Cassandra's Dilemma by Heather Long

Rochester was there and he’d sworn he was going to skip, but there he was, front-row center, dropping his bags under his chair. I’m pretty sure he came straight from the airport.”
    “Phillip Rochester? World News Phillip Rochester?” That surprised her. Rochester hated press conferences. A fact he was not remotely shy about hiding. If he wanted someone to spoon-feed him the news, he would talk to his mother. That was how he signed off his columns on the subject.
    “Exactly, it surprised me to see him. I was going to tell you, but—well, you know, boom…”
    “Boom.” Cassie sighed. The pain crushed her heart, doubling even more at his light, faintly chagrinned description.
    “Cassie.” Book’s long shadow fell over her. “We need to go now.” He spoke in a gentle, coaxing voice. He paused, staring at the glossy scorch mark she hovered over, hand extended. “I need you to step back from the portal, all right? Just step back and hold your hand out to me.”
    “Portal?” Cassie looked from the mark to Book then back again. “You recognize this?”
    “Portals create that kind of burn. It happens when someone shifts swiftly, too swiftly. It upsets the natural patina of the landscape and leaves scorch marks.”
    “There are dozens of these.” Cassie twisted, standing up and letting Book steady her briefly before pulling away. “If you walk in a circle, there are at least thirteen that I’ve counted.”
    “Thirteen?” Book frowned, his eyes narrowing at Helcyon, who kept his distance. “How many of them were here when you were ready for your announcement?”
    “None. The Fae were all going to enter after I made the introductions.”
    “Even your bodyguard there?” Book jerked his head to Helcyon, who moved to join them finally, but his stiff posture indicated a reluctance.
    “Helcyon wasn’t my bodyguard then—”
    “That’s not precisely true.” The Elf actually looked abashed. Cassie frowned. “I was watching, but only from a distance. Had I been more engaged, you would not have suffered such grievous injuries in the blast. As it was, I was too far away to effect any protection from such a threat.”
    “Did you divert the blast from me then?”
    “No. Had I been closer, I would have. The energy pooled around you, swirling away, but not by my hand.”
    “So you watched, but you weren’t actually protecting. That’s efficient,” Book spat in distaste. “If you were here, then what happened?”
    “I don’t know.” That admission cost the Elf. Cassie could see the pained consternation on his face. The lines around his eyes deepened, his gaze became more remote, and like Billy, he seemed to blur around the edges.
    “You’re not a ghost, are you?” To hell with protocol. She’d been cooperating, and all she had was a concussion, a dead assistant, and more questions than answers.
    “A ghost?” Helcyon frowned and shook his head. “No…why would you ask that?”
    “You’re blurry. All around the edges. It comes and it goes, but for a moment there, you blurred.”
    “Oh, good. She can see through your Otherness, too.” Book grinned broadly. “Keep it up, Elf, you’ll prove all my points for me.”
    “What?”
    “Nothing.” Book smirked again.
    That’s it.
    Cassie’s phone chose that moment to start ringing again. She thumbed it off without looking at the caller ID.
    “Okay, I’ve had it.” Cassie folded her arms and fixed each man with a gimlet eye. “I’m done answering questions, getting poked, prodded, or shoved around until you two explain what the hell is going on. I agreed to be your representative, to put a good face on your announcement, and to handle your public relations. I did not agree to be blown up, shot, seduced, dragged through portals, or made to feel like some helpless female in a slasher movie—”
    The last line was delivered with great eloquence that Cassie would have been proud of if not for the sudden surge of ice-cold air, the wrapping of