As her feet hit the pavement and fresh air rushed over her, she saw with utter clarity what she had to do. Her feet led her as her mind attempted to work out the details. She needed to get to New Orleans. It was as though something very important were there, something that she couldn’t live without.
Lorsan followed the light elf warrior and the male who was with him as they walked briskly through the casinos. One after another they entered, their heads turning this way and that as their eyes roamed over every person they passed. They were looking for someone. He recognized the warrior as one of Tamsin’s top fighters, and he knew it was no coincidence that he was in Las Vegas. He was debating confronting them or just having his men ambush them when he felt power roll over him.
“I’d like to say it’s a pleasant surprise to see you, Lorsan. But, since I would rather see your ashes scattered across a barren wasteland, I just can’t bring myself to feel anything more than annoyance.”
The dark elf king turned slowly. His eyes watched carefully, waiting for the light elf king to step out of the shadows. He knew if the queen was here, then Tamsin would not be far away.
“Syndra,” he said her name with a false fondness as he plastered a smile on his face. Still looking for Tamsin, he noticed a human woman standing just a few feet from Syndra. The woman was watching them intently. Something about her seemed familiar but he couldn’t grab on to what it was. “What brings you and your pet” ―he motioned to the woman― “to my city?”
She let out a snort of laughter. “As if you didn’t know, and news flash, it isn’t your city. It belongs to the humans; we are their guests.”
“Wrong! We are their superiors,” he spat, unable to hide his disdain for the species. “We should be ruling this realm, not hiding in the shadows like vermin.”
“If you feel like vermin, it isn’t because you have to hide from the humans. To say that you might be closely related to the rodents wouldn’t be a stretch.”
Lorsan itched to smack the smile off of the light elf’s face. “Where is your mate? Surely he didn’t let you out to play without protection.”
Suddenly everything and everyone around them, except for the female that was with Syndra, froze. Lorsan felt his chest tighten as Syndra’s power filled the area around them. He felt his own power building in response.
“You seem to have forgotten who I am, Lorsan of the dark elves.” Syndra’s voice was not loud yet it rang with authority. Light pulsed around her and her human guise was gone. Before him stood the light elf queen in all her glory. Shadows seemed to inch away from her and heat radiated off of her skin. Lorsan knew that Syndra was powerful, but he hadn’t realized just how powerful she was.
His fists clenched at his side and he narrowed his eyes. He was no weakling. He was a king and would not cower before the she-elf especially not in front of a human.
“You may be powerful, but you have many weaknesses―your love for the humans being one of them.”
She shrugged. “What you consider weakness, I consider strength. I suppose we will know who is right when the end comes.”
Lorsan was going through all of the possible outcomes of their current confrontation as he attempted to scan the area for any of his dark elves. He knew there would be a few who had followed him as if he needed a guard detail. He could capture her, give himself one less enemy to worry about, but that would surely provoke Tamsin. He had The Book of the Elves and, though that would give him power, he’d yet to have time to really examine it.
“You look like you’re in pain over there, King,” Syndra retorted.
That was enough to make his decision. Damn her mate. He wouldn’t stand there and be made a fool of. He made a motion to the two dark elves he’d finally noticed and they moved in on the light elf queen.
“As fun as this little chat has been, I have other matters with which to attend. However, we do have much more to discuss, so I must insist that you and your companion stay and wait for me.” Lorsan watched as his dark elves grabbed both women. He held out his hand and wrapped his own magic around them, trapping them in a bubble so they couldn’t move. Syndra didn’t put up a fight and the human female seemed to be following her lead. Instead she simply stood there grinning that infuriating grin that told him she knew something he did not. Lorsan didn’t like it and if she was trying to get under his skin, it was working.
“Take them to the iron rooms,” he told his men. He watched briefly as they carried the still grinning queen and silent human away, shielding themselves from the once again unfrozen humans. His attention was drawn back to the masses as he searched for the warrior and the other human. They’d wandered off while he’d been dealing with Syndra, which had probably been her intention. He continued forward, determined to find them again. He didn’t need them snooping around or interfering with his plans.
Soon he would know the secrets of The Book of the Elves and he would bring the humans, the light elves, and their newly reinstated king to their knees.
Cassie, Trik, Tamsin, Rin, and Tony all stood staring at the dilapidated looking motel. They were all tired, hungry, and in need of a good night’s sleep.
“Why again, can we not find a nicer place to stay?” Cassie asked as she rubbed her weary eyes.
“Because as soon as we all get some sleep, we will be heading deep into the swampland,” Trik explained. “And this is the closest place to rest before we go.”
Cassie understood, but that didn’t make it any easier to consider the creepy, crawlies that she might have to share a bed with. She was tired, but she also wanted to get her parents back as quickly as possible, and if sleeping in the better-off-condemned building in front of her would make it faster for her to get to them, then she’d do it.
When they’d finally checked in and were entering the two rooms they’d reserved, her fears were confirmed. Cassie covered her hand over her mouth and nose to keep from gagging at the smell.
