Late in the evening, Eileen was awoken from her sleep by a loud knocking on the door. Sitting up with a start, she glanced out the window to find the moon still high in the sky. Fear slammed into her chest then and her heart began to pound furiously. No one calls at this hour of the night unless they bear bad news, her mind told her.

Flinging her covers back, she leapt from the bed and threw on her robe. Her fumbling fingers were just pulling the belt tight when a second knock sounded. "I'm coming," she called while hurrying from her bedroom. On her way to the door, she glanced towards Eva's room and noted with alarm that her door was still open, which meant she had not returned home.

A fresh wave of worry raged through her, causing her stomach to clench and her palms to sweat. Taking the last few steps to the door in just three strides, Eileen jerked it open and was met by a broad, muscular stranger with clear blue eyes. Immediately, her gaze fell to the figure he cradled in his arms, and her heart, which had previously been thumping wildly, all at once stopped. She grabbed the doorframe for support as her knees threatened to give out and leaned against it heavily. Opening her mouth, she started to ask what had happened, but the stranger answered before she could form the question.

"She's fine, just sleeping."

Relief instantly washed over her like cool water over parched ground. She released the breath she had been holding in a rush as her heart resumed its normal rhythm with a stuttering start. "Oh thank the Creator," she said breathily. Stepping back and opening the door wider, she motioned with a hand for him to enter. "Please, come in. I'll show you where to lay here."

As instructed, the rugged young man stepped across the threshold to stand in the center of the main room. While Eileen lit a small lamp, he allowed his eyes to travel around the dwelling, taking in everything about the home with a curiosity that surprised him. Careful to keep his features blank and impassive, he set to memory every detail, from the lace curtains to the worn rocker by the fireplace. Nothing went unnoticed.

Just as he was finishing his inspection, the older woman turned back with the lamp in hand. "In here," Eileen whispered before guiding him to a doorway on his right. The light from the small lamp she carried cast dancing shadows around the modest bedroom when they entered, giving off just enough light to prevent them from bumping into anything.

In the low glow, the young man was able to make out the shape of a bed on the far side of the room and so made his way to it. Using the utmost care, he gently lowered the sleeping woman in his arms to the overstuffed mattress. She groaned quietly in protest of the movement but soon settled back into peaceful oblivion. The childlike sound caused him to hesitate over her. He swept his gaze across her softened features, catching the slight flutter of her lashes as her eyes moved behind their lids with the visions of a dream. He lifted his hand to brush his knuckles against the smooth skin of her cheek like he had earlier in the evening but caught himself halfway when he remembered he was being watched. Straightening rapidly, he clenched his jaw and scolded himself mentally for allowing himself to drop his guard in such a manner. He managed to school his features, however, before turning to face the young woman's mother and stepping out of her way.

Feeling slightly out of place, he watched in silence as Eileen began unlacing Eva's boots and removing them. She took off the right one and placed it on the floor at the end of the bed. On the left one, however, he noticed that she hesitated and momentarily wondered why. His curiosity was soon satisfied, though, when she carefully pulled out a slender dagger from within.

"It's Caden, right?" Eileen asked him softly.

"Yes, m'lady," he answered in a low rumble.

Nodding, she gave him a pleasant smile before handing him the dagger. "Could you set this on the shelf over there please, Caden?" she requested while pointing in the direction of the shelf. "And call me Eileen, or Miss Eileen if you must; I'm not a lady."

"As you wish."

After giving him another brief smile, she turned back to her daughter and proceeded to remove the last boot. Once she had diverted her attention away from him, Cade glanced down at the relatively small weapon in his hand. The blade was chipped here and there from years of use, and the steel on the guard and handle was slightly rusted. Clearly, this has seen better days, he noted to himself. Finished with his scrutiny, Cade did as he had been asked and placed the dagger on the shelf behind him.

