Chapter 76

Lucien looked at Nesta, Feyre, and Rhysand. It was a little hard to believe that they had come to the Autumn Court to help him. Nobody would have put that much effort into him; nobody but Elain. He turned his head to look at his mate. He hadn't been surprised that she had come for him. Her worry and determination had been evident when she had walked into the hall, and he had been able to feel her desperation to get him free. Elain would have agreed to just about anything Eris had asked for if it meant that Lucien had been released, he knew that. It terrified him.

When he turned his eyes back on Elain's sisters, Lucien realised that they hadn't come to help him. They had come to help her. They had come to the Autumn Court because Elain had called. They had come to protect her, to help her in whatever way they could. Seeing the way Nesta's cold eyes followed Lucien's hand on Elain's wrist, he suddenly feared that they would try and take her from him. Biting back a snarl, Lucien wrapped an arm around Elain's shoulders, relaxing only slightly when she leaned into him.

Glancing up when Rhys shifted on his feet, Lucien realised that what he had done was not lost on the High Lord of the Night Court. He met those violet eyes, figuring that at least Rhys would understand his reaction. Elain's hand settled on his leg, rubbing him softly, and he calmed down a little more. Her dark eyes turned on him, and he knew that she must have sensed what he had felt through the bond. Her smile said plainly; It's okay, but Lucien could not make himself remove the arm from around her. Elain didn't seem to mind, however, so he didn't think much more about it.

"What time tomorrow is Eris' little hearing?" Feyre asked.

"After the midday meal." Lucien replied, "It gives those with grievances time to travel in from the agricultural communities…"

"Okay, well, I suggest that you keep away from him or the rest of your brothers until then."

"I'm sure I can come up with something else to do until then…" He grinned when he could practically feel Elain blush at his words.

Nesta's lip curled and he turned his eyes on her. He had no idea where he stood with Elain's eldest sister. He vividly remembered hearing Nesta telling Elain that she could do better than him, but he had also overheard her telling Vassa to stay away from him because he was Elain's mate. He had hoped that Nesta would come to accept him and, overall he supposed that her attitude toward him had warmed, but she looked so thoroughly pissed off right now that he was unsure.

Elain looked at him again and he turned his eyes from Nesta toward her. She looked at him as if trying to read him, and he supposed she was still feeling him through the bond, and wanted to figure out his confusion. Lifting his free hand to her cheek, Lucian leaned toward her and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. Elain's hand shifted from his leg and her hand slid around behind him, encircling his waist as she leaned further into him, her head coming to rest gently against his shoulder. Feyre was watching them with interest now.

"How was Winter?" Rhys asked after a moment.

"I did send you my…"

"Yes," Rhys waved a hand, "But I want your personal impression…"

"Kallias has some good ideas." Lucien replied, "He seems really driven to get those trade routes back up and running…"

"And you think that's beneficial?"

Lucien was actually taken aback. "Why wouldn't it be?" he asked, "Amarantha shut that down so that she could divide us, exert further control…"

"Yes…" Rhys tilted his head, "And those who re-establish it would have a measure of control…"

"I do not think that is what he seeks…"

"No?"

"No."

"Kallias and Viviane seem genuinely lovely…" Elain put in. "I… really like them." Lucien nodded his agreement. He had always liked Viviane, and Kallias had seemed like a good male. This opinion had not changed over the years and, Lucien suspected that, the two of them together would be a powerful force to be reckoned with. He also knew that anything they did, he would approve of.

"They only want the best for Prythian." He said, as certain as he had been about anything in his life. Rhys nodded, sliding an arm around Feyre.

"That's good to know." Rhys took a step back, half turning toward the door, and drawing Feyre with him. "We shall see you tomorrow…"Lucien watched Rhys and Feyre leave, and then turned his eyes on Nesta who had not moved.

"Nes…" Elain began, and Nesta's blue-grey eyes flicked toward her sister. "Do you want to talk?"

Lucien tried not to flinch when Nesta's gaze turned on him. She nodded and he made himself let go of Elain who then go to het feet. Elain turned then and leaned down to press her lips to his in a searing kiss. He did not want to let his mate go, but he did, and he watched as she moved toward her sister and headed for the door. Not wanting Elain to be wandering around where anyone might come across her, for a moment, he thought about telling her to stay. He was about to offer her the room to speak with her sister. He would go for a walk or head somewhere else to give them privacy. Before he had the opportunity to voice the offer, however, Elain and Nesta had disappeared out the door, and Lucien's voice died in his throat.

Knowing that he needed to do something to keep himself busy, Lucien got to his feet. He ran his fingers through his hair, dragging out any of the tangles that he found. Casting his eyes about the room, he was unable to keep himself from thinking about when he had last stayed here with Elain. This had been the bed upon which they had first spent the night curled around one another. Sure, it had been atop the covers, but Lucien still felt as if that counted. It was here they had really become closer. Their relationship had changed in the Autumn Court, he couldn't deny that. They had made important steps in their relationship here, and he would never not be thankful for that.

He headed for the bathroom again, figuring that Elain's conversation with Nesta would be unlikely to be short. He would have plenty of time to have a bath. After last night in that dirty, freezing cell, Lucien kind of desperately wanted to scrub himself clean. He felt more and more gross the more that he thought about it. They had first grabbed him when he arrived after a day of travelling, and he had been dirty then. Spending all night and part of the day in that cell without the opportunity to wash had been bad enough, but now that he had the chance to rectify that situation, he was feeling worse and worse as the minutes passed.

He had stripped himself off within moments, and he stood eyeing the steaming water as it rose in the tub for several moments. When he judged that the level was high enough, Lucien stepped into the hot water and sank down with a pleasured groan. Closing his eyes as he leaned back against the tub, Lucien couldn't help but think about how pleasantly his last bath had ended back in the Spring Court when Elain had climbed in with him. Doubting that her conversation with Nesta would end before his water had gone cold, Lucien set about scrubbing his skin. He was tired, and he was rather looking forward to sliding into bed and stretching out in order to get some rest. Last night he hadn't so much as hoped that he would be free from that cell and that he would be able to wash and crawl into a comfortable bed. He hoped that his good luck would continue tomorrow.