Rapture (Elfin Series) (22 page)

So instead she simply said, “I’m fine.”

He watched her for several seconds, and when she didn’t elaborate further, he gave her a single nod and then turned back towards the charred SUV.

“Is the book still here?” Lisa asked Cush.

Cush nodded again. “Tarron knew I had come back for a reason; he was suspicious.”

“Does he know about the book?” Elora asked.

Cush reached into the vehicle and pulled the book out from under the seat. He looked back over to Elora and shook his head. “No, he doesn’t know about it, at least not from me. I didn’t tell him it was here.”

“Cush
, we have to get that book back to Trik,” Rin told him. “It is old and powerful and if it fell into the wrong hands,” he let his words trail off; the outcome of such a suggestion being obvious.

“I agree,” Cush said as he motioned everyone to move in closer. “This is what we’re going to do. Rin you will take the book and travel through the portal. You will have to hide it on your person somehow. I will take Elora and her family back home and keep an eye on them until I hear back from you. Tony,” he looked at the human male and frowned, “well, you’re a grown man so do whatever you feel you need to.”

“I’m going with Rin,” Tony told him matter-of-fact. He held up his hand when Rin started to object. “Look, I’m going to have to ask for sanctuary from Trik. He knows that my family has worked for the dark elves and I am basically defecting, walking away from them. Lorsan will want me dead and frankly, I don’t really feel like dying right now.”

“Don’t people realize it’s an inconvenience to us to kill us when we still have crap to do?” Elora asked dryly.

Tony gave her a playful grin which earned him a glare from Cush.

“I agree, Tony goes with Rin,” Cush spoke up.

Tony chuckled and shook his head at the warrior.  “Aren’t you a little old to be jealous?”

“Hey
, shut it,” Elora growled. “It’s sexy when he’s jealous.”

Cush’s lips curled up. “Yeah
, Tony,” he emphasized the T sound dramatically, “she thinks it’s sexy when I’m jealous.”

“Good grief,” Oakley huffed, “c
an we go already? I feel like the dark elves are going to be coming back with reinforcements.”

Cush picked Elora up in his arms and motioned for everyone to follow as they headed back towards the motel running quickly
, but not nearly as fast as they had run on the way to rescue Cush.

Elora stood next to her mom and brother as they watched Cush speak to Rin and Tony.

“Keep your weapon at the ready,” Cush told Rin as he stood next to the warrior in front of the mirror. “And go for anything that tries to make a grab for you.”

“This isn’t my first rodeo you know,” Rin said in amusement at Cush’s worry.

“Just be careful,” Cush said without acknowledging his comrade’s use of the human phrase.

Tony stood next to Rin, blade in hand that he had given him. They both looked into the mirror as if they could possibly see what might be lurking in the portal to grab them, but of course all they saw were their reflections.

Rin turned to Tony. “You ready?”

Tony nodded. And then both men stepped into the mirror at the same time. Elora’s eyes widened as she watched fir
st their legs, then their torsos, and finally all of them be swallowed up by the mirror. She waited, standing just as still as the others, to see if it would suddenly spit them back out, but as time passed and nothing happened she realized they weren’t coming back. She couldn’t decide if that was a good thing or bad thing and knew there was no way for them to know until they were all reunited.

“So we’re heading home?” s
he turned and spoke to her mom.

Lisa nodded. “I don’t know what more we can do
, Elora. I mean we stopped the production of Rapture, but I don’t see how we can get it out of the casinos without getting ourselves killed or captured.”

“None of you are going back to Vegas,” Cush spoke up.

“So we’re just going to twiddle our thumbs in Lisa’s shop?” Elora snapped.

“No, you are going
to get caught back up on schoolwork,” Lisa told her. “I’m going to have to come up with some reason as to why you’ve missed so much and hopefully they won’t make you repeat the whole semester.”

“I just wanted it noted that I think this idea blows,” Elora told them as she watched Cush dial a number
on his phone and then proceed to buy them all airline tickets back to Oklahoma City.

