Chapter 321

When Helion leaned back in his chair, lifting his feet onto the table, and eyed him with a measured expression of patience, Lucien knew that his father had been paying more attention to him than he had realised. He also realised that the short tunic that the High Lord was wearing barely covered his thighs in this position, and he was careful to keep his eyes on his father's face.

"Is there something you wish to say?" Helion asked, and Lucien resisted a heavy sigh. He hadn't known how to bring up what Elain wished for him to say. How did you tell a High Lord that one of their Courtiers was possibly up to something? "Just spit it out, Lucien." Helion went on, "I have always heard so much about how you always say what is on your mind…"

"A trait others have tried hard to cure me of." He replied, gesturing to his face and his scar. Helion pursed his lips, his expression disapproving and Lucien drew a long breath. Deciding to try and adjust his way of thinking about the situation, he pushed aside the idea of talking to the High Lord, and figured that he would try and speak to his father. "Elain heard something in the garden during that dinner…" he began and Helion tilted his head, listening. "Apparently, one of your Courtiers… Kera… is under the impression that the Day Court is under threat."

"How so?" Helion's feet were still on the table but, despite his relaxed appearance, Lucien could tell that his attention had sharpened.

"She feels that you are being so accommodating to my mother, and to me… that the Court is under threat of being taken over by us. She seems to think that you won't even notice that you are handing it over to us without a fight."

"She said this to Elain?"

"No… Elain heard her talking to someone else. A male."

"I see." Helion's amber eyes had turned into yellow chips of ice. Lucien could feel the High Lord's temper rising and he wondered if he might have to shield himself and make a run for it. "Elain wished for you to tell me this?"

"Yes." He said, "She was concerned."

"Thank you." The feet came off the table. "Tell her I will speak with Kera this afternoon."

"I shall." Knowing that he had been dismissed, Lucien pushed his chair back from the table and got to his feet. Helion was staring at the table as if he weren't so much as breathing, so Lucien headed for the door. They had made enough progress with their steps for the trade route that he had letters he could send to some of the other Courts, so he figured he would do that for the rest of the morning and that would take him into lunch.

Elain's stomach had begun backflipping again when Kera had joined herself and Ashk as they waited for the other Courtiers to arrive. The nervousness she had been battling all morning came rushing back, but she had to admit that she felt a little better with Ashk by her side.

"Oh, you're both coming?" Kera asked, coming to stand nearby.

"We are." Elain said watching as the other female flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder.

"How unexpected."

"I wouldn't think so.." Elain replied, "We've both been asked."

"Yes," Kera smiled, "But it has seemed like you both have better things to be doing… at least so far, anyway."

Elain tried not to let her face react to that. She had no idea what Kera was implying. Was she simply claiming that the fact that neither Elain nor Ashk had joined them yet suggested they both thought they were too important? She didn't think she should waste her time or effort trying to figure it out. "Tisia asked me at dinner."

"Yes, I heard." Kera muttered, eyes moving over Elain and then over Ashk. "I wonder how you will both like the Day Court."

"We like it very much so far." Ashk said, her voice beautiful and pleasant. Elain was reminded then that Ashk had had centuries of playing these games within the Courts, and she resolved to remain more quiet and let the more experienced of them handle Kera being a bitch. No doubt she could learn many diplomatic tricks from Ashk.