“Is all that true?” Cassie asked Trik, her arms still folded across her chest and growing anger marring her face.

“We will speak in private,” Trik told her and then turned back to the King and Queen.

“Triktapic, dark elf, assassin, spy, right hand of Lorsan the King of the Dark Elves,” Syndra’s voice was quiet, but it dripped with power.

Cassie watched in awe and a little bit of fear as the Light Elf Queen stepped forward, her human form faded away and she stood there in all her royal glory. A light seemed to glow around her and t he room suddenly felt small and dingier next to her glorious presence. Cassie glanced at Trik to see his reaction and to her surprise she saw rage written in every line of his face. His body shook with it as he stared daggers at Syndra.

“Though I am not your Queen, I am an ancient bloodline—royal. A bloodline that at one time coursed through almost all of our kind. I do not use my power lightly. I do not control my race by fear and I have never forced compliance from anyone.”

“But?” Trik interrupted. His voice barely controlled.

“You and your Chosen are too important. I tell you now that if you choose loyalty to Lorsan over the wellbeing of your Chosen, she will be taken from you.”

There was no warning, not even the slightest movement, but suddenly Trik lunged at the Light Elf Queen.

“NO TRIK,” Cassie yelled and rushed to reach forward and grab him, but she needn’t have bother ed. Before Trik could reach the Queen, he had come to an abrupt halt, jerked to a stop almost as if a rope was tied around his neck and he had reached the end of it. Cassie could feel the power pulsing off of the Queen, repelling Trik’s advance.

“How dare you threaten me! How dare you threaten to take what is mine!” Trik snarled. His voice dropped and the controlled rage was even scarier than the yelling. “No one will ever take her from me and should it happen, I will rip through your kingdom and destroy any in my way to find her. You know what I am capable of; do not think that you and yours will be safe from my wrath, not when it comes to my Chosen.”

Cassie had only thought she had been afraid of Trik before. Now, as she saw the look of pure, undiluted fury on Trik’s face, she could imagine the fear that his victims must feel.

“I am not threatening to harm her,” Syndra’s voice was just as firm as before and still very calm, as if she was speaking to a disobedient child.

“I am telling you that we will take her to protect her. She will never be safe again in the human realm. You know how many enemies you have , Trik, and until now there was nothing they could do to hurt you; not physically or emotionally. But now they can. They can destroy you. All they have to do is get their hands on Cassie.”

“I would never let that happen.”

Tamsin, who had not moved a muscle since Trik’s outburst, pushed off the wall and stepped before Trik’s unmoving form.

“You are not flawless, despite what others may think. You are not omnipotent or omniscient. You will not be able to protect her at all times and still remain Lorsan’s lap dog.”

“Ouch,” Elora murmured. “That has got to sting.”

Cassie’s eyes snapped over to her friend but Elora simply shrugged.

“I am not now, nor have I ever been, his lap dog,” Trik’s dagger-like stare had turned on Tamsin.

“You have to go to him when he calls, do you not? No matter where you are or what you are doing.”

“Or who,” Elora’s fake cough she used to veil her words echoed ominously.

Cassie rolled her eyes in frustration. “Elora, really?”

Once again the famous Elora “whatever” shrug accompanied her retort. “Just calling it like I see it.”

When Cassie looked back at Tamsin she was surprised to find a hint of amusement on his face.

Trik’s eyes never left Tamsin. He didn’t respond to the question, he didn’t need to. Tamsin was right. Trik would always have to go when Lorsan summoned him, no matter what he was doing.

“You will not take her from me,” Trik’s voice was low and brought a shiver to Cassie’s body, and not the good kind.

“Then do what you know is right, Trik.” The power that had pulsed around Syndra had diminished now and she was once again in her human appearance.

“Why do you care?” Trik stepped back, the invisible hold no longer keeping him in place. He once again attempted to shield Cassie with his body but she was having none of it and moved to stand beside him, which earned her an irritated glance.

“She is not a light elf; she does not belong to your court.”

“That may be, but she is an innocent. She has been thrust into a world and battle that is not her own and to which she has no defenses. We will not allow her to suffer because of the ill will between the light and dark elves. If you will not protect her from our race, then we will. Besides,” Syndra smiled, “I like her.”

Cassie smiled back, surprised by the admission.

“You will not take her from me,” Trik repeated for the third time.

“So you have said,” Syndra gestured. “Do not put me in a position to have to.”

Just then the door to the storeroom opened and Lisa froze, her jaw dropping.

“Oh,” she said surprised. “I didn’t realize there was um,” she didn’t know quite what to say.

“The Elfin mafia hanging out in your store room?” Elora filled in.

“Something like that,” Lisa said as the door closed behind her. “Is everything alright, Syndra?”