Glancing back over his shoulder towards the bed, he saw that Eileen had moved her attention to unfastening the buckle on Eva's weapons belt. Satisfied that she was paying him no heed, Cade decided it would be best to take his leave before any questions could be asked concerning him or the evening he had spent with her daughter. After one last look around the modest space, he slipped from the room noiselessly and escaped into the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eva woke early the next morning to her stomach growling and the mouth-watering smells of eggs and bacon cooking. Struggling against heavy lids, she managed to open her eyes slightly, but as the bright light of day filled her vision, she quickly clenched them shut again. She waited a few moments before she tried opening them again, slowly this time. The sunlight was still painful, but after blinking a few times, it became more tolerable.

With a groan, she rubbed her hands over her face roughly to clear the cobwebs from her mind. Satisfied that she was at least semi-conscious, Eva pushed her covers off of herself and sat up. Willing her growing headache away, she started to swing her legs over the side to stand but stopped with one leg dangling when she noticed she was still mostly dressed. Her boots and belt were gone, but she still wore her pants and shirt from the day before.

Drawing her eyebrows together in confusion, she searched her memory of the previous night for an explanation. Try as she might, though, she could not remember coming to bed. The last thing I remember is..., her eyes grew wide, Cade. We were watching the faeries and... drinking. "Oh dear Creator," she said to the quiet of her room. "I hope I didn't do anything foolish."

Eva scoured her memories for several minutes but couldn't find anything too humiliating or any explanation as to how she got home. After a while, she gave up her search and eventually pushed herself up off the bed. Deciding not to bother changing yet, she followed the delicious aroma that had stirred her from her sleep into the kitchen. "Good morning, Mother," she greeted while pulling out a chair and seating herself at the table.

Eileen had had her back turned when Eva entered but looked over her shoulder to return the greeting. "Good morning to you too. Did you sleep well?" she asked while placing a healthy serving of eggs, bacon, and toasted bread on a plate for each of them.

She wasn't quite sure, but Eva thought she had seen a mischievous sparkle enter her mother's eye before she looked away. "I think so," she answered cautiously.

"Well, that's good. You came home dreadfully late last night. I was worried you wouldn't have enough rest."

"I did?" Eva clenched her eyes shut and pinched the bridge of her nose trying to remember, but that only resulted in making her headache worse. With a huff, she let her hand flop onto the table. "I'm sorry, Mother. I really have no idea what time I got home or even how I got here. To tell the truth, I think I was-"

"Asleep? I know, dear. It's all right. You're a grown woman now, and I trust you. Besides, Caden seemed like a decent man."

Having been about to say "drunk," Eva was caught off guard when her mother supplied an entirely different adjective, one that sounded much less incriminating yet was still mostly true. When the last of her mother's comment finally reached her consciousness, though, she was still struggling to catch up from the first surprise and trying to process that information. So, she nearly choked on her tongue upon hearing her mother mentioned Cade. "Wh-what?" she stuttered. "When did you meet Cade?"

"Last night," Eileen replied calmly while bringing their food to the table. "How else did you think you got home? Sleepwalking?"

"Umm... I hadn't really figured that part out yet," she admitted while rubbing her forehead.

"Are you alright, Eva?" her mother asked, noticing how she massaged her head.

"Yeah, I just have a headache."

"Hmm, I'll make you some herbal tea. It usually works to ease such aches and pains. In fact, many people say it even helps take care of the lingering effects of having too much to drink."

Snapping her head up, Eva looked to her mother to see if she was just making a general comment or if she was hinting that she knew exactly why her daughter had to be brought home in a man's arms late at night. Eileen had already turned her back to the table, though, and Eva was unable to see her face to determine the intent behind her words. A few moments passed, however, and her mother said nothing further on the topic; so, the younger woman decided to let it go as an idle remark and nothing more.

"So," she began shyly, "did Cade say anything before he left last night?"

"Actually, no," her mother answered while setting some water to boil in a kettle over the fire then crushing some herbs and tea leaves in a bowl with a pestle. "He left while I was removing your belt and knives, I believe. He stole away so quietly I didn't even know he was gone until I turned around to speak to him."

