Lepius heard her speaking, her voice quiet and exhausted as she told him she looked forward to it and asked if he could come for the whole weekend as he and Conom had apparently promised to do. Ald's laughter was melodic with joy as she suggested it and after kissing her goodbye, he went off happily.

With that they left, flickering glances around the room, their worry for her safety apparent. There was an electric barrier working around them. Ald came over when he saw how confused Lepius and Covin looked with the sudden change in her team members.

'What just happened, Ald? What did we miss, what was the threat?'

'Cassie is very powerful. She could turn us all to dust with a flick of her hand and needs no protection when she's on a mission. However after her work's done, Kayden is all she wants. She trusts him like no other and now she isn't on duty, she's just a woman in love. She can be herself, nobody special, just his for the keeping. What you are seeing is all Kayden. While her powers are down he will destroy anyone who comes within inches of her. He's not only deeply in love with her but she is a precious commodity to the universe and he will protect her now until she has her strength back and can fend for herself again. Our boy is no fool and he's the only reason I'm able to now let her go and live her life. She chose him, fighting off every power I threw at her and then showing me why.'

Ald smiled to himself and Lepius searched his features, waiting. He wanted the end of the story; needed it like a drug.

He turned to Lepius and put a hand on his shoulder. 'She holds the ones she loves in her heart. She holds the man she's in love with deep in her soul but me, her father? Well, I'm the one who gets to hold her. She's eternally here with me even when her body is not. I can close my eyes and she's right here in the circle of my arms and if I need her I can even feel her jump into my arms and wrap hers around me. That's her gift to me, a reward for ending the war with Orion and I only just figured it out tonight. She gave it to me days ago, obviously knowing the choice I would eventually make.'

'Then what was tonight all about? I thought she was excited and like us, had only just found out.'

Ald pointed to Conom and the new girlfriend he was cozying up to in the corner. 'This is all about him. He's now one of her knights and she's rewarding his gallant efforts to save her. Mind you, if it was up to me the only reward the kidnapping shit would be getting from me is a good boot up the backside. However, my Cassie, she saw through the love-struck shit-head and only saw his loyalty and devotion.'

Covin and Lepius laughed at his attack on Conom's virtue. 'We thought you were taking it all too well, Ald. Not like you at all. Glad to see the love for your daughter hasn't blindsided you.'

'No way,' he chuckled. 'I respect the fact that he is now very important to my little girl. I won't kill him but my God, he will pay for cracking my head open like a damned watermelon! Tonight though, for Cassie's sake I'll allow him her gift but tomorrow is another day and he and me, we have a feud to settle and he knows it.'

'Hope you're both quick healers! You have a date together with Cassie in a few days.' Lepius slowly shook his head, smiling.

Ald grinned back mischievously. 'I'll use magic if I have to but by the time I've finished, if he ever runs off with her again he will remember to take me too.'

Covin and Lepius cracked up laughing. 'Hey, if you need a referee, we can stay,' Covin offered, excited to see a brawl.

Ald opened his arms. 'Ain't going to be no rules and it's not the first or last time me and fancy-pants have gone a round or two. Last time we ended up so drunk a week just disappeared. We traced our movements and apparently had a blast down on earth but it's not much fun when you can't even remember it.'

A commotion at the front entrance snapped them out of their enjoyable conversation. Their mate Conom had just spotted the Cloud Riders leaving and was confronting them, demanding to know where they were taking Cassie. The guys were looking meaner than serpents ready to strike and Conom, as brave as ten men, wasn't letting them leave without an answer.

Lepius made a move to grab Conom in an effort to prevent him getting an arse whipping when Ald held his arm. 'Watch.'

Through the cloud of confusion came a glowing light so bright they all held their hands up to their faces. Conom took a step back and as the light dulled slightly they could see Cassie standing before him. She took his hand and placed it on her heart. She touched his heart and they both glowed brightly together. When the glow dissipated, the smile he gave her was as angelic as hers. He bowed and stepped away from her as Kayden swept her back into his arms. The crackle of the guard that the Cloud Riders snapped up around her this time made even Lepius shudder. They were taking their girl home and God help anyone who tried to stop them.

Conom stood, shaking his head and smiling, oblivious to those around him.

'What happened, man?' Ald said to him, trying to snap him out of his trance-like state.

He turned slowly to Ald, his eyes glazed with unshed tears. 'I feel her now. This is how they are all with each other. They have the power to feel each other's emotions. That's how they knew she was safe with me. They can feel her and now she has given me that same power so I don't worry about her.' He threw up his arm and punched the air. 'And my God, she's so happy!' He put his arm around Ald. 'Let's go party, man! Just us. It's what she would want us to do. Stuff the woman unless there are two of them.'

Ald laughed joyfully. His friend was back and all the hostility in him that they'd seen a few minutes ago was gone. Could she have guessed what was going to go down with them and once again worked a last bit of magic to prevent an eruption of discord? Man, she is good!

Covin and Lepius just grinned and shook their heads.

When she'd first come to them a few days ago they would have thought Conom was a goner-totally in love with a married woman and about to have his life ended by a young girl who looked too innocent to even know what was going on. Now, not only had she turned it around and healed all their hearts, she had also given them all exactly what all living creatures crave: love.

A heavenly tone whispered in the air around them.

King Lepius and your friend Covin, warriors of the universe, you have both already been chosen. When your goddess comes she will need the man she loves and the man she is in love with forever by her side. Take care of each other while she is gone and when her mission is complete she will come home to the ones she has entrusted with her heart and soul. Trust me, face your fears and jealousies and be there always to catch her when she falls. I promise the reward is worth every hardship you go through without her. Never forget my lesson, my sweet new friends.

And here ended the lesson as Covin and Lepius both felt Cassie release them.

THE END.

News and Updates.

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Dedication.

Dedicated to the late, Lin Hall, first editor for believing in this story and encouraging me to publish.

To all who helped make this story come to life: Shaun Behan, supportive husband who doesn't like reading Fantasy but who read this book anyway Jody Bidgood, loving daughter who believed in the story Margaret Behan, avid reader of all my manuscripts And to my cheer squad Juri and Frank, thank you to all.

end.