Chapter 11

Lucien pushed open the door to the house and held it for Elain to enter. After breakfast, they had taken a walk by the Sidra and talked further. Lucien still felt a little weird about the bond showing Elain what had happened in his father's hall all those years ago, but he rather thought that she was on to something in thinking maybe it would help her understand him better. She was no longer upset by the fact that he hadn't wanted her going to the Autumn Court, and she understood exactly why he had had the reaction he had when Rhys had said she would be accompanying him.

Lucien had been more than a little surprised at her confession that she no longer loved that Graysen bastard. He wondered when that had happened. She had still been wearing his ugly ring when he had left months ago to try and help Vassa. But, whenever it had happened, Lucien was pleased. He was glad that she was healing, and making space for her new life. He just hoped that there was space in her life for him. The last few days had suggested that there might be, and that thought sent warmth flowing through him. Elain looked up and smiled at him as she passed him on her way through the door and, not for the first time, Lucien wondered just how much access to his thoughts and emotions the bond gave her. She seemed far more receptive to everything he felt lately, while he so very rarely got a sense of her at all. He thought, perhaps, the fact that Elain was a seer might help her to use it more easily than he could. He supposed that she probably had higher walls in place between them than he did as well. One day, he hoped, she would lower them and let him in.

"You're back." Feyre strode toward them the moment Lucien had closed the front door after himself.

"Yes," Elain began gently, "We went for a walk…"

Feyre's eyes flicked from her sister to Lucien and he received a raised eyebrow from his friend, which he deliberately ignored. "Were you looking for us?" he asked.

"Yes, Rhys wants to speak to you both."

Humour drained from Lucien and he straightened, wondering what else was about to be thrown at him. Elain looked up at him and then followed Feyre down the hallway toward where Rhys was obviously waiting. Just as he moved through the doorway, Nesta brushed past Lucien, on her way to Elain. He watched the elder sister slip an arm around Elain's shoulders, and fix her steely gaze on the High Lord.

"Nesta…" Rhys greeted her smoothly.

"I want to hear what you're going to tell her." Nesta replied, clearly without any intention of leaving.

"Of course." Rhys replied, "It's not as if I intended to hold a secret meeting and exclude you." Lucien moved closer, not knowing how he would react if Rhys told them he wanted them to leave for Autumn right now. "Eris has responded to my request for a timeline for your visit."

"Ugh." Lucien sank into a chair, noticing from the corner of his eye as Elain leaned around Nesta to look at him. He gave her a quick smile and looked back to Rhys.

"He believes we have some time, so I've decided you'll go to Spring first, and once done there you can easily cross the border through Autumn."

Lucien didn't move.

"Spring?" Nesta sneered, "To that-"

"Yes, Spring." Rhys said, cutting her off, as his violet eyes flicked to the eldest sister, and then back to Lucien. "Are you prepared for that?"

Drawing a deep breath, Lucien tried to force his racing mind into forming a response. "Ah… I can handle Tam." He felt Feyre looking at him and shifted his gaze to her. She was frowning as she seated herself on the corner of Rhys' chair. "You have an opinion, Feyre?"

She tilted her head as she looked at him. "If he's… angry…" his friend began, and her eyes moved toward Elain.

"I will protect Elain…" he said, frowning.

"Of course." Feyre murmured, looking at him again, "I wasn't doubting that…"

Lucien let out a soft breath. "I know Tam." He said, "Probably better than anyone at this point. I know what sets him off, and I know how… to … avoid that." He'd had to walk on eggshells for years living at the Spring Court.

"Excellent." Rhys said, "You should go and pack what you intend to take with you."

"When are we going?" Elain asked.

"This afternoon."

"What?" Nesta asked, "So soon?"

"Tam will have to let us stay if we arrive too late to send us back…" Lucien said, understanding what Rhys was paying at. "It's a hospitality thing. He's a stickler for things like that."

"Oh, how civilised." Nesta sneered. Lucien just glanced at her before looking back to Rhys.

"You'll send word when you want us to head to the Autumn Court?"

"I will."

Lucien nodded, glancing at Elain. "Okay."

Elain sat on her bed, the bag Feyre had given her sitting beside her. She had several dresses in it, everything she would need from her vanity, and she was now flicking through the pile of books she had sitting beside her bed in her 'to be read' pile. She didn't know how long they would be gone, so she was having trouble deciding what would be too much.

Picking up three of the books Lucien had given her, she put them in her bag and bit her lip. Surely they would be enough. Her door opened without warning and Elain was unsurprised to see Feyre stroll in. Her sister flung herself on Elain's bed and rolled onto her back.

"Are you packed?"

"…Not really." Elain murmured.

"Are you nervous?"

"What do I have to be nervous about?" Elain asked, even as nervousness swirled within her. "Rhys said nothing will happen to us."

Feyre let out a huff. "Tamlin can be… unpredictable." Elain slanted a glance at her sister.

"You think he will…"

"I'm more worried about Lucien."

"Why?" Elain asked, frowning. "They were friends, surely…"

"Lucien considered the Spring Court his home." Feyre said, "Tamlin was his family… I'm worried about what will happen to him if that's never repaired. If it's something else he's lost…"

"Do you think they can repair it?"

"I don't know." Feyre murmured, "I hope so."

"I'm concerned about the Autumn Court…" Elain turned to better face Fayre, "I saw… the bond showed me what happened to Jesminda."

"It showed you…" Feyre sat up to meet Elain's eyes. "You mean like…"

"It was Lucien's memory."

"You saw it?"

"Yes."

Feyre swore, running a hand through her hair. "Does he know?"

"Yes."