“Let’s just get some sleep and then we can get out of here,” Trik told them as he grabbed Cassie’s hand and pulled her toward one of the empty beds. They’d divided up with Tamsin, Tony, and Rin sharing a room and she and Trik in another. She didn’t know why they were bothering to give them privacy; there was no way she would be taking her clothes off anywhere in this place.
The group dispersed and to Cassie’s surprise, as soon as Trik wrapped himself around her, she drifted off to sleep.
It felt like moments later when her eyes opened, only she knew immediately that she wasn’t really awake—it was a dream. A very real dream. She stood on the edge of a forest, but then quickly amended in her mind that it wasn’t a forest; it was most definitely a swamp. The trees were tall and thick, draped in moss and vines. Their trunks plunged down into murky water covered in a film of algae and other marshy plants. Cassie looked down at her feet, curious to see why she wasn’t knee deep in water. She stood on an old stump that stuck up about two feet from the muddy mess. The stump was about two feet in diameter giving her plenty of room to stand and not feel as though she would fall off at any moment. She turned in a slow circle taking in the area around her, and, though it was gloomy, it was also strangely beautiful.
“You being in great peril, Cassandra, queen of elves.”
Cassie’s head snapped back around to find the origin of the voice. About a dozen feet away sat an old woman floating on a crude raft. The raft consisted of logs lashed together by vines and it appeared to be steering itself. Despite the old woman’s age, she seemed quite comfortable sitting with her legs crossed on the rough vessel. Her skin was a soft, brown color and, though weathered looking, there were very few age lines. Her hair was covered with a purple scarf that she had tied in a knot at the base of her neck. Her clothes were loose, a multicolored tunic style top made out of a linen fabric and matching pants. Wrapped around her shoulders was a black shawl interwoven with various items including several small bones, a few claws that looked to be from different types of birds, and even some very small figurine
s―which appeared to be dolls of some sort. The shawl seemed to exude a darkness all its own, and Cassie was certain that she didn’t want to ever come in contact with that particular piece of material.
“How do you know my name?” Cassie asked looking back at the woman’s eyes.
“There be power in knowing de name,” she answered cryptically. Her accent was thick but Cassie couldn’t place it.
“Who are you?” Perhaps, she’d be kind enough to share her name. Cassie nearly laughed. Not likely, she thought.
“I be many things to many beings. But mostly I be a priestess—a conduit for de spirit world.” Cassie had heard such speech before on many a reality televisions show, so she recognized the woman’s thick Cajun accent.
Whatever the woman’s accent, she didn’t like the sound of her being a go between for the spirits. Cassie was convinced that once someone or something was dead, it was time to let them go. Nothing good could come from messing with spirits, and those spirits that wanted to be messed with were definitely up to no good.
“So what do you want with me?” If there entire conversation was going to continue in this manner, it was going to be a very long dream.
“There’s one who is being obsessed wit you. So enthralled he be, that he willingly sought me out. There not be many who are willing to pay de price of a Voodoo priestess.”
“What price is that?” She shouldn’t have asked, but a sick sense of curiosity had her mouth moving before her brain could tell her to shut it.
The woman’s eyes met her’s and Cassie shivered at the emptiness she found there.
“Souls,” the priestess answered. “We be dealing in souls now, chile.”
Cassie wondered whose soul Tarron had bargained with in order to get help from the Voodoo lady. But that was not a question she was going to voice. She didn’t know how she would handle the answer.
“Tarron has my parents. I can’t just run and hide.”
“That not be what I’m saying. Dat elf be messing with things that ought not be messed wit. There be no benefit to my lady—da Voodoo goddess—if Tarron and Lorsan rise to power. Be no balance come from it. Triktapic must not be falling again. The contract between the Voodoo goddess and Tarron be already struck. There can’t be no going back. But dees goddesses be tricksy you know?”
“What does that mean?”
“Tarron of the dark elves tink he be bringing me an item that be belonging to you.” She pointed a bony finger at Cassie and, for some reason, it made Cassie want to duck out-of-the-way. “But that item from another. She already be heading dis way. The spell cast will be making them want each other no matter who their destiny be meant for.”
Cassie felt ice cold as the priestess’s words began to sink in. She knew what she had to ask next, but the words seemed to be lodged in her throat. It took her several tries before she was finally able to speak. “Who was the girl that the item belonged to?” Her chest tightened as she waited for the woman to confirm what she already knew to be true.
“Elora Scott, half human, half dark elf, daughter of Lisa, sister of Oakley, and Chosen of Nedhudir, da one she calls Cush.”
Cassie was pretty sure if she’d eaten anything recently she would have been tasting it a second time in that moment. Tarron had thought he was ensnaring Cassie, but it had been Elora instead. And now because he had Cassie’s parents as well, he had them both whether he wanted them or not.
“So what can we do? How do we stop him?” Even as she voiced the question, she didn’t expect an answer. But the old woman surprised her.
“You must be stopping him. Da Voodoo priestess works for the highest bidder.”
“So basically,” Cassie said slowly. “You will help us if we offer you something more than what Tarron has already?”
The priestess nodded.
“Will you undo the spell? And how do I know you will do what you say?”