Elora returned her attention to her mom. “I can’t believe you’re worrying about school at a time like this. I mean let’s think about it logi
cally.”

“What’s logical about any of this
, Elora?” Lisa interrupted.

“That’s not the point
, Lisa. The point is that am I really going to need a high school diploma in elf land?” Elora cocked an eyebrow at her mom. “I mean seriously, Mom. I’m going to be the wife of an elfin warrior. I don’t think he’s too concerned about how much algebra I do or don’t know.”

“We are not going to have this conversation right now when you’re emotional and tired, okay?”

Elora knew her mom wasn’t really asking; she was pretty much telling her to let it go. She decided she would, for now.

“Tickets are booked, I’ve called a taxi to take us to the airport,” Cush told them as he slid his phone into his back pocket. “So now we just wait.”

“Waiting sucks,” Oakley and Elora said at the same time.

Cush looked from one to the other.

“It’s an American thing,” Elora told him. “We don’t do patient.”

“I wonder if he kn
ows what he is truly capable of. I wonder if he knows that without him they would remain divided. Though I’m immortal, I never imagined that I would live to see the day that Triktapic would reclaim his throne, and now that the day is here I wonder if any of us will live to see peace between a race that has been fighting for far too long.” ~Myrin

Trik heard the knock on their door and wanted to gut the one who would dare to interrupt his time with his new bride. Unfortunately he also knew that just because he had taken his Chosen and bound her to him, the world did not stop turning for
them. There was still a war to be fought, prisoners to be dealt with, and a human realm to save. No matter how badly he wanted to pull her into the shelter of his arms and close the rest of the world out, he couldn’t.

“I can get it,” Cassie murmured as she started to get out of the warmth of their bed.

Trik wrapped an arm around her waist like a steel band and pulled her back to his chest. “You are not dressed appropriately to be answering doors, Love.”

Cassie laughed and the sound danced across his skin and deep into his soul filling him with warmth. “I’m not dressed at all.”

“Exactly my point.”

“I was going to put clothes on Trik, geeze,” she hissed at him like an adorable little kitten.

“ENTER,” he bellowed as he made sure the sheets covered all of Cassie. Trik watched as Tamsin entered. Anyone, except maybe Syndra, would have blushed or at least looked somewhat embarrassed to be interrupting him and his Chosen, but not Tamsin. He looked way too pleased with himself.

“Were you coming to ensure that an heir was being created?”  Trik grunted when Cassie elbowed him, as he knew she would
, for the statement.

Tamsin laughed. “Quit embarrassing your queen. As interesting as I know creating an heir is, that is not why I have dared to bother you. We found someone amongst the captives who needs to speak with you.”

That had Trik’s attention. “Who?”

“Myrin.”

Trik’s eyes widened. “Did any of the other elders live?”

“We haven’t found any,” Tamsin told him solemnly.

Trik nodded. “Alright, have him brought to the throne room. I will be there in a minute.”

Tamsin left without another word.

“Who is Myrin and what’s an elder?” Cassie asked as she rolled over so he could see her face.

“Myrin is the oldest and wisest of the elders of the dark elves. Eld
ers are sort of like historians. They keep the facts of our people, and they are usually very powerful. I don’t know his story, but I know that at one time he was an elder of our entire race, not just the dark elves.  He has helped me in the past.”

“Will he give you fealty?” Cassie asked.

“Yes, I believe he will.”

“Good.”

“Yes, it is. Now, it pains me to say this,” he said as he ran a finger down her bare shoulder and across her arm. “But we have to get dressed.”

He looked into her smiling face and her eyes danced with mischief. “You know there is an upside to getting dressed?”

“I fail to see what it is; please enlighten me.”

“It just means later we get to get
un
dressed again,” she grinned wickedly.

“I’m glad
that one of us is a glass half-full type,” Trik told her as he climbed out of bed. He looked over his shoulder at her and winked when he caught her staring. “Put on your fighting clothes; the best way to work out the soreness from battle is a good workout,” he told her.

