Trik looked over at her and saw that she was staring at the banners.

“Those are the pictures depicted in the dark elf crest,” he explained.

“Do you all have a team cheer too?” Cassie asked dryly.

Trik simply stared at her and she looked slightly ashamed.

“Sorry, I’m just a little tense.”

He gave her hand a squeeze. “It will be over before you know it.”

Before Cassie could respond a tall man with gold eyes walked up to them. Cassie had to blink several times as she took in the male before her. He was every bit as handsome as Trik, but he made her skin crawl. His eyes were gold and they stared into her making her wish she could crawl into the deepest, darkest hole she could find. He too wore a tux, which surprised her. She expected them to be in some sort of medieval clothes like she often saw Trik wear when he was in his Elfin form.

He smiled at her and reached out his hand to her. She remembered the first time that Trik had made the same motion to her. Her emotions then had been screaming at her not to take his hand, but she had felt like it was because something in her would be changed foreve r. Now as she stood before the Dark Elf King and his out stretched hand, again her emotions screamed at her to run, but this time it was for her life. They told her to run as far and as fast as she could because this man could easily take her life. She knew that if she denied his hand that it would be rude and embarrass Trik and she didn’t want that. So she reached out her own hand and placed it in his. He brought it to his lips and pressed a cool kiss there, his eyes never leaving hers. It wasn’t the type of eye contact that would be considered flirting; more like the way a snake would look at a mouse. Cassie shivered and politely pulled her hand away.

“I am honored to meet Triktapic’s Chosen,” Lorsan told her.

Cassie smiled and tried very hard to make it convincing.

“Thank you,” she responded. “It’s very nice to meet you as well.”

A woman stepped up next to Lorsan and Cassie guessed that she must be his Queen though Trik had never really spoken of her. She was beautiful, of course. Cassie had yet to see an elf that wasn’t. She had long dark hair that shimmered when she moved. Her eyes were a dark purple and made Cassie think of the contacts that Elora wore. She wore a dress that was similar to Cassie’s, only the elf’s dress was long and had a short train that trailed behind her.

“I am Ilyrana, Queen of the dark elves.” The woman stepped forward and smiled at Cassie. Cassie was surprised to see the warmth behind her purple eyes.

“Hello,” Cassie smiled. “I’m Cassie.”

“I know,” Ilyrana let out a small laugh, “you have caused quite the stir.”

Cassie wasn’t sure what to say to that so she simply smiled. Trik took her hand andpulled her close to his side as the Dark King and Queen continued to stare at her. Finally after a few moments of awkward silence, Lorsan spoke up.

“Come let me introduce you to my court. He took her hand and placed it in the crook of his arm and started walking before she or Trik could argue. Cassie looked over her shoulder at Trik who was being pulled to the dance floor by the Queen.

Lorsan introduced her to all sorts of elves. Most were warriors, but some were gardeners and some were cooks. She met a weapons crafter and a weapons master, a grounds keeper, a seamstress, a decorator and a librarian. It was all so very medieval. She hadn’t realized that she had spoken out loud until Lorsan answered.

“You can’t expect us to have the same things that are in your realm; we are not human. We do not need the same things; our magic takes care of much that you would need a machine to do.”

“Why do you still have gardeners and not grocery stores?” she asked him.

Lorsan shook his head. “My people rely on me for their needs, and that is the way it should be.”

“So you keep them dependent on you by controlling all of the goods they receive,” Cassie challenged.

Lorsan frowned. “No, they are not dependent. They can have their own gardens and learn their own trades. But why should they when I provide it for them?”

Cassie shrugged. “I come from a democracy. A dictatorship just seems selfish to me.”

“It is my job to maintain order in my kingdom. I am the King of a dark race with dark ambitions and desires. You cannot compare us to your people.”

“You might be surprised,” Cassie muttered.

Lorsan chuckled. “True enough. Come,” he told her as he began walking again, “let’s have a dance.”

Cassie groaned inwardly. She was not the dancing type, but again, she did not want to embarrass Trik. She allowed Lorsan to pull her onto the dance floor and lead her into a dance that seemed old and oddly symbolic of something.

“Why did you introduce me to all of those people?” Cassie finally asked the King.

Lorsan raised a brow at her question.

“I thought you would want to know the people that you will soon be living with.”

Cassie’s movements slowed as she looked up at the King.

“Living with?”

Lorsan nodded, “Surely Trik told you that you cannot stay in the human realm.”

Cassie recalled Trik mentioning this, but they had yet to discuss it since he had told her he would walk away from being Lorsan’s killer.

“You would be willing to let Trik live here even though he is no longer your assassin?” Cassie asked cautiously. Not that she had any intention of living with the Dark King and his little dark minions.