"That sounds like him," she said with a half smile. Feeling a bit disappointed that he hadn't left a message for her, Eva let the subject drop and occupied herself by pushing her food around on her plate while waiting for her mother to break the fast with her.

"Here, drink this," Eileen instructed, setting a steaming beverage in front of her and pulling her from her musings.

Without argument, Eva picked up the warm mug and cradled it between both hands before sipping some of the contents down. The tea left an unpleasant, bitter taste on her tongue but the heartening effect it had was more than worth it. After a few more sips, she could already feel the pain abating from her head and her eyes. "Thanks, mum," she said with an appreciative sigh.

"Anything for my girl," she replied with a wink.

Eva only smiled happily in response before setting in on her eggs. Eileen pulled out the chair across from her and joined her at the table before beginning on her own. As they ate, neither one spoke, choosing instead to pass the morning meal in companionable silence. The clanging of forks on plates marked the passing of time, and before long, they had both eaten their full and were relaxing against the backs of their chairs in contentment.

"Well," her mother began, breaking the quiet, "I suppose we need to prepare for today's service. Why don't you go ahead and start getting dressed while I wash up these few plates."

"Are you sure? I could help first and then get ready."

"There's no need. Go on. I'll take care of the kitchen."

"Alright, Mother. Thank you for breakfast. It was delicious," she complimented before stepping around the table and bending to kiss her on the cheek.

"You're welcome, dear," she said, returning the kiss in kind. "Why don't you wear your pretty sapphire-blue dress today? It looks lovely on you, and besides, you may run into your friend Cade."

The way she emphasized "friend" made Eva narrow her eyes in suspicion. "Okay," she agreed hesitantly. Mother is behaving oddly this morning. Granted, I've never really socialized with men other than William, but is one outing with Cade reason enough for her to be acting so strangely? She pondered as she left the kitchen. I suppose that depends on whether or not it was just one outing or if there will be more to follow, her inner voice answered. Shrugging a shoulder, Eva decided to let the issue go for now and simply focus on preparing herself for the day.

After taking a quick bath to remove all evidence of her late-night foray through the forest, she donned the dress her mother had suggested and pinned her hair up in a loose swirl with several tendrils left down to frame her face. Despite what hidden intentions her mother may have held when mentioning this dress, Eva was very pleased with the selection, after all it was her favorite one. The sapphire color really brought the blue in her eyes to life, and the silky fabric hugged her in all the right places before fanning out at the waist and falling an inch shy of the ground. Instead of buttons, there were silvery cords that laced up the back like a corset. Even though she'd rather be wearing pants and boots, Eva couldn't help but feel very feminine and pretty in the elegant attire.

As the two women made their way to the cathedral nearly two hours after breakfast, Eva observed that her mother wore a similarly styled dress in a caramel color that complimented her coffee-colored eyes very well, and her long brown hair had been weaved into a braid that was then pinned in a sophisticated-looking bun atop her head. Both ladies displayed their insignias on the upper part of their right arms and were each equipped with small knives and a dagger hidden within the many layers of material. Unlike the formalwear required at the Victor's Banquet, however, a chain mail bodice, sword, and tabard were not part of their ensemble today.

The walk from their house to the cathedral was spent mostly in silence with each woman absorbed in her own thoughts, and before long, the tall turrets of the hallowed building rose up before them. As Elysia's only cathedral, it was a very large edifice with elegant architecture designed to compliment that of the palace it was situated beside. With stained-glass windows and marble steps, the grey stone church was both beautiful and imposing at once. Throughout her life, Eva had entered this symbol of hope many times, but the sense of quiet reverence it evoked never ceased to leave her in awe.

The inner sanctuary was even more stunning than the exterior, and once inside the doors, Eva yet again allowed herself a moment for her eyes to travel up the towering columns to the arched ceiling overhead, which had been painted to look like the sky from sunrise to sunset. The sunrise began over the front of the sanctuary then faded to a beautiful blue sky with white fluffy clouds in the middle and then changed to the dazzling colors of sunset in the back. The scene reminded her of life as it moved from its beginning to its end, according to the path the Creator set.

