Chapter 356

Elain made sure to keep behind Lucien. She could feel the protectiveness coming off of him, even without the bond, and she couldn't help being reminded of when they had gone to the Autumn Court and had to sneak out. When Beron had been killed, they had needed to get out of the court and to the Spring Court, and Lucien had needed to lead her through battle and bloodshed. He had done so effectively and she had trusted him even then. That time, she thought, he had needed to navigate bloodstained halls in a place that he had grown up in, in a place that had been his home for so long. Now, he was being forced to do the same thing through a place that he had hoped would be his home for years to come. There was less bloodshed here, Elain admitted, but when they came across a crumpled Courtier sagging unconsciously against a corner, blood soaking his tunic, she had to admit that there was some.

"So, it has begun…" Lucien said, checking the Courtier, and then shaking his head at Elain. She glanced at the sun-kissed face of the Courtier she did not recognise. He was clearly dead.

"I think it began a long time ago…" Elain muttered, and she heard the clicking and whirring of Lucien's metallic golden eye as his gaze shifted to her face and he looked at her for a long moment.

"I think you're correct, Petal."

It had to have been something that had been planned for quite a while. This was evidently beyond something that Amala had cooked up over a dislike of Elain or Lucien. This wasn't a couple of Amala's friends, or Courtiers that she could manipulate. This clearly was far more widespread than that. This ran deeper. Elain told Lucien her thoughts and he nodded. "It doesn't have anything to do with us…" She said, and he got to his feet, a hand under her elbow to draw her up with himself.

"I wouldn't go that far." He replied. "Even if this began before we got here, it's all begun happening now, and I'd say that we were at least a catalyst for action…"

"Perhaps…" Elain said, moving to follow behind him as they continued up the otherwise deserted hallway along the east side of the palace, "Helion naming you Heir would have ruined whatever plan they had for the Court. If they were after the Throne and planned to claim it once Helion was out of the way, then you being here would make that more difficult. If he dies now, you would get the throne…"

"I agree." He glanced at her over his shoulder, still moving smoothly.

"You think Amala wants the throne?"

"I don't know…" Lucien sounded thoughtful.

"Does she have any claim?" Elain asked, "I'm not aware of her familial connections…"

"Nor am I." Luicen replied, "Although her room suggests she is… ah… fond… of the Court."

"Perhaps her family thinks they have a claim." Elain glanced behind them, wondering if she had heard a sound, "Perhaps they back someone else who does…"

"We won't know without her telling us, I suppose." Lucien stopped walking then, and Elain found herself holding her breath as they listened. She hadn't been imagining it. There were footsteps echoing down the hallway, and she could tell that they were getting closer.

Lucien put an arm out, across Elain's waist and she moved with him as he guided her backwards. When her back hit a door, she turned and twisted the handle. It opened easily and they both slipped as silently out of the hallway as they could. Elain didn't know where they were. She was not familiar with this part of the Palace, but she was pleased to find herself in what appeared to be a small private study. She didn't think it was one of Helion's personal studies, as the others of that nature that she had seen were far more elaborately decorated than this one. She also wondered if this one had been used in some time, as there appeared to be a fine layer of dust over most things. Most things; but not the leather armchair by the fire or the pile of books beside it.

Elain wanted to ask Lucien if he knew where they were, but she took in the way that he was standing by the door through which they had entered, and she kept her mouth closed and she remained silent. Lucien was leaning against the door, ear pressed to it as he listened to the hallway. His hand was on the hilt of his sword, and Elain could read the ready stance with which he held himself. She wondered for a moment how me must have been feeling, preparing to fight and to defend them if something came through that door, without any of his magic. He had grown up learning how to fight with those abilities, and they were a part of who and what he was. Was he confident in himself without them? Would he be as effective? Elain trusted him either way, but she did wonder.

Amarantha had taken much of their power, she remembered then. There had been times when Lucien had been left with nothing. This was not new for him, and she hoped that he was therefore confident in what he was doing. She hoped that he wasn't panicked and feeling insufficient. She moved toward him then, reaching a hand out and touching his arm. After a moment, he lifted his head, no longer listening to the hallway.

"They're gone." He murmured, shifting a nearby table in front of the door. Elain blinked, and looked around, wondering if there was another way out that she hadn't noticed, because her mate apparently didn't think they were leaving through the same door they had entered.

"Where are we?" she asked, and he made some kind of vague gesture about the place that she couldn't interpret.

"One of the suites that attaches to the east garden." He said, evidently having seen her face and read her confusion.

"Oh." She said, thinking back on the tour of the palace Ashk had given her. "This is the part that the important dignitaries from other courts are meant to stay in while here…"

"Yes…"

"I see." Elain supposed that she and Lucien might have been put here for their stay if Helion hadn't known previously that Lucien was his son. "…do you think your mother has stayed here…?"

"I don't think my mother spends much time in her own suite…"

Elain glanced at Lucien out of the corner of her eye at those words. There was nothing to read there, however. Looking around again, she decided that this probably wasn't Ashk's suite anyway as there were no feminine touches apparent. There were, however, several elements of the Autumn Court in the décor, and she wondered if there were rooms throughout the palace, in the East Wing, that had been tailored to suit the visitors from the other courts. Her eyes went back to the leather couch by the fire and the pile of books. "… maybe this was where Eris stayed…" she murmured, and Lucien inclined his head as if he agreed, "It looks like he spent some time alone with the fire and the books…"

"Could have been…" Lucien moved to the other wall and pulled aside one of the curtains. Elain's mouth opened as she followed him and saw that he had revealed a door.

"Have you been in here before?" She asked, "How did you know that was there?"

He threw her a charming smile then, evidently pleased with himself, "You don't think I'd agree to stay here, to have you staying here, without having studied the place, do you?" he asked. "I made sure I knew my way around."

Of course. Elain thought. Of course he would have made sure he knew how to get around if the need for it arose, and it had. "You know a way out of the palace?"

"Several."

"Clever mate." She purred and Lucien smiled more widely at her before he slipped the door behind the curtain open and checked the way was clear.