Chapter Four

Niko

Her pale skin goes milky white at the mention of the word "witch." A nervous chuckle escapes her as she fidgets.

"A witch?" Cassandra says in a voice that has gone at least two octaves higher than normal. "Those only exist in fairy tales."

Taking her coffee from her hand, I place it on the table beside mine. I feel the connection that flows between us every time we touch. I knew she was the one I was looking for before I enchanted the town's water supply. I could feel it deep in my bones, but I had to be certain.

"Breathe, Cassandra," I say gently. "I'm not a hunter and I don't wish you or anyone else any harm."

"I'm not a witch!" she says too loudly pulling her hand from mine and severing our connection.

I sigh deeply. "We both know that isn't true. Please believe me when I say I don't want to hurt you."

She stands from the couch and takes two steps back. "Why would I believe you? Trust you? You're a stranger I don't know, talking about crazy stuff like witches."

"You know I'm not crazy," I say as I rise from my seat and advance slowly toward her. "I know what you are. I don't want to hurt you. I just want to talk."

I read the Alluvium histories about true witches, and I know they have been persecuted for centuries so I understand her reluctance to speak about it. I see the fear in her eyes. An unusual feeling settles over me, the need to comfort her and relieve her fears.

"But—" Cassandra tries to interject.

Taking her hand, I lead her back toward the comfortable red couch we were seated on before. "Sit with me for a while. Let me explain everything to you and if you still don't want to talk to me afterward, I will leave. Okay?"

Cassandra looks conflicted but nods before taking a seat. Sitting beside her once again, I take her hand in mine. For the longest moment silence reigns as I allow her a moment to compose herself. She still looks like she wants to run away from me.

"My name is Nikolas Maximus. I am Fae and I am from Runic. A realm of true magik where all magikal creatures live in harmony. I came to Alluvium, what you call Earth, to find you," I pause to give her a moment to digest this information. "I need your help. To save my world and yours."

****

Cassandra

I listen to Niko speak but it's like listening to someone through ten panes of glass. His voice is distorted and sounds far away. He knows I'm a witch. My greatest secret. My greatest fear comes to life. His thumb rubs in small circles against my wrist. The action is soothing and soon I can focus on what he's saying.

"What do you need me for? If everything you are saying is true, don't you possess more magik than I do?" I question.

"I need a Consort," he says. "A wife. Someone to lead beside me. With our realms bound together, we could bring peace. We could end the Eternal Havok."

A wife? What the hell? Did this gorgeous stranger just basically propose to me? My mind is being pulled in a hundred different directions. Excitement, fear, confusion, and so many more emotions slam into me all at once, and I fight to keep from being overwhelmed.

"Wait, Eternal Havok?" I ask, focusing on the one thing I don't know anything about.

"A war that has been fought for thousands of years. The warlords of the Quietus realm would like nothing more than to take control of all three realms and allow havoc and pain to run rampant."

I shudder at the idea. I have always felt I was put on earth to do more but I never knew what. It's easy to fall into the belief that there isn't anything else out there, but I have seen too much in my short life to just push his words aside. If there is an ongoing war, we have yet to be touched by it. But that doesn't mean the danger isn't there.

"I will help you in any way I can," I say while looking down at our now entwined hands. It's an easy decision to make. I need to keep my people safe too. "But I can't merge with you."

He tilts my chin up so we are eye to eye. His gaze bores into me, penetrating the deepest, darkest reaches inside me.

"Is there someone else?" he growls.

My imagination must be running wild because he sounds almost jealous. His hazel eyes have darkened to near black and his posture has gone rigid.

"Yes," I reply although every fiber of my being is screaming at me to say no. "I have been promised to another coven."

"But you aren't married yet?"

"No. The ceremony will happen on the next full moon," I reply. "I have to merge with Owen to ascend into my full powers and become the High Priestess."

"Don't you have a choice in any of this?" he asks softly, his thumb gently caressing my bottom lip.

"If I find someone acceptable to the elders, I could choose to merge with that person," my voice is breathy as I explain.

"Am I not acceptable?" he asks with a smirk.

"I doubt they will really let me choose," I say and even I can hear the sadness in my voice. "They are allowing me this last freedom to placate me. Even if I found someone acceptable, they would find some imaginary reason to reject him. My mother is the current High Priestess, and she has already made up her mind."

"What do you want, Cassandra?" he asks earnestly.

"I don't know."