I whirled, raising my fists, and caught a flash of red and gold.

"Lucien?"

He stared at me, teeth bared, that metal eye whirring in its socket. I yanked my arm out of his grasp and he scowled at me.

"Fool," he hissed "You need to go. Right now. Do you have any idea what Tam will do if he finds you?"

He continued hissing, clearly panicked, and it was only as my mind cleared that I realised.

He wasn't calling for Tamlin.

For whatever reasons of his own, Lucien was disobeying Tamlin's orders. And right now, I was running out of time - and options – as the Fae converged towards us.

"Help me," I breathed "Help me, Lucien."

He stared at me, and I could see that clever mind racing.

After an agonising silence, he spoke.

"I can't help you escape." I opened my mouth to protest, to bargain perhaps, but he gripped my arm again.

"Do exactly as I say." he snarled "Quickly."

He winnowed us a short distance away to an area of the forest clouded with shadows. Reaching inside his tunic, he produced a vial of clear liquid.

I knew what it was – the soldiers here were under strict instructions not to let themselves be captured. But what good was poison to me?

I was about to turn and run, convinced that I was wasting precious seconds, when I felt Lucien's magic thrum through the air. The liquid in that tiny vial sloshed and then I saw it change almost imperceptibly.

Lucien grasped my hand, showing the vial into it roughly.

"The poison in these vials alone isn't enough to kill one of us – it's the spells we place on it that makes it fatal. I've removed the magic placed on this one; drink it and you'll appear dead, for all intents and purposes. The effect should wear off within three days at the most." He pushed me roughly, away from him, and took a few steps back.

He instructed harshly, "I found you, I tried to grab you but you had stolen one of these poison vials. You drank it; there was nothing I could do." His eyes gleamed and I wondered how often his cunning was overlooked thanks to his skills as a warrior. "We'll work the rest out later but for now, this is your way out."

My head was spinning at the turn of events. I looked at my clenched fist, the poison within, and felt my gut twist.

If Lucien told the truth, this might help me to escape the Spring Court for good. If he was deceiving me… I might very well wake up in chains. If I woke up at all.

But if I ran now… he might very well follow. And call the others.

I might have been backed into a corner – but I still had claws. Magic and swords were not the only weapons I could wield.

So I levelled my gaze at Lucien, and said "I know where Elain is."

Then I lifted the vial to my lips and drank.

A.N. - Sorry about the short chapters - I'll be updating them every day or so.