Elfin by Quinn Loftis Page B

dread were still there.
    “Cassie,” the voice spoke quietly, but firmly.
    “Cassie, look at me.”
    Cassie obeyed and looked into purple eyes. Elora, her best friend hugged her tightly. Her brow furrowed as she tried to figure out how her friend had known to come to her.
    “Is she going to be alright?” Elora asked someone who was behind Cassie.
    “Syndra?” Cassie recognized that voice as Elora’s mom, Lisa.
    “ I knew it wouldn’t be pretty, but wow, she looks bad. Once their souls are connected, then being separated is devastating,” said a third voice, one that Cassie didn’t recognize. “Well, even looking like this, she still looks better than his royal ass-hatness.”
    “Did you just call the most deadly elf assassin ever, an ass-hat?” Lisa asked slowly.
    “Yes, and I’ll say it again. I’m a light elf. We’re mortal enemies; I get to call him names,” the snarky voice quipped.
    “ Syndra, you worry me.” Lisa chuckled.
    O ut of sheer curiosity, Cassie found the strength to sit up and pull out of Elora’s hold. Strangely, as soon as Elora let her go, Cassie felt a little better. She looked up at Lisa who sat on the edge of her bed, her forehead traced with wrinkles as the worry she obviously felt shown through her eyes. Then she turned to the voice she hadn’t recognized. A tall woman, who looked nothing like her voice sounded, perched on Cassie’s windowsill. Her hair was cut in a short bob and dyed purple. She had large, green eyes and pale flawless skin. Her nose was short and cute and her lips full and red. She was slim, and every movement was graceful and deliberate. She wore tight jeans and a white, long sleeve, V-neck top that shaped to her curves.
    “I’m Syndra,” the purple haired woman said in a voice that sounded more suited for a little pixie than for a tall she-elf.
    “I’m, I… ” Cassie tried to speak but her words eluded her.
    “You’re screwed , love. That’s what you are,” Syndra said, shaking her head sympathetically.
    “ Syndra!” Lisa’s said exasperatedly.
    “What?” Syndra shrugged, “I’m just reiterating what we all see before us. The girl is a mess.”
    “What’s wrong with me?” Cassie asked, finally putting a sentence together.
    Syndra stepped down from her perch and walked over to Cassie. She knelt down so that they were eye level and tilted her head to the side. Her eyes traced over Cassie’s face.
    “He doesn’t deserve you. I can see already you have a pure heart.” Syndra shook her head and let out a frustrated breath. “You’re Triktapic’s Chosen.”
    “Yeah, already got that part.” Cassie rolled her eyes, thankful to not be curling in on herself at the sound of his name.
    “Yes, well he obviously did a piss-poor job of explaining all that it entails to be a Chosen,” Syndra snorted. “But then he is a dark elf so what did we expect, honesty? Like that’s going to happen.”
    “ Syndra,” Lisa raised a single eyebrow at the elf.
    “Right, sorry. Okay so you’re his Chosen and at some point in the time you’ve spent with him , your souls connected. Essentially , they became one. Each link is different and the intensity with which they bind is individualistic, but I would say if you are having this kind of reaction to being physically separated then you and Trik must have one hell of a connection.”
    “But why? Why does it hurt just because we are apart?” Cassie whispered through a wave of pain.
    “It hurts because you are separated against your soul’s desire. You are going against nature.”
    “I asked him to leave,” Cassie told her.
    “But you didn’t really want him to leave. If you and Trik had kissed and said goodnight, mutually agreeing to separate with no ill will between you and knowing that you would be back together in a short while, then you would not be in any pain. But you want him here with you. Your soul is calling out to its mate. Trik didn’t want to leave. He desires more than anything to