Feeling a gentle nudge against her arm, Eva tore her eyes from the ceiling to look at her mother who gestured forward with a nod of her head in a request to keep moving. "Sorry," she mouthed with a sheepish grin. Eileen responded with an understanding smile then lead the way to a pew in the middle of the sanctuary just before the bishop stepped up to the pulpit.

After the service had drawn to a close, Eva rose with her mother and stepped into the aisle where she was accosted from behind in an exuberant hug. "Good morning, Rissa," she greeted with a chuckle.

Quickly, the arms that had been binding her disappeared and Marissa's beaming face appeared in front of her. "I don't care about the morning. I want to hear about last night," she replied in an excited whisper.

Before Eva could even open her mouth, she heard her mother's amused chuckle to her left. Laying a loving hand on her daughter's shoulder, Eileen leaned towards her to say, "Why don't I leave you two to catch up? I'll go on ahead and meet you at home."

"Oh, that reminds me!" Marissa exclaimed. "Mother and Father wanted me to invite you both to our house for lunch."

"That sounds lovely," Eileen responded. "Well, I'll just walk with them then, and you two can make your way there when you've finished talking."

"As you wish, Mother." Eva said with a nod.

Once Eileen had walked away, Marissa grabbed Eva by the hand in an iron-like grip and began nearly dragging her from the church. Their progress was hampered, however, by the other parishioners who were also making their way to the exit. More than once, Eva had to apologize for bumping into someone else due to her friend's enthusiasm to get outside.

At long last, though, they finally broke free of the crowd and escaped into the wide street. Immediately, Marissa led them to the park on the north side of the church where the path to the Mother Tree began. Upon arriving, Marissa released her friend's hand and turned to face her, folding her arms across her chest as she did. "Alright, start talking. And don't leave anything out."

"There's not much to tell."

"I don't believe that for one second. Now, spill."

Heaving a sigh while rolling her eyes, Eva began her recounting with an amused smile, "Well, after following him for ages through the forest and across the city wall, we finally stopped at a small clearing no bigger than my bedroom. The faeries were having some sort of celebration there because it was a full moon."

"You went to a Lunar Festival?" her friend interrupted with eyes wide in amazement.

"I suppose so, although we didn't really participate. We just sat and watched. How do you know about their festivals, though?"

"Because I've asked them before," she answered off-handedly. "Don't change the topic. What did you talk about?"

"We talked about the elvish wine and bread he had brought, both were delicious. Oh!" she exclaimed as a particular detail surfaced in her memory. "I found out he's the son of Officer Superior Tyrion."

"Truly?" Marissa responded with no small amount of surprise.

"Yes. I also learned he likes to participate in underground fighting tournaments."

"But aren't those outlawed?"

Eva nodded. "I believe so, but that doesn't really stop people, I suppose. It just means they're more careful about who knows about them."

"Hmm...," her friend mused while beginning to walk the perimeter of the park. Eva fell in step beside her. "An Officer's son who is involved in prohibited fighting rings. Interesting. So is that all? You just talked about basic facts about each other?"

Umm," Eva rubbed her left arm self-consciously. "I told him about my father, or lack thereof, and," she paused to clear her throat, "I don't know if it was because I'd had too much wine, but I admitted to him that I was a mistake. That my birth wasn't supposed to happen."

"Eva, no!" Marissa cried, stopping in her tracks and facing her once more. "You mustn't think that. You are not a mistake."

"That's what Cade said," she revealed with eyes lowered shyly. After a couple seconds passed, though, without hearing any response from her friend, Eva looked up to find her green eyes nearly bulging from their sockets.

"He said that?" Marissa asked disbelievingly.

Flames erupted in Eva's cheeks as she nodded. "He told me that I was not a mistake, and that I was worth any sacrifice Mother has had to make because he's never met anyone like me."

