Chapter 117

Standing by the wall, Lucien let himself take in the throne room. He hadn't truly paid all that much attention when he'd been here before, at least, not in the way he was now. Every other time he had been to the Day Court he had had a job to do. He did now as well, but he also had other motives this time. After his talk with Helion, Lucien had sent a letter to Rhysand, informing the High Lord of the Night Court about the initial phases of re-establishing the trade routes that Helion and Kallias had begun. He knew that Rhys would want to get involved, and he expected a return letter by the next morning.

Many of Helion's courtiers were present and milling around the room, speaking with one another and sending furtive glances his way every so often. Lucien had not expected Helion to announce to everyone present that he was the High Lord's son, yet that was what had happened as soon as they had returned to the throne room. There had been no ceremony about it, just Helion standing up on the dais and saying loudly to everyone present that Lucien was his son, and was to be treated as such. Lucien hadn't really ever thought of himself as one who got embarrassed easily, but he was sure that he blushed at that and, when all eyes in the room turned his way, he wished that he could flee from their gazes. Nobody had said or done anything, however, and they had all returned to their business, leaving him to stand and watch as he wished. He knew that they were all talking about him now, however. He also knew that the entire Court would know he was Helion's son by sundown.

Pretending that he didn't notice the looks that they kept sending his way, Lucien tried to look as unaffected as he could. He let his eyes move around the room again, taking in any familiar faces that he recognised and the opulence of Helion's chosen décor. His mother, he noticed, was standing with the High Lord by the dais, and Lucien could not help but watch as the two of them spoke quietly with one another. He had never seen his mother look at Beron the way she was currently looking at Helion. Her eyes were creased at the corners as she smiled, and Lucien didn't think that anyone could look at her and not know exactly how she felt. It was no wonder that Beron had never let her anywhere near Helion in the entire time that Lucien had been alive, he doubted that the High Lord of the Autumn Court could have kept the rumours about his unfaithful wife quiet if she had have been looking at Helion like that where anyone could have seen her. When Helion lifted a hand and, ever so gently, brushed a lock of Ashk's red hair back from her face, Lucien knew that the affection between them was real and still very much alive. Something within him flared again at the thought, knowing that he had come from that.

An increase in murmuring throughout the throne room caught Lucien's attention and he blinked as his eyes scanned the room, looking for the source. He felt Elain, and knew that she was back. His eyes kept scanning the room looking for her, and he found her as she approached his mother and Helion. Moving toward them, Lucien's gaze caught on his mate, dressed now in Day Court attire. The dress was far more revealing than anything he had previously seen her wear, with a low sweeping neckline, and a hemline that fell to just above her knees. As he watched, Elain's hands smoothed over the white linen dress and she bit her lip. He could feel her nervousness, and knew that she must have been uncomfortable with how little the dress covered. Lucien narrowed his eyes when Helion's hand came to rest on Elain's shoulder and he bent to say something to her. Quickening his step, Lucien hurried toward his mate, knowing that if the other male's hand was still on her when he got there, he would be unable to control his reaction.

Elain turned his way as he approached, and Lucien saw her face break into a wide smile. He reached her a moment later and bent, lifting her off of the ground as he wrapped his arms around her, sweeping her into a hug. Elain's arms slid around Lucien's neck as she squeezed him, and Lucien found himself unable to put her down. Nobody else was going to touch her. Not in that outfit, and not today.

"Lucien…" he heard her voice in his ear, and could tell that she was smiling. "You can put me down…"

"No…" Lucien tried to force himself to calm down. He shook his head, and Elain's lips gently brushed his cheek.

"I'm not going anywhere." Her hands moved over his shoulders, and Lucien drew a deep breath, breathing in her scent. Carefully, he set Elain back on her feet, one of his hands taking hers immediately. He still wasn't prepared to let her go. She smiled up at him and Lucien lifted his other hand to her cheek, stroking her skin with his thumb. "Do you like the dress?" she asked, and his eyes moved down over her again. He could see the pretty pink blush staining her cheeks now that he was this close, and he followed it down her throat to her chest with his eyes. "It's… a … bit…" she broke off and Lucien smiled.

"I like it."

One of Elain's hands took hold of the front of Lucien's shirt. "I'm sure you do…" she murmured, and he watched as her brown eyes flickered past him to the rest of the room. She bit her lip again and he tried to bite back a snarl when Helion approached them.

"You look stunning." The High Lord said.

Lucien turned his head toward Helion, struggling to keep himself leashed. He tried reminding himself that the other male was his father, and that he had just seen the way he had been with his mother who still stood nearby, but his heart was thundering in his chest, and he couldn't make it stop. He put himself between Helion and Elain while the voice inside at him continued to scream at him to get her out of this room. Mate. Mate. Mate. Mine.

Swallowing, Lucien struggled to resist his urge to launch himself at Helion when those amber eyes shifted to Elain, moving over her appreciatively. "Stop testing me…" he managed to ground out between clenched teeth.

Amber eyes snapped to his face, and Helion tilted his head. The High Lord frowned, and glanced quickly between Lucien and Elain again. "Oh…" Helion sounded surprised for a moment, and turned to look at Lucien's mother for a second before returning his gaze to them. "Elain … hasn't accepted… the bond?"

"Not yet…" Elain's voice was soft and gentle as it came from behind Lucien. Helion took a step back then, his eyes meeting Lucien's burning gaze.

"I see…" Helion took another step back, away from them.

"I think Elain and I might… retreat … for a little while…" Lucien forced the words out and Helion nodded his agreement and understanding.

"Take your time."

"Elain…" Lucien turned, still holding Elain's hand in his. He couldn't keep the snarl in when his gaze swept the room, meeting the eyes of anyone who dared look at them as he strode for the door to the hallway, taking Elain with him. If anyone had so much stepped there way, he wasn't sure that he wouldn't have ripped them apart. His blood was hot and pounding its way through his body, and he was only clinging to his self-restraint by the very tips of his fingernails.