CHAPTER 5 - STORMUNGANDR - Part 3

“We should talk about it Sonia,” Tik said quietly as the couple lay awake in their tiny room. They were laying on a small mattress filled with hay that poked them all through the night. They each had a pillow and they were under the blanket that had been provided.
“I don’t know what to say about it. It doesn’t matter anyway, we’ll never see him except for when he fights,” she responded, her eyes focused on her hands that sat outside the blanket.
Tik had one arm around her shoulder as she lay against his chest. With his other hand he was stroking her hair gently. He was mostly focused on her, but he also wanted to get to sleep so he could have the dreams about the man, whom he was sure was in fact his sword.
“I know we’ve been here a long time, longer than I thought, but Cullen will get us out of here and then we’re going to have to tell him, about us, and about you and him.” Tik kept his voice low, but he was insistent.
“I didn’t know he had come so far in the Asrai magic,” Sonia said in almost a whisper. The transformation of Cullen had alarmed her and made her fearful. She worried that Cullen would be overwhelmed by the desire to change, or that he would just become a wolf and run with the elves for the rest of his life.
“I didn’t either,” Tik agreed. “He kept that part of his life pretty secret. I think he worries about it.”
“Worries about what?” Sonia asked, looking up at him.
“Have you ever thought about what he really is?” Tik asked, looking into her eyes. “He’s half Faery! That means he’ll probably outlive us both.”
Sonia’s eyes went wide as she thought about what that meant. Of course, she thought, he would have a longer life span. Perhaps not the centuries that the true elves had, but he would certainly live longer than regular humans! She had never considered that.
“I never imagined,” she said hushed.
“I’m sure it weighed on him quite a bit. The way he acted sometimes, and they way he would stare off at the sky sometimes, that’s when I thought of it. He’s become closer to the Asrai in some ways.”
“I’m sure they understand him in a way we don’t,” Sonia admitted. “But to transform into a wolf man, that scared me.”
“Cullen would never hurt you,” Tik assured her.
“Not even after he found out about us?” she asked, again quietly.
“He’s going to be hurt, but he’ll accept it. He loves us both and he would never let anything get in the way of that.” Tik had thought about this for weeks, and he was sure that Cullen wouldn’t destroy the friendship, even over this.
“He let this war get in the way, and that will be his focus if he ever escapes. Not that I believe he’s getting away.”
Sonia had thought about their captivity during everyday since they were captured. She was absolutely convinced they would never see freedom again. She had allowed herself to be with Tik because she thought that was all she had left.
“You know that tomorrow we go to see him fight again?” Tik asked.
“Yes,” Sonia answered with a sigh.
“I overheard the Queen talking about it. She’s sending in Hive soldiers to fight with Blade against Cullen and the Kingsguard. Its going to be the worst fight yet.”
Sonia couldn’t stop herself. As soon as she thought about the next fight, she started to weep. Tik realized he shouldn’t have said anything, but he just held her tight and let her cry.
“He’s going to die Tik,” she whispered.
“Have faith in him Sonia, have faith.”