Sucking in a sharp breath, Marissa clamped both hands over her mouth and shrieked into them. After bouncing up and down a while, she threw her arms around her friend. "Oh my! Oh my!" she exclaimed as she pulled back, grinning from ear to ear. "That's... I can't believe... What did you... Oh Eva, that's wonderful, absolutely wonderful!"

With a wide smile of her own blooming across her face, Eva let out a heartfelt laugh at her friend's outburst. "Well, well. It's not every day I can render you speechless."

"I'm just so excited for you," Marissa squealed before spinning around in a circle. After finishing her little dance, she jumped up on a pile of stones they had stopped near and used them as steps to climb up onto the unfinished wall they were meant for. Now balancing well over Eva's head, she began prancing along the top and counting off on her fingers while talking excitedly. "I mean, he's thoughtful, sensitive, and the son of an Officer Superior. That's good breeding stock there. I'm assuming he's handsome?"

"Yes. Now will you please come down from there?" she pleaded. "You're in a dress, for Atara's sake."

"Calm yourself, Eva. No one is around, and this business here, or whatever it is, is closed."

"Marissa, please," she tried again. "It's not safe."

"Don't worry, I'm being careful," she replied while continuing to parade along the top. "I'm not going to f-" Her last word died in her throat and was replaced by a small gasp as one of the stones came loose from its setting and moved under her. Before she could regain her footing and right herself, her weight shifted too far to one side, and she was thrown from the high ledge.

"Marissa!" Eva screamed as she disappeared on the other side of the wall. The sickening sound of flesh meeting hard earth filled her ears soon after, causing her gut to lurch violently. With more speed than should have been possible in a full skirt, Eva scrambled up the pile of building stones to the top of the wall. What she saw there brought bile to her mouth. Her childhood friend lay in a crumpled heap atop more of the same blocks the wall was made of. Blood poured from a gash on her temple, and she wasn't moving.

"No!" she whispered hoarsely. As quickly and carefully as possible, Eva pulled herself over the wall and lowered herself down on the other side. Once her feet touched the ground, she rushed to her friend's side. Marissa was still breathing, much to Eva's great relief, but was clearly unconscious and losing a lot of blood very quickly.

Eva's heart hammered in her chest as she whipped her head around, looking for help. But the building they were positioned behind was empty like Marissa had originally assumed, and there hadn't been anyone else in the park before the fall. I can't leave her here, she thought to herself after considering going to find aid. "Help!" she shouted frantically. "Anyone, we need help!"

She listened a moment, but no answer came to her call.

Tears stung her eyes as her fear and concern doubled by the second. At last feeling she had no other choice, Eva looked around once more for assistance before allowing desperation to override the last of her reservation. Placing her hands next to the gaping wound on the side of Marissa's head, Eva closed her eyes and took a calming breath before searching within herself for the power she knew was hidden there. Although she'd never called upon it before, the magic she sought rushed up to meet her eagerly, anxious to be used. It's warmth surged through her, setting her skin to tingling with its touch.

Relishing in the novel feeling, hours seemed to pass. Time had no meaning as the soothing power reached out instinctively to her wounded friend and began mending what had been hurt. Though her eyes were closed, Eva could clearly see what was taking place beneath her hands. She watched transfixed as the skin and blood vessels fused back together perfectly. Even the bleeding beneath the skull that she had not known about began to stop.

After what was really only a few seconds, though, Eva could feel the magic begin to fade and draw back within her. She was unaccustomed to exercising this part of her gift and, as a result, had little stamina built up to maintain it. Sagging in exhaustion, she leaned back on her heels, withdrew her hands, and opened her eyes. Where the large gash had been, now only a nasty lump marred Marissa's pale face.

The shaken woman released an unsteady breath in relief as the tears that had gathered finally broke free of their restraints and ran down her cheeks. Although there was still a large amount of blood smeared across her skin and soaking into the ground, Marissa's condition looked much improved. Scarcely had the realization of what she had done began to take root and a smile of pride started to spread across her face, when Eva was jolted from her reflections by a sudden shout.

