Trik chuckled darkly. “Only moments ago you were threatening to replace me. So which is it, Dark King? Are you going to keep me and accept my terms for continuing to be your killer, or are you going to toss me out?”
Lorsan slumped down onto his throne chair. He suddenly looked exhausted.
“You are my right arm, Trik. You are correct when you say that I could not replace you, at least not with someone with your talent. But I need to know that you are going to be reliable. I can’t have you distracted. You might get yourself killed.”
“I have never let you down. I’m not going to start now. Please do not ask me to choose between you or her. You know that something in our dark nature seems to call deeper to our Chosen. I will give up everything for her. Even if she denies me, I will spend my existence making sure she is safe.”
“The reason that I summoned you is because I need you to finalize the deal with the humans. Go sign the documents for the land. Then set up a place for us to cross over there so that we can begin taking the soil that will be needed to grow the plants.”
Trik nodded. “I’ll check in with you once it’s ready.”
Lorsan nodded and left the throne room without another word.
Trik looked at the watch he wore that kept human time. He wasn’t sure what time Cassie finished with school for the day , but he imagined that it wasn’t before their lunchtime which for most of them seemed to be around 12:00 p.m. He pictured a window in her school and stepped up to the reflective wall that ran the length of the throne room. He walked through it and emerged on the other side, standing in the school once again. He was facing a long, empty corridor with the lockers that seemed to line every wall in the building. He began to walk, allowing the soul inside him to search out for its other half. It led him further down the hall and around a corner to a single door on the short hallway. She was behind that door. He knew it as sure as he knew his own name. He opened the door, knowing that everyone but Cassie would think the door was opening on its own. As he stepped through it, his eyes immediately found hers. He watched as she jumped to her feet. A grin crept up on his face as he cocked his head to the side waiting to see what she would do next.
It must have been the amused look and mischievous gleam in his eyes that snapped her back to the here and now. She looked around the room and saw that her classmates were staring at her. She blushed as she sat back down, but her eyes drifted once again to where he stood. Trik glided smoothly through the aisle, making his way towards her. One of the guys was staring at her attempting to get her attention. Trik felt an unfamiliar feeling rush through him, though he knew what it was—jealousy. He instantly loathed the boy looking at his Chosen. As he walked past, Trik swiped his hand across the boy’s desk, knocking his things into the floor. Cassie ducked her head to cover her embarrassment. Trik smirked as he watched him skitter to gather his now scattered possessions.
Cassie looked up at Trik as he reached her desk. He knelt down in front of her so that she didn’t look like she was staring up into empty air to her classmates. Once he was at eye level, he reached up and grazed her cheek with his fingertips. She fought the desire to close her eyes and lean into his touch.
“You left,” she whispered.
Trik nodded and his eyes pleaded for her understanding. “I didn’t have a choice.”
She figured that he must have seen the confusion on her face when he let out a frustrated sigh. Cassie didn’t feel like it was directed at her, but rather his situation. Cassie turned from him and raised her hand. Mr. Singleton motioned for her to speak.
“I need to step out for a moment.”
Cassie was glad that it was a male teacher that she was dealing with because they were more inclined to let the female students leave the class without an explanation, always fearful that they would unwittingly expose a ‘female issue’ to the rest of the class.
“That’s fine,” he told her.
Trik backed up so that she could stand and then followed her out of the room. Cassie stopped abruptly when Todd put his foot in the aisle to keep her from passing. She looked down at him as her eyebrows rose in question. He
discretely handed her a folded piece of paper, a faint smile on his lips, but said nothing. When he moved his leg, Cassie continued forward, confused by his action and beginning to feel the stares of her fellow classmates. She turned back to look at him when she heard him curse and saw that once again his things were scattered on the floor. She glanced up at Trik who shrugged, acting like he had nothing to do with the mess. She shook her head with a small chuckle as she pushed the door of the classroom open.
“Okay,” Cassie started before he could speak. “What were the little stunts with Todd about?”
Trik sneered. “If you are speaking of the boy who was drooling over you, then I was simply distracting him from staring at what is mine.”
Cassie crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Trik. “Yours?”
Trik nodded. “Of course. I told you already. You are mine and I am yours. Would you be okay with a female eyeing me?”
She huffed and dropped her arms. “Fine, point taken.”
“What do you mean you didn’t have a choice,” she finally asked as they began to walk again and rounded a corner where some water fountains were tucked away from view.
“When my King calls to me I can only resist for so long before he forces my presence.”
“Does he do this often?”
“No,” Trik shook his head. “In fact he’s never done it before.”
“So why now?” Cassie asked.
“I’ve never ignored his summons before.” Trik’s hair flowed like water, tracking his movements as he paced. Cassie wanted to reach out and touch the dark strands, but refrained.
“What was so important that he had to talk with you?”
Trik stopped and his eyes met hers. He stepped up and cupped her face in his hands. He was so close that she could feel his breath on her face. His scent surrounded her and she fought the urge to seek refuge in his arms. “It’s best if you didn’t know.”