The Autumn Flame

by Lady Livia

Lucien returns to Velaris to see Elain. He is surprised when she appears open to him and more surprised when Rhysand sees fit to send him and Elain across Prythian to visit a handful of the other courts in another effort to unite them all. He's not sure how things with Tamlin will go, and he's all but dreading taking Elain home to the Autumn Court to Beron and his brothers...

355. Chapter 355

Chapter 355

Struggling against himself, Lucien pulled his hair back and secured it with a piece of leather. He drew one deep breath after another, trying to get himself to calm down. His heart was thundering in his chest and, in some small way, he was glad that Elain couldn't hear it. He did not want her to know that he was so frightened. He was terrified to take her out there, knowing that there were those out there who meant them harm, while he had no connection to his abilities, to his fire. Whenever he reached for where that power usually sat within himself, he found nothing but emptiness and cold. He was less than he should be, and he didn't know he if would be enough to defend his mate. It was not a feeling with which he was unfamiliar.

Pulling a blade from his pack by the window, Lucien turned and presented it to Elain. Slowly, she lifted her hand and took it carefully by the handle and Lucien swallowed his fear at the thought that she may need it. That, he thought, was exactly why he was giving it to her. "I hope that you will not need to wield it." He told her, and she nodded.

"As do I."

Lucien did not need to have access to Elain's thoughts and feelings down the bond to know that she was thinking about the war and what she had done to the King of Hybern. He kept his face neutral as he lifted his eyes to hers, and he could easily read the determination in them. He thought then about when she had jumped onto his brother's back, blade in hand, to defend him when he had been on the ground, and he knew that Elain would not hesitate to use the knife if she had cause. He just hated the fact that she was, yet again, in danger. "Alright…" he murmured and Elain gave him what she clearly hoped was a reassuring smile.

"Let's find the High Lord…"

More fear washed through Lucien then. What if they were too late, and something had already happened to Helion? His father. Lucien had just found his father, just begun to build a relationship with him. He did not want that to be taken away from him, not yet. It was too soon. His mother also had just begun to build something for herself. She had spent so many years at the mercy of Beron and his monstrous desires and actions. She deserved something of her own, something good. Lucien did not want that future taken from his mother, either.

Knowing that he needed to push those fears aside, Lucien tried to pull himself together. Everybody he loved was in this palace, and he needed to keep himself focused in order to be of best use to them. He picked up his sword and strapped it onto himself as he eyed the door. Nobody had come near them again, nobody had knocked on the door since the faebane laced fruit had been delivered, and he wondered if they were waiting to be sure that he and Elain had eaten it. They had consumed it quickly, both starving, and he supposed in normal circumstances, they would not yet have been so affected. They had a window of opportunity if they acted quickly. If they waited too long, then someone would likely come for them, and he did not want that to happen.

Fighting back the desire to lock the door, barricade it, and place himself firmly between Elain and the entrance, Lucien looked to his mate as he strode for that door and grasped the handle carefully in his hand. Elain moved with him, standing by his side, her eyes on his face as he counted quietly to himself and then pulled the door open.

Still, Lucien slipped slightly in front of Elain, leading her into the hallway, but also making sure that he remained enough in front of her to shield her from any threat that may have been waiting for them to come out of the door. He could feel her at his heel, the heat of her close enough to know that she was following him, remaining close, and he knew that this was both due to her uneasiness as well as her attempt at soothing him, and he loved her for it.

Drawing his sword, Lucien held it loosely in his hand as he let his gaze sweep the hallway. He looked both ways before he decided that either way was clear. "Where would Helion be?" Elain breathed, and he felt the lightest brush of her hand against his arm.

"I do not know," he murmured, "Let us try the Throne Room…"