"What in the four kingdoms was that?"

Jumping up from her kneeling position, Eva spun around and locked eyes with Marissa's brother, who was frozen in a half crouch atop the wall. From his expression, Eva knew with agonizing dread that he had seen everything. "William!" she exclaimed in surprise. "Wh- I... I..."

While she stuttered and stammered with shock, William's eyes flashed with comprehension, and anger immediately contorted his features. Finally regaining his mobility, he leaped down to the ground in front of her and strode closer, fists clenched and body tense. "You just healed her," he accused. "The only way you could have done that is if you had Royal magic, and the only way that is possible is if your father were Royal."

By now, he stood within inches of her face, which had lost all of its color at his unexpected appearance. Panic raced through her veins at his words, and she felt herself begin to tremble. Her cheeks were still wet from her tears, and even now, more escaped against her will. "Please, just let me explain," Eva began, but he cut her off.

"It was rape, wasn't it? That's what some have always believed, but I never thought..." He shook his head in disgust. "So, all these years your mother has refused to tell anyone who your father is because she was afraid of the power he held. Some stuffy, obscure Royal has gotten away with..." He shook with rage, unable to finish the thought.

Working at keeping her voice steady, Eva lifted her eyes to his green ones, so similar to his sister's. "You can't tell anyone. You can't."

"You know who it is, don't you?" he questioned in a low, hard voice.

Eva's gaze faltered. Opening her mouth, she tried to find the words, but nothing would come.

Seeing her hesitation and assuming it was in fear of the man that would be her father nearly drove his anger over the edge. In a fit of what he thought to be justified fury, he grabbed her by the shoulders and began shaking her forcefully. "Tell me, Eva. Tell me his name. I swear I'll kill-"

His words were suddenly stopped short by an explosion of pain in his midsection brought on by a swift blow to the gut. Eva watched in horror as a blur of a man rapidly followed the first punch with several more to the face and ribs, knocking him back violently with each one. The torrent of strikes finally ended when William had been forced up against the side of the building with a knife to his throat.

"Stop!" Eva shrieked. "Stop! Don't hurt him."

The edge of the blade paused over William's artery, the sharp steel digging into his flesh. He stood as still as stone, barely daring to breathe. His lip and eye already showed signs of swelling, and blood leaked from his nose. Looking from the murderous eyes of his attacker back to Eva's fearful ones, he scrambled to try and piece together what had just transpired.

"Cade, please," she said more calmly. "Let him go."

Without removing his glare from William's battered face, he spoke over his shoulder, "He was hurting you. I saw it with my own eyes."

"No, it's fine; he was just upset."

"That's no excuse," Cade retorted fiercely, his words spoken with an edge sharper than the blade he still held to the other's throat.

With tentative steps, Eva slowly made her way to stand next to him. When she was close enough, she reached out a shaky hand and laid it on his shoulder, gently turning him enough to look at her. "It was just a misunderstanding. William would never hurt me. Right, William?"

He tried to nod his head in the affirmative, but the action only made the knife cut deeper. "Yes, that's right."

Placing her other hand on the one that held the knife, Eva carefully began pulling Cade's arm away. "Please, Cade. Let him go. He's my friend."

Cade felt his resolve begin to falter as he looked into her beseeching eyes, and after grinding his teeth in frustrated indecision for a moment longer, he at long last caved to her request. Giving one last warning shove with his free hand, he pushed himself off of William's chest and stepped back.

Once he had sheathed his knife, Eva and William both let out a relieved sigh. "Thank you," she said in a near whisper.

Cade only responded with a stiff nod while keeping a watchful eye on the other man's every move.

"Look, Eva, I'm sorry," William began after wiping the blood from his nose. "I shouldn't have reacted like that. I let my anger get the best of me. It was poor behavior, and I hope you'll forgive me."

