A/N: Gah I did it again didn't I? I'm sorry guys I didn't mean too! The evil plot bunnies went on strike and I had to go a rabbit hunting to make things start up again. X( sorry for the delay. Blame me but Sandy did mess up my internet so there is another reason I'm late.

"Oscar?"

She nodded her affirmation.

"Are you sure?" Cedric asked.

Aeryn looked very unsteady on her feet, as she shook her head. "I-I'm not sure, he may not have seen me. The crowd was so big, it's possible..." Her tone made it very obvious she did not believe what she was saying.

However after a moment, the fear disappears from her eyes and they harden to a dark honey color. Her mouth thins into a tight line and she stiffens her shoulders, it looks like she is about to go into battle. Perhaps she would last in meridian… "Is there anything else you need for me to do today?"

"Uh no, no you can leave if you wish." Her mouth still drawn she nods and heads for the front door.

Elyon watches Aeryn and Titan leave with a look of trepidation, Cedric can't help but feel like a stone has been dropped in his stomach. He cannot leave for he will lose an opportunity to charm Elyon away from the influence of the Guardians, but he also didn't want to leave Aeryn alone. The smell of her fear at the man pursuing her was still stinging his nose when the choice was decided for him. She pulled open the door and disappeared into the bright afternoon sunlight without another word or a glance back. Phobos would like breaking her… the stone became larger at the thought. "Cedric, is something wrong?" Elyon queried, her lavender eyes clouded in confusion.

"No, everything is fine. Care to tell me how your day went?" He plastered a fake smile on his face and ignored the rock that had settled in his abdomen that seemed to grow larger and heavier with every hour.

Elyons chatter became background noise as Cedric tried to do business as usual in his little shop. He knew he should pay attention but she simply droned on about trivial things in her life, granted this was normal for a teenager but it was driving Cedric mad. It had always annoyed him when these young humans said "like" every few words. It became annoying after sentence two; it becomes unbearable after sentence five. "Cedric? Are you sure you're ok? Since the other girl left you seem a bit out of it."

"Yes I'm fine Elyon, just a little distracted. Please continue." Gods how he hated to say it but he really despised this job.

Not the book shop job, that was actually quite enjoyable; but pretending to be interested in the young girls life was beyond taxing. Unfortunately it had to be done, rolling his eyes he tuned in to her ramblings every once in awhile to make sure he picked up some useless details that would impress her later. She was only twelve or so after all if he made it seem like he actually gave a damn about her and listened to her when she spoke it would all too easy to manipulate her into Phobos' control. Then his Prince would have what he desired above all else; true power. However a small thought nagged in the back of his mind, confusing him with its oddness. The idea of Elyon in the hands of her brother, who could be a bigger monster than Cedric when he chose to be, gave Cedric no trouble. On the other hand, with the notion of Aeryn in Phobos' clutches made his stomach churn and turn sour.

She is interesting, that's all. I wouldn't want to lose such a fascinating toy so soon after discovering how fun it will be to play with her. His mind supplied, effectively squashing any other ideas that had begun to form in a small hidden part of his brain. "Cornelia left me behind again. She is always leaving me to go hang out with the other girls; she never invites me along and I don't get why."

Maybe because your insistent whining and dependency annoys her? "Perhaps she is not the friend you once thought her to be."

Elyon pouts a bit and shrugs. "Maybe… thanks Cedric, you are such a great listener. I'm glad I came here to talk; you always let me rant about whatever is on my mind without judging me. It's nice." She brightens and flashes him a smile.

He smiles in return but turns his back after a second so he can roll his eyes and ignore the adoring gaze that was now directed at his back for the third time today. His temper was canon fuse short this afternoon and having to deal with her crush was challenging his restraint. He was curious as to why it was bothering him so much, today was no different than any other day, but for some reason it was like she had put itch powder under his scales. He found her increasingly grating as the hours passed and he couldn't wait for her leave, and it seemed the powers that be were with him because her phone then buzzed with a call from her mother wondering where she was.

