Chapter 106

Scrambling under and around fighting faeries, Lucien tried to avoid getting noticed. The instant Aelius had dispatched Connal, he had turned to Thesan and lifted his High Lord into his arms before launching himself skyward. Thesan was evidently the priority, and getting him back to the palace had been their foremost goal. Now, with his hands still bound, Lucien just wanted to avoid being killed in the battle. There was screeching and the sound of metal clashing with metal, and the heavy sounds of bodies hitting the ground, and Lucien thought that it would just be typical for him to have gotten through all of this only to now take a sword to the chest and die in the dirt.

A female Peregryn suddenly knelt down before Lucien, blade in her hands, and sliced through his bonds and he gave her a smile. "That's helpful." He remarked, then able to push himself to his feet. She disappeared back into the fray and Lucien bent to pick up a fallen sword. He needn't have bothered, however, as another Peregryn suddenly wrapped an arm around his middle and then Lucien felt his feet leave the ground. Closing his eyes, he tried not to think about how high up they were. He hated this, being carted around like a doll. He would have much preferred to winnow but, he figured, the faebane was probably still enough in his system to prevent him going very far at all. This would likely be faster.

For the first time since he had awoken in the camp, Lucien allowed himself to think about being able to return to Elain. He hadn't entertained the possibility before, not wanting to give himself that false hope when it had been extremely likely that he was probably going to die, but now…

Smiling, he just tried to think about the look on her face when she saw him. He could imagine how good it would feel to wrap his arms around her, pulling her to himself. Her hair would feel so silky smooth between his fingers, and smell of the lavender shampoo she favoured.

When he saw the palace rising before them, Lucien smiled more widely. He wanted nothing more than to have a bath, and wash the blood and dirt from himself, and then wrap himself in Elain and the soft sheets of the bed and to lose himself in sleep. Exhaustion seemed to pump through him, and he suspected that it was because he had forced himself to use so much power while still struggling against the faebane. In any other circumstance, he would have left it a while longer. Now, he knew that he was going to pretty much fall unconscious and not wake until probably lunch tomorrow.

The landing was more gentle than he anticipated and he muttered a word of thanks to the Peregryn who had carried him. A heavy hand on his shoulder then guided him inside and through several hallways.

"Where is Thesan?" He asked, figuring that he should check on the High Lord and if he was alright.

"This way."

"Right…" Lucien began to grow nervous, wondering if he was still going to be blamed for what had happened. Maybe they thought it was his fault that Thesan had been out there in the first place, which it was, but he figured that was unfair.

Lucien was lead into a sitting room and the first thing he heard was a relieved cry. Elain was suddenly running toward him and then, when she was close enough, she threw herself at him. Lucien caught her, but was knocked backwards where he hit the wall and slid to the floor, still holding Elain safely in his arms as she wrapped herself around him. He doubted that she had even noticed that they were on the ground as she looked up at him, both of her hands now on his face, stroking and caressing him as her dark eyes, red rimmed and bloodshot, moved across him as if analysing every detail she could find. As Lucien held Elain to himself, she wrapped more tightly around him until he wasn't sure where his own body ended and hers began, until they were indivisible.

"Are you okay?" she breathed, "Tell me you are okay…" her voice hitched and he could see tears welling in her eyes. "Lucien…."

"I'm okay." He told her, snaking an arm around her waist and holding her even more firmly to himself.

"You don't look okay…"

"I…" he paused, "There was faebane." He told her gently, his fingers stroking her lower back slowly, "I haven't healed…"

"I saw." She whispered, one of her hands sliding into his hair and Lucien frowned. "I saw what Connal did, and know what he planned…" she leaned into him and a moment later he felt her soft lips brush against his. "I saw what you did…"

"Did you?" he couldn't stop looking at her as he slid one of his hands up to run through her hair, just like he had imagined on his way back to the palace. Her legs were tangled with his out across the floor and, as he tightened his hold on her again, he was able to breathe in that familiar lavender scent as she nodded.

"I made myself see…" her fingers ghosted lightly across his cheek, "I had to know what was happening…"

"You could control it?"

"A little." Her dark eyes moved over him again before she smiled and pressed her lips to his once more. Lucien's eyes closed and he resisted a flinch at the pain, knowing that, unless he healed himself, his face would be black and blue with bruises by morning. "Did that hurt?" she had lifted her head, and was looking at him with a frown when he opened his eyes.

"It was worth it." He replied, giving her a grin, which also hurt.

The look in Elain's eyes changed and she leaned into him, resting her cheek against his chest. As she settled against him, Lucien looked around the rest of the room for the first time. Nuan was sitting by the fire, her eyes flicking between him and the couple who stood by the window. Lucien relaxed a little more when he saw Thesan was on his feet. The High Lord looked to be well enough as he stood, smiling gently at the faerie Lucien now recognised to be Aelius. The Peregryn had an arm possessively around Thesan's shoulders as they stared at one another, foreheads just about touching. Lucien could see them murmuring softly to one another, but he could not make out anything that was being said. They looked completely caught up in one another and completely unaware of anyone or anything around them.

Looking back down to Elain, he could feel her relief. "Petal…" he murmured, "Do you think it's time we went back to our own room?"

"Yes." She lifted her head from his chest, her eyes meeting his with understanding. Lucien released her and she got to her feet, pulling him up with her when he struggled. Casting a glance again at Nuan, Lucien gave his friend an acknowledging nod before he turned and walked back up the hallway with Elain.

He really was looking forward to getting into a nice, hot, bath and scrubbing every inch of himself. He could feel the blood and dirt settling into his skin and he wanted it gone. Elain's arm around his waist was comforting and, by the time they reached their room, he was loathe to lose that contact. It seemed as if she felt the same way as, when she released him, she gave him a regretful look before striding across the room to the bed. "You do what you need to…" she told him, "I'll be right here when you need me…" Lucien thought about asking her to come into the bathroom with him, but figured he would be faster if she didn't. He really was exhausted and the faster he got into bed the better.

Nodding, he turned and headed for the bathroom, stripping his jacket off as he went.