Trik knelt down in front of his Chosen. He took in the slump of her shoulders, the anger etched on her face and knew that she would never get past this.

“What would you have me do?” He whispered.

Cassie lifted her head to look at him. He was too beautiful, too handsome for words. In the few months that she had known him, she had come to see the light in Trik. She knew there was hope. They spent six weeks apart because he thought she would be better off without him. That proves that he isn’t completely lost. He just needs a road map to point him in the right direction.

“I can’t stop him Cassie.”

“Then take the next best, first step.”

“Tell me,” he implored. “Please, I can’t stand to see you like this because of me.”

“Quit,” she said plainly.

Trik’s head tilted to the side as he tried to understand her meaning.

“Quit?”

She nodded. “Turn in your resignation. Tell Lorsan that you are done being his killer.”

Trik’s mouth dropped open and then closed. Deep down he knew that it would eventually come to this, but somehow he had hoped to still be a part of the people he had known for over a thousand years and still have Cassie.

“You want me to walk away from everything I’ve ever known?”

“Is that not what you were going to ask me to do? To go to your realm to live with you,” she countered.

“Touché”

They sat staring at one another, not touching, not speaking, just searching for something in each other’s eyes.

“Alright,” Trik said wearily. “Alright, if that’s what it will take to keep you.”

Cassie’s smile could have lit a stadium. His heart skipped as he watched her climb off of her bed and into his arms. He pulled her close and buried his nose in her neck. He could never give her up. He knew that as sure as he knew that Lorsan would never let him go alive.

“Thank you,” Cassie whispered against his chest and the heart that he was sure could not break, fell apart. He hadn’t lied to her . He would leave Lorsan, but it would have to be strategically done. He didn’t think she would understand that sometimes you have to bide your time. You can’t run head first into a battle that you know will be a massacre.

“I have a question for you.” He stood up from his position on the floor never letting go of her and sat back down on the bed.

“You look a little nervous,” she grinned clearly enjoying an uneasy Trik.

“Lorsan and his Chosen would like to meet you. They are having a party in honor of our union. It’s a great honor.”

Cassie cleared her throat as she considered going before a man willing to enslave humans so that he could line his pockets.

“Why?” She asked.

“If an elf has high enough standing in the kingdom, such as I have, then it is tradition to throw a ball in honor of him finding his Chosen. It signifies an acceptance of the Chosen to her rightful place by his side in the kingdom.”

“But I don’t want to be part of that kingdom?”

“I know, but it will cause many problems if we don’t attend,” Trik responded.

“This is important to you?”

“Not just me, us,” he responded honestly.

“And we just go and eat, talk, and that’s all?”

“That’s all,” Trik concurred.

“Okay,” she reached up with her hand to smooth away the worry lines that had formed on his forehead. “If it’s that important to you, then we will go.”

It was Trik’s turn to smile. “Thank you.”

“So when is this party?”

“In three days.”

Cassie absentmindedly played with a strand of his long, dark hair as she thought.

“So am I going to need to wear a dress?”

“Yes, but I will bring you an Elfin dress suitable for the occasion. You are my Chosen and you will wear my crest and my colors.”

Cassie raised a single eyebrow. “Let me guess, your crest has a quiver in it and your colors are black?”

Trik growled playfully at her and tickled her sides until she relented.

“Okay, okay I give,” she laughed.

“What will you give, beautiful? Will you give me your heart? Will you give me your soul? Will you give me your body? ” Trik asked as he paused in his tickle assault.

Cassie’s breathing became shallow as she took in the possessiveness, need, and want dancing in his silver eyes. His words repeated themselves in her mind as she tried to focus on what he was asking. Trik leaned down and his nose brushed against her cheek.

“Cassandra,” he whispered softly.

“Yes,” Cassie’s breath and the word came out at the same time.

Trik closed his eyes on that one little word. He reveled and rejoiced in it.

“Say it. Say what you will give me.” He was looking into her eyes, his stare penetrating to her very soul. Though they could look into each other’s minds, Trik wanted to hear the words out loud.

Cassie reached up and traced the features of his face as she spoke. “I give you my heart, I give you my soul, and I will give you my body.”

Trik’s eyes filled with mischief. “Will?”

Cassie blushed as she spoke. “Eventually.”

Trik leaned down and kissed her lips, a slow kiss meant to write the words she had spoken onto his heart.

He pulled back abruptly and stood. Cassie looked at him, confused by his sudden change in mood.