"Of course I will," she responded sympathetically. "I understand, and no real harm was done." William nodded his head in appreciation, but she could still see the fire of determination burning in his eyes. He's not going to let this go, Eva realized worriedly.

A soft groan from behind caught everyone's attention, and Eva turned with a small gasp and rushed back to her friend's side. Kneeling over her and blocking the men's view, she pulled out a small handkerchief from her pocket and hurriedly wiped the blood from Marissa's face before Cade could see it. Just as she finished, the injured girl's eyes began to flutter and then opened. Eva quickly stuffed the bloody cloth back into her pocket and smiled down at her friend. "Hey, you're awake. How do you feel?"

"Like I lost a fight with a giant," Marissa answered groggily. "What happened?"

Sensing her two companions step closer to see what was taking place, Eva answered, "You were balancing on that wall up there when one of the stones slipped and you fell and hit your head. I told you to get down from there; you could have been killed," she scolded softly with a gentle shake of her head.

Marissa glanced up at the unfinished structure Eva had indicated before looking at the two other people present. "Oh. William? What are you doing here? And," squinting her eyes in confusion, "who are you?" she directed to Cade.

"I had been looking for you two to tell you that it was time to eat when I heard Eva calling for help," her brother replied. Eva noted with appreciation that he didn't mention what he had seen, and she allowed a small spark of hope to enter her heart that he might keep her secret after all.

After seeing that Cade had no intention of answering Marissa's question, Eva decided to do so for him. "This is Cade. He also came when he heard... the shouting," she finished awkwardly.

Marissa's eyes grew wide with recognition. "Cade?" she questioned almost reverently. "Oh, wow! It's so nice to meet you! I've heard so much," she started to say while making to sit up, but the pain in her head increased to a debilitating level at her sudden movement, forcing her to lie back again with a wince. "Ow," she moaned.

"We need to get her home," William said while bending to scoop her up.

Eva quickly scooted back out of his way so he could slide his arms under Marissa's knees and shoulders. Once he had a firm hold on her, he lifted her to his chest and stood effortlessly. Eva started to stand as well but struggled to do so for stepping on her skirt. Seeing Eva's difficulty, Cade stepped forward and offered her his hand for assistance, which she took gratefully.

"What happened to your face?" Marissa asked suddenly.

A muscle in William's jaw twitched as he glanced over at the man responsible for the damage. "Let's just say I had a little disagreement with someone and leave it at that."

"William, you know Father doesn't approve of using your fists to solve arguments," she reprimanded.

"Yeah, well, what can I say? My anger got away from me. Come, we need to get home. Mother is going to have a complete fit when she catches sight of the pair of us."

The younger sibling let out a small giggle. "She's going to think we did this to each other. You're going to be in so much trouble."

"Hey! Don't go putting this on me. You're the one who climbed on the wall."

Marissa simply replied with more giggling and a mischievous grin as he turned to head home.

Hearing their familiar banter, Eva at last felt most of her anxiety leave her tight muscles. With a contented sigh, she started to follow after her two friends but was pulled short by a hand on her wrist. Her eyes rose in curiosity to those of Cade's as she furrowed her brow. "What is it?"

Cade glanced up to see that William had stopped and he and Marissa were staring at them questioningly. "I need to speak with you. Privately," he added with a meaningful nod in the siblings' direction.

Eva cast her eyes towards the two waiting on her and did not miss the excited spark that had entered Marissa's features, her headache momentarily forgotten. "Go on, Eva," she encouraged. "We can make it back on our own."

"I'm not so sure that's a good idea," William spoke up with a disapproving frown.

"You're one to talk," Cade challenged in what sounded like a growl.

"What is wrong with you two?" Marissa asked, flicking her gaze between them in confusion.

"Nothing," they answered at the same time.

A few tense moments passed before Eva finally grew tired of their glaring contest and stepped between them. "Enough. William, it's okay. I'll just talk with him for a while then meet you two back at your house."