“I thought you just gave me a good work out,” she said and then squealed when he jump
ed on her and started to tickle her.

“You’re making me late
, woman. Now, be a good queen and do as you’re told.” He swatted her on the rump as he climbed back out of the bed and headed for the bathroom and a quick shower.

Cassie listened to the water run as she brushed her hair and then braided it so it would stay out of her face. She had decided against a shower, knowing if she joined her husband then they would be even later than they already were. So instead she dressed in the clothing Trik had requested and tried not to groan at the workout she knew was coming. She was also studiously trying to avoid the thoughts of what Trik would have to face soon, the lives he would have to take.  She walked over to the window and pushed the long, silver drapes aside and looked out into the morning light. She wasn’t sure what time it was, but it was early which meant she hadn’t slept much if any at all.

That led to thoughts of what had transpired between her and Trik and she felt the heat from her blood as it traveled up her skin. Nothing in all of her wildest imagination could have prepared her for the love they shared. The intensity of it, the passion and rightness of it
, was like nothing she had ever known, and she knew that it would have never been that way with anyone else.
What a waste,
she thought,
to give yourself to someone and have it not feel like the earth was coming apart beneath you, truly a waste.
Her lips tingled with the memory of their most recent kisses. She walked over to the mirror and looked at herself, wondering if she looked different. Her eyes roamed over her reflection and she saw a couple of small bruises on her upper arms where the sleeveless shirt left them bare.

“I guess I got a little over
eager.” Trik’s deep voice rumbled through his chest and against her back where he pressed against her. His fingers traced the small bruises and when she looked up into his face she saw the shame there.

“They don’t hurt and I don’t recall complaining,” she told him.

“Still, I need to be more careful.” He kissed her forehead and then slipped his hand into hers. “Time to go to work, Love. Be prepared for Syndra to tease you and by all means feel free to blush. I love it when your skin turns that beautiful rosy color,” he teased her as he pulled her from their room.

“Ugh,” Cassie
groaned. “I’m not sure who will be worse Syndra or Elora.”

Trik chuckled which earned him a pinch on the side. “Cassie
, a queen should not pinch her king,” he informed her in a haughty voice.

“Oh,” she said innocently as she walked alongside him. “Is it all right for a queen to poke the king with his own arrows while he sleeps?”

He looked at her from the corner of his eye, and he had to bite back the laughter at the straight face she held in place as they entered the throne room. 

“Myrin.
” Trik’s voice carried across the great hall and had the elder turning to face him. He looked tired and worn, Trik noted, but he was alive and that was saying something.

“King Trikitapic,” the elder took a knee and bowed before them. “Queen Cassandra,” he continued as he remained in the kneeling position. “I pledge my f
ealty to you both. I will honor and protect you both with my own life. I will give you sound council and I will uphold the laws of the Forest Lords.”

Trik looked down at the elf that knelt before him, who swore him fealty without even hearing what all that might entail and he was humbled. “Stand
, Myrin.”

“Do you accept me
, my liege?” Myrin asked as he stood and looked Trik in the eyes.

“I have known you a very long tim
e.  In all my time as the king’s assassin, you never betrayed me. I accept you. But,” he paused and his eyes narrowed, “you need to understand that from this day forward if you assist the dark elves, in any way, it is an automatic death sentence.”

“I understand,” Myrin nodded.

“Good. Now, do you have any information for me that will help me take out Lorsan?  He blew up his own castle, Myrin, knowing he would kill his own dark elves.”

“He’s gone mad with the need for more power,” Myrin told him. “He’s even been harsh with his Chosen.”

Trik frowned. “Has he struck her?” If Lorsan was becoming violent with his Chosen, then he indeed had gone mad and needed to be dealt with sooner rather than later.

“Not that I had seen. He’s obsessed with
the distribution of Rapture and with killing you. It’s all he talked about in any of the council meetings.”

“When was your last meeting?” Trik asked.

“It’s been several weeks ago,” Myrin answered. “His circle of those he trusts grows smaller and smaller. We had no idea he was going to close the portals. We would never have supported such an action.”