"…was it as bad as I imagine?" Feyre's voice was soft, and Elain just nodded. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Elain said, the words barely more than whisper "But, when we get there… He will have to face them. His father and brothers…"

"Elain, he would have been there many times as emissary for the Spring Court over the years." Feyre took her hand, "It wont be the first time he'll be back there."

"No," she breathed, "But he's scared they'll do the same thing to me."

Feyre's eyebrows shot up. "Did he tell you that?"

"No," Elain replied, "But I know it. He doesn't need to say it."

"Well, like Rhys told you, you're both protected during these visits. That wont happen." Feyre squeezed her hand, "So… the bond…"

"What about it?" Elain looked away for a moment. She had no idea how to answer any question about the bond. She did not know how to use it, she did not know why it showed her things, she didn't even know if it was going the other way and Lucien could feel what she did as often as she was hit with his emotions.

"You've not accepted it…"

"No." Elain replied quickly.

Feyre looked her over for a moment, "Are you okay going away on your own with Lucien?"

For the first time, Elain contemplated how improper that might have seemed. She dismissed that thought a moment later. If she hadn't even considered that up until this point, then it didn't matter. "I… Yes, I think so." She said.

"Not worried about…?"

"You think he'd behave inappropriately with me because of the bond?" Elain couldn't help the flashes of what had happened in the kitchen the other night from forcing their way to the front of her mind. The way Feyre's eyes widened told Elain immediately that her sister had just seen exactly what she had been imagining. "FEYRE!"

"Sorry," Feyre gasped, her hand coming up over her mouth, "It wasn't intentional!" Elain got off the bed and moved around the room aimlessly, trying to avoid looking at her sister. "…that was… when was that?" Feyre sounded curious.

"The other night…" Elain caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She was scarlet.

"…Did he…?"

"No!" Elain gasped, whirling around to look at her sister. Feyre raised her hands in mock surrender.

"Okay…. Okay…"

Elain tugged her hands through her hair. "He couldn't help it…" she said, "Was… have you… was Rhys …ever like that…?"

"You want me to tell you about the mating frenzy?" Feyre smirked, and Elain felt her own eyes widen. "Or just the sexual need in general?"

"Not really…"

"Sometimes," Feyre went one, as if Elain hadn't spoken, "as soon as I enter a room, Rhys will just be on me." She gave Elain another smirk and though Elain tried to turn away, she couldn't, "And there's nothing either of us can do to resist it."

"Really." Elain tried to sound as if she wasn't burning inside.

"Mhmm." Feyre nodded, "Trust me. When you feel it you'll realise there's no fighting it."

Elain blinked. Lucien had. He'd fought it for her.

"Right…"

Feyre scooted to the edge of the bed and got to her feet. Elain stared at her sister's hand, outstretched toward her. "… if you show me what happened, I could help." Elain knew that her sister didn't need to touch her to enter her mind, but it was a way for Feyre to show her that she was asking for permission this time. Nodding, Elain stepped toward her. She had originally thought to keep it to herself, knowing that Lucien had been embarrassed by what he had done. Feyre already knew, so she saw no harm in explaining further. Especially if it helped. Taking her sister's hand, Elain allowed Feyre to see everything that had happened that night.

When Feyre let her go, Elain moved to sit on the bed once again, not looking at her sister until she spoke first. "… well." Feyre's voice was soft and Elain flicked her gaze to her. "I…" Elain just watched her sister. Feyre ran a hand through her hair and bit her lip. "He …"

"He didn't hurt me." Elain said, feeling the need to defend Lucien though she wasn't sure why.

"I didn't think he did." Feyre moved closer to her, her voice low. "I take it you know how hard he fought against those instincts… That was not easy, Elain." Feyre paused, "I don't think just anyone could have done that."

"Yes." Elain replied, "I know."

"Does Nesta know?"

"No!" Elain gasped, "And don't you tell her!"

Feyre gave a low chuckle, and then glanced at the door. "They're nearly ready." She said, "… so… even after that happening the other night, you're still comfortable going with him?"

"Yes." Elain told her, "I trust him." She twisted her hands together, "That just proved to me that I can."

The firm knock on Lucien's door told him that his time was up. He picked up his pack and strode to open the door, expecting Elain, or even Feyre, to be waiting for him. He did not expect to see Nesta standing in his doorway, her hands on her hips.

She pushed inside past him, and Lucien hastened to get back out of her way. "Nesta…" He watched her. Her posture was perfect and she was one of the most formidable creatures he had ever seen. She was terrifying. Cassian was a brave male, he decided. "…what can I do for you?" he asked, when she still hadn't spoken. Instantly, her steely eyes flicked to him, and Lucien resisted the urge to run.

"If you allow anything at all to happen to my sister, I will kill you."

Lucien couldn't even think of a witty reply. "Nothing will happen to her, I swear it."

"It had better not." Nesta's eyes swept over him. "If you don't bring her back, I will come for you. Even if you try to hide, I will find you." Lucien believed her.

"Nesta," he said softly, "I know you don't trust me," he ignored her snort, "But I would do anything for Elain. I'll protect her."

Something in her face softened, and Lucien watched as she took a hesitant step closer. "I… know you'll try." She said, her voice more gentle than he'd ever heard her speak to him before, "I'm just saying… try harder."

"As you say, Lady." He gave her a slight bow as Feyre called to him from up the hall. Nesta's eyes swept over him one more time before she swept from the room. Lucien drew a shaky breath and picked his pack up once again before heading out into he hall and down the stairs to where Rhys was waiting for them, ready to take them to The Spring Court and whatever mood Tamlin happened to be in.

Author's Note:
Would love to know your thoughts.