"Hi mom… At the book shop… yes I did my homework… ok, ok, I'm on my way home now… do you want me to pick up milk before I get home? …fine I'll see you in fifteen minutes." Sighing in resignation Elyon clicked her phone shut and gathered her belongings, "I gotta head home now, but can I come back tomorrow?"

Smiling broadly Cedric replied, "Of course you can, you are always welcome here."

Elyon was gone in a matter of minutes but Cedric was still on edge. I have made progress today, I should tell Phobos. On his way to the book portal into Meridian, Cedric caught a whiff of pomegranates and he froze mid-step. Taking a deep breath he drew the sweet scent into his lungs. There was a fruit called Raimpur that smelled similar to the pomegranate in Meridian, though a bit more sour in taste; and he felt a strange craving for one. Snorting Cedric shook his head in an attempt to clear it; he needed to report to his Prince not daydream about fruit! With a short sigh he continued to the portal, he knew that the Prince was a patient man but there was a limit to one's endurance when so much at stake.

The two days later…

Aeryn was late. It was ten past nine and she still wasn't there, something had to be wrong. Hm maybe she's in more trouble than I anticipated… at that moment the bell over the door rang and Titan lead the way into the book store. Her jeans were faded but unripped and her sweatshirt was black today. "You're late."

"I'm sorry; the bloody dog chased a delivery guy down the block this morning. He uh… got a little more than he bargained for when he teased Shade." She answered, flipping her hood down. As Titan padded over to Cedric behind the register, he noticed Aeryn had kept her hair down, her long bangs in her eyes.

Immediately suspicious he called her out on it. "No time to do your hair this morning I take it?" She grunted in response and set to work shelving the misplaced books back in their proper places.

With a glance at Titan, the dog looked over his shoulder at Cedric with a look that said "check on her". "Is something wrong Aeryn?"

He came around the counter to talk face to face but when he reached her, she shied from him. Something she had never done. Even when he challenged her directly she never backed down, not once. "No. Why?" her voice is calm but he can smell a hint of fear on her.

She skirts around the bookcase continuing to avoid him, he follows closely ignoring her attempts to deflect him. "Liar. What is it?"

Growling in annoyance she reaches up to replace a miss-shelved Gautier. "Nothing I promise." Catching her wrist Cedric forces her to look at him, and he what he sees, has him in a red haze.

An ugly red and purple bruise covers her left cheekbone and borders her eye socket. He can also see fingerprint shaped bruises around her throat and a small cut in her lip. His gaze hardens to obsidian chips, as rage fills him. "Who did this?"

She shakes her head and tugs her arm to free herself from his grip. "No one did Ced, I slipped in some mud and hit my face off a street lamp."

Cedric could feel the magic in him screaming for the change to make him a Naga, an enraged hiss escapes his lips before he can contain it. "A street lamp did not leave finger marks in your neck, or give you the busted lip. So why should I believe that it gave you that black eye?" He was practically seething with anger over her marred features. No one touched what belonged to him! She was his plaything and if she was damaged, whoever had done it would have hell to pay.

"Because it's not your fight Ced." The words were spoken softly but with a firm command in them. He was to stay out of her business, it didn't concern him so he shouldn't get involved.

What she failed to realize was that she was his business.

A/N: I hope I didn't ruin this but I wanted to make this more canon, it wouldn't make sense if Cedric just fell in love with this girl out of the blue. He is a ruthless killer and servant to an even more ruthless Prince in a crusade for power. He would have to think of her as a distraction instead of someone he genuinely cared about.(for now) Another little side note, I always hated how Elyon seemed to whine to Cedric all the time, I mean granted she's like 12 and they do that, but c'mon! There was no way a full grown man could tolerate that kind irritation and not want to kill someone. But it's part of his job so, you deal with it the best you can. Anyway please leave a review and tell whatcha think and rag on me for how late I am again. (I deserve it, and I am super sorry!) Have a great weekend guys!