Chapter Two
It was cold in her room, the chilly night breeze slipping up her spine as she tossed and turned into her nightclothes. She hadn't opened the window and it was bothering her. Anything cold would leave her power unchecked, especially the breeze.
Opening her eyes so suddenly Skylar put her knees onto her bed and put down her window, sighing and putting her hands through her hair.

Who in the world opened up my window without asking?
It was dark, and she could not see much, for there was no light in her room.
Golden eyes like amber peered from the corner of her blue eyes.
She froze, her frost tipped hands glowing faintly.
Skylar narrowed her eyes as she reached for her blade.
But before she could reach for it the figure pinned her down onto her bed, holding a dagger to her throat.
Choking from its strong grasp she choked on her words as his amber eyes pulled and lured her in.
Such beautiful eyes…
She kicked him hard in his gut, releasing the figure's hold with his blade, watching as he stumbled on her bookshelf, making it fall all over him.
"Who are you?" She growled through her bared fangs, holding her blade in her hands against his throat.
Skylar lit a candle and held it close to its face.
He had a black tattoo across her forehead, his hair being blonde and tied up into a bun, his face so soft and young like hers.
A handsome elf like her whom was now looking at her luridly at Skylar's perfect breasts and curvy shape.
The elf choked out his words.
"Meridas… Such a beautiful woman such as you who has no doutedly put me into a tough spot to maneuver out of, no?"
Skylar looked at him and narrowed her eyes, hissing silently.

"You better talk before I slay you right where you are, elf. I know you are not from our clan."
He silently managed to stand up before Skylar pointed her dagger right into his neck, dropping her blade lower.
"I was not sent to kill you, mi amor. I was just wanting to see if the rumors were true about you."
"I am not your love, you lamppost licker. And what rumors? We of all Dalish know plenty of rumors here."
The elf chuckled, his accent so lovely and clear.
"I have not had the pleasure to lick such a lamppost, my dear. But have you not heard about the rumors of the Frost Bringer?"
The Frost Bringer. Such was what shem and others were calling her now, either figuring out her power from somewhere else or from another source.
Her deadly secret they did not know about. But if this man knew her clan was here he would possibly bring others. He could not be so easily trusted.
"No. There is no 'Frost Bringer' or what you speak of here."
"They say she has eyes of ice and hair of snow. And you look exactly like her if I am not mistaken."
Skylar froze a bit. How much did he know? Was he an elf in this clan who had been stalking her?
"I might look like her, elf, but alas, it is not I."
The elf chuckled.
"I know you lie, my dear, for I can see it on your face. I will not tell anyone. You have my word. Now as you have me in this awkward position where I stand as I watch your dagger slowly cut through your throat, you want answers, no?"
This elf was not as dumb as she thought. He was handsome and charming, intelligent.
Skylar lowered her gaze to his outfit which was no doubt all black with a tunic and hood, his boots faintly smelling of leather.
"Who sent you to 'observe' me?"
"I wanted to. No one, especially the Crows, sent me. No. I came on my behalf as I stated before, to find out if the rumors were true."
"You have an Antivan accent, elf. You are from Antiva, are you not?"
The elf smiled. A charming smile.
"An excellent observation for a luscious blossom for you to have established! Yes, yes, I hail from Antiva."
Skylar pinned her dagger into his neck a bit harder, making him wince in pain a little.
Her was an Antivan elf, not from her clan and from a foreign country she had hailed from as well, possibly stalking her for information for no reason.
What information did this man possibly need other than the fact that she was utterly beautiful?
"And these Crows? I hail from Antiva also, but I have only heard much of their assassin organization." She furrowed her brow.
"Ah. Another Antivan like me, no?"
"Half Antivan. Not all the way. I am also Dalish if you have not noticed the smell of the forests and rugs. My father is Antivan, so I get some of his blood. Now answer the question."
"Us Crows kill when assigned to by our leaders, yes. When someone from a different county such as this of royalty or of high money asks us to assassinate someone, we do it without complaint."
"Well. I see you have no problem stalking a woman such as I at night, now do you?" Skylar mused.
The Antivan elf laughed softly.
"Believe me, I had no idea that you would be here. My words are honest."
"Then how do you explain my opened window then? I did not open it. Surely you must've."
"I opened your front door which I pickpocketed. I did not such thing as to open your window."
Skylar would have to get onto the men in her camp later. She needed the answers as to this elf whom she still had pinned with her blade.
She tied her hair up into a neat bun and sighed.
"What is your name, by any means? If you tell me yours I will gladly tell you mine."
The elf gets closer to her, enough for his pine smelling breath to reach her nostrils.
"I will do so, then. My name is Zevran. Zev to you or whatever you may call me, my dear. And now that I have answered all of your questions, surely I can come up with some proposition, no?"
Skylar sighed, lowering her blade from his neck and to her side.
"I'm listening."
"All right. I am in a tough spot where it is killed or be killed, I am afraid. I do not wish to work for the Crows any longer, for I value my freedom from their grasp. I propose that I will work for you instead and get away from them until I can no longer do so, or you free me from my oath."
Skylar couldn't help but laugh loudly. She let her voice go to a whisper for she did not want to wake up her family. Especially her mother. She needed her rest.
"What skills do you have, then?"
He furrowed his brow and smiled seductively.
"Oh, not much. I can clean but not cook and provide for you for as long as you need…"
Zevran got even closer to her and trailed his lips across her icy skin.
Skylar let him get closer but not by much as he did so, making her breath hitch.
"and I am pretty good in bed, I have heard."
"Gods…"
She pushed him away before growling under her breath, showing her fangs again.
"I suppose… that you will do. I can offer you aid and protection from these 'Crows' you speak of. I am skilled at fighting and fluent in some languages. Understand that you will do as I say and when I say it the first time without any complaint, or else you will face my wrath."
Zevran smiled, clutching his neck to find bits of his blood pouring out.
"I'll gladly face your wrath if it is for you."
He stood up and bowed, watching as Skylar rolled her eyes.
"I hearby pledge my oath of loyalty to you, my dear, until you release me from it or from any other circumstances. I am your man without reservation, this I swear."
She quickly pulled out a sleeping bag from under her bed and pillow, putting the supplies in his hands.
"And I'm not yours, by the way. The name's Skylar. That tone of endearment is not attractive in the slightest."