"Fine," he said through his teeth. "But you and I have some things to discuss as well."

"Later," she urged with a worried glance toward the others present.

"Later," he agreed before spinning on his heel and striding around the corner of the building and out of sight.

"I don't like the idea of you being alone with him again," Cade began as soon as he was sure they were out of earshot.

Eva shook her head and gathered what patience she had left from her frazzled nerves before replying. "As I've already said, that was just a misunderstanding. William poses no threat to me. He's like an overprotective brother, and he thought someone had wronged my mother and me. He was just trying to look after us."

"Has someone wronged you?"

"No, not in the way he thinks anyway."

"You swear it?" he pressed, bending at the waist to force her to meet his eyes.

"I swear on the Mother Tree," she responded with finality. "Is that all you wanted to discuss?"

"No," he replied after a moment. "I brought you something."

"What?" she asked, taken aback. "You mean like a gift?"

"Yes." Reaching behind his back, he pulled from his belt a long, narrow object wrapped in blue silk.

Stunned into silence, Eva took the proffered package from his hands delicately. Handling it as if it would shatter at any moment, Eva carefully pulled away the cloth to reveal a beautifully crafted dagger and scabbard. Both the handle and the sheath were made from a beautiful silvery-white metal inlaid with stunning sapphires and diamonds. "Heavens...," she breathed in awe while tracing a finger across the intricate designs running the length of the casing. "Is this what I think it is?"

"Silivren. Forged by the elves," he confirmed.

"Cade, this is gorgeous, but I could never accept something so expensive. Thank you, but I just can't," she insisted as she tried to hand it back to him.

Folding his arms across his chest, Cade made no move to take back the gift. "I saw how worn your current dagger is and figured it was high time you had a new one. You will be better protected with this. The elves know their craft. It is sharp enough to cut through most anything and nearly unbreakable. Take it."

The determined set of his jaw and unwavering look in his eyes told Eva she'd be better off asking the sun not to shine then asking Cade to take back his gift. Sighing in defeat, she brought the dagger back to her chest and held it there. "Thank you," she said sincerely. "I can't imagine what such a piece would cost, and I appreciate that you thought so much of me as to purchase it. May I ask how you came by it, though? You could have only seen my old dagger last night, and the market is closed today."

"I know some people," he said with a shrug.

"Evidently," she mumbled with a small smile. "Well, thank you again."

Cade waved away her thanks with a flick of his hand. "Just keep it with you at all times."

"I will," she promised while pulling the blade partially from its scabbard and admiring the craftsmanship.

After watching her for a few moments, Cade spoke again, "I have to report for duty tomorrow."

"Oh," Eva remarked somewhat dejectedly as she slid the dagger back into its home with a soft click. "Boundary Patrols work on a two-week rotation, right?"

He confirmed her suspicion with a nod.

"So, by the time you get off duty, I'll be starting another week of my own rotation," she mused aloud while staring at the ground. "Will I see you again?"

The uncertainty in her voice caused a powerful yet unidentifiable emotion to rise in his chest, and Cade couldn't resist cupping her chin with his hand and pulling her face up until he could meet her eyes. For a moment, he simply stared into them, letting himself get lost in the depths of her beautiful, blue-green orbs. "If that is what you wish," he whispered.

"It is," she affirmed just as softly.

"Then so it will be."

Feeling more content than she had in a long time, Eva presented him with a radiant smile that nearly stopped his heart. "When?"

"As soon as I can return."

"Where?"

"I will find you," he assured her, still holding her chin in his grasp.

"I will be waiting."

A pleased smirk curled up one side of his mouth before he abruptly released her from his hold and turned away. Without looking back, he heaved himself up over the wall and dropped out of sight on the other side. In the void created by his sudden departure, Eva was left grinning giddily as she stared at the spot where she had last seen him and tightly clutched her new dagger to her chest.

Hurry back, her heart whispered after him.

Author's Note: The picture to the side is Caden. Let me know what you think about him.