Trik nodded. “I didn’t figure you did, but Lorsan can be quite convincing when he needs to be.”

“Trik,” Myrin’s voice took on an urgency that both Cassie and Trik recognized, and they both watched the elder closely. “You have to kill him. He is going to destroy the human race and our own race if he isn’t stopped.”

“I know
, Myrin.” Trik reached out and patted the older elf. “He will be brought to justice.”

“Justice won’t be enough if he manage
s to enslave an entire nation. No, you will need more than justice. You will need a reckoning of all he’s done; all he’s hurt, and then you will need to give restitution to the human race. He is disrupting the balance, Trik; if he disrupts it too badly then the Forest Lords might just close all the portals,” he paused and looked at Cassie, his eyes full of earnest, “for good.” he finally finished.

Cassie felt those words like a punch to her gut. Close the portals for good? That was not something that could happen, not if she was going to be living in the elfin realm with Trik and her parents were in the human realm.  She looked at Trik and she could see that he fully understood just how much that would hurt her if that happened.

“It won’t come to that,” Trik told her. “I’ll kill him before it gets that far.”

She nodded
knowing that he would do everything in his power to keep the portals open so that she could still see her parents.

A commotion behind her caught Trik
’s attention, and she turned just as Trik pulled her behind him, blocking her with his body. She leaned around his shoulder to see what was happening and she saw Rin come through the mirrored wall along with a man she didn’t recognize. They were both breathing heavy and wielding swords and daggers as if they had just come from a battle. As she looked more intently, she saw that there were a few places on both of them where their clothes had been torn.

“They got it. I’m sorry
, liege, but they got it.” Rin’s eyes were wide with shock as he looked at Trik.

“Rin, Tony,” Trik took a step towards them and held up his
hand to stop some of the light-elf warriors from grabbing the man he called Tony, “what happened? Who got what? Where are Nedhudir and Elora?”

Rin seemed to be trying to gather himself as he answered. “They are heading back to the store that Elora’s mother owns.”

“Heading back?” Cassie spoke up, stepping around Trik only to be pulled to his side by one of his strong arms. “Where were they?”

Rin turned his attention on Cassie
, and she could see that though he wasn’t breathing hard, he was tired. “Forgive me, my queen, but it is a long story. Is there any way we could sit down before I begin?”

Cassie nodded. “Of course.”

“Let’s go to the dining hall. I’ll have food and water brought,” Trik told them as he turned toward one of the warriors and motioned for him to carry out his orders.

Once they were all settled at the table with water for Tony and Rin, and some sort of elf version of chips and dip, Rin finally began the tale starting with when he and Nedhudir, who he now calls Cush thanks to Elora, stepped through the master portal with Lisa. Tamsin and Syndra joined them somewhere during the story
, and they all listened in rapt attention as he told them of arriving at Oakley’s, seeing Cassie’s parents, of the Book of the Elves, going to Las Vegas and Elora having evil urges, which made Cassie snicker. He told them of Tarron and his attempt to kill Tony, and then how they went to California and burned the crops and destroyed the Rapture that was already made. When he finally got to the part about Cush tying Elora up so he could go back to their blown up vehicle to retrieve the Book of the Elves, Cassie was nearly rolling on the floor laughing along with Syndra.

“I’m sorry,” she said as she held her
hand up in a placating gesture. “I know it’s serious and I truly am terrified for all of their lives, but I really wish I could have seen her tied up.”

“I bet she was spitting mad,” Syndra agreed.

“She had a few choice words for all of us,” Rin told them and then continued his tale. He back tracked a moment to tell them about Tony trying to open the portals only for Cush to be grabbed when he put his hand into the mirror. Then he finally told them of how they came to be the ones that traveled through the portal only to be attacked while inside the portal by dark elves. As Rin finished speaking he stood up and reached behind him. Untucking his shirt, he pulled what appeared to be the torn cover of a book from beneath it and laid it on the table in front of them.

“This is what they got,” he said, answering Trik’s earlier question.