A Promise - Elorcan

Chapter 1

*After Elide and Lorcan make up*

"Stay," Lorcan murmured as he reached for Elide. His calloused hand caressed her delicate arms. She sighed, looking at him and thanking the gods he was alive.

"I really should go help with the wounded," Elide said, though her voice was strained. "We'll have plenty of time to spend together."

"I hope so," Lorcan said roughly.

Elide leaned down and kissed Lorcan softly on the cheek. "I'll be back soon."

Lorcan could only stare awestruck as he watched the small woman and love of his life walk out of the room to tend to those who needed her.

Two days later, Lorcan was back to full strength and him and the Cadre along with Aelin and Lysandra were going on a reconnaissance mission to look into the horde of demons Maeve had her claws in.

Elide stood off to the side, occasionally pacing worriedly as she watched Lorcan prepare to leave and potentially go into battle. The moments where she thought Lorcan was lost forever on the wasteland of a battle field still haunted her. She could still remember screaming his name while she ride Farasha as fast as she'd ever moved in her life.

When the cadre was ready to leave, Aelin came up to Elide and gave her a bear hug, telling her she better be ready for her when she gets back, as she was sure to be starving. Elide could barely laugh at her joke though.

After strapping on all of his gear, Lorcan strode over to Elide where she stood by one of the tents that was flapping in the wind. "Promise you'll come back?" Elide begged him quietly.

He brushed a strand of her hair out of her face and said simply, "I made you a promise. I will always find you. I will always come back to you."

Eyes watering, Elide reached her hand up to clasp Lorcans'. She gave it a quick kiss before turning quickly and retreating into her tent where she could worry without holding Lorcan up from departing. A few minutes later, Elide heard the sounds of the horses galloping away.

What the cadre never realized was their intel was set as a trap. There were no demons to investigate. Lorcan and Aelin both realized this at the same time when they reached the third deserted cave after two days of traveling slowly through the mountains.

"This isn't right," Aelin murmured.

After a moment, Rowan growled, "The information was from one of Maeve's former legions from Morath where Vernon was working with her. She must have planted it on purpose."

"Why would she do that?" Lysandra asked, voicing everyone's question.

"So she could go back and ambush the camp," Lorcan said hollowly, as horror dawned on him. "And give Vernon what he wants in exchange for our absence."

Only one though came to Lorcan's mind as he began mounting his horse to fly back to the camp, hopefully before it was too late: he needed to get back to Elide.