“If Triktapic agree to my terms, da spell will be broken. A Voodoo priestess keeps her word—to da highest bidder.” This seemed to amuse the old woman and she threw her head back and cackled, a sound that reminded Cassie of a murder of crows all squawking at once.
After the woman finally calmed down, Cassie’s eyes narrowed. “And how do I know you won’t go back to Tarron and tell him what you’ve done in order to see if he will give you a better offer?”
“You don’t.” And she once again fell into a fit of hideous laughter.
Cassie’s eyes snapped open as she attempted to catch her breath, the laughter of the old woman still echoing in her head. She knew immediately that this was more than a dream. Whoever that woman had been, she was real, alive, and flesh and blood, somewhere close by. She felt Trik stir beside her and she turned her head to see him sound asleep with one arm slung over his face and the other resting possessively on her stomach. Apparently she hadn’t disturbed him at all. She let out a slow breath and closed her eyes as she attempted to sort through the bizarre dream.
“What’s wrong, Beautiful?” His deep voice had her eyes snapping back open.
“I thought you were asleep,” she told him as she rolled over onto her side to face him.
“I was, but I could feel your anxiety.” He patted her stomach to remind her that he was touching her and had access to her thoughts.
Cassie opened up her mind fully and let the dream replay for him. She felt Trik’s body grow tenser as it unfolded. Finally, after several minutes of silence, he sat up and climbed out of the bed. He was in his sleep pants but that was all and for a brief moment Cassie had to appreciate the fact that her elf was seriously sexy shirtless.
“Tarron attempted a love spell on my Chosen?” Trik asked, though she knew he wasn’t really expecting an answer.
“I don’t really think that’s what’s important at this point, Trik. He may have thought he was doing it to me, but he actually succeeded in doing it to Elora. The Voodoo priestess said Elora is already on her way here.”
He stopped his pacing long enough to look at her, and she could tell when it finally clicked that Cassie hadn’t been the one affected by the spell. She watched as he walked over to the small bedside table that had seen better days. He grabbed his cell phone and pushed a couple buttons before putting it to his ear.
“Cush,” he barked into the phone. “Where’s your Chosen?”
Cassie crossed her fingers, hoping that Cush would say Elora was right there by his side. But she might as well have been wishing for trees to produce cotton candy instead of leaves; it just wasn’t going to happen.
“How long has she been missing?” Trik asked.
Cassie felt her pulse speed up.
“Keep looking for her. Deal with Lorsan if you have time.” He set the phone back down and shut his eyes as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Why didn’t you tell him?” Cassie’s voice sounded smaller than she’d intended.
“Because the last thing I need is one of my most powerful warriors to come barreling into New Orleans ready to make heads roll and causing chaos. We can deal with Elora. Cush would better serve us by dealing with Lorsan. He and Syndra should be able to hold their own.”
“He’s going to be very angry with you once he finds out,” she pointed out. “Think of how you would feel if it was me, and he didn’t tell you where I was?”
Trik’s eyebrows dropped low on his forehead and his eyes flashed a dangerous silver. “Yes, I would be beyond pissed if he kept such information from me, but I am his king and it’s my call to make. I have to consider what is best for everyone involved, not Cush’s emotions.”
“So what do we do now?”
He turned toward the hotel door and Cassie felt as if he was trying to look straight through it. “We seek out this priestess and find out the price.”
“Something tells me that it isn’t going to be something as simple as a drop of blood,” she muttered as Trik took her hand and pulled her toward the door.
“Your pension for thinking positive is truly astoun
ding, Cassandra,” Trik teased.
Cassie rolled her eyes. “Forgive me if I don’t live in fantasy land where the good guy always wins and evil is vanquished. The movies make it look so easy.”
Trik looked back at her as he knocked on the door of the other room. “You’re right. The cost that comes at defeating evil is much greater than people realize. But it is always worth it, no matter how painful.”
Cush felt as though Trik wasn’t telling him something. Something in his voice had sounded off, but then who was he to question the king? He continued walking through the crowded casinos with Oakley at his side, and with every step a sense of foreboding grew in his chest. He kept waiting for the discomfort that should be happening because of his separation from Elora to start, but there was no pain. He wondered if she was suffering, if she was in the hands of the crazy dark elf king? He couldn’t let his mind dwell on that. If all he worried about were the possibilities of her circumstances, then he wouldn’t be able to concentrate on finding her.
“I would ask if you two are enjoying yourselves, but frankly I don’t give a damn.”
Cush stopped in midstep as Lorsan’s voice broke through his thoughts of his Chosen. He turned, placing himself slightly in front of Oakley. Lorsan stood about twenty feet away, his body tense and ready for action. Though they had left Iniquity, Lorsan and his dark elves owned half of the casinos on the strip. Apparently he’d followed them as they’d searched. Was he planning on attacking them right there in plain sight? Surely he wouldn’t risk such exposure.
“Perhaps, you should consider a different line of business if you aren’t interested in ensuring your customers are happy,” Cush responded as he took in the people walking around them and the possible exits for him and Oakley, while simultaneously not letting the dark elf king out of his sight.
“Something tells me that you two aren’t customers. I think you are here looking for something other than a fun vacation.” Lorsan took several step toward them.