Chapter 132

Lucien felt as if his heart was going to smash its way out of his chest. He wasn't sure if he was imagining it, or if his ribs actually hurt. He was also struggling to draw a complete breath as Helion smiled around the room at the fae assembled there and listening to him.

"Firstly," the High Lord of the Day Court began, "I want to thank you all for coming, especially those of you who have come from quite a distance." There was a moment of brief, polite, applause from the courtiers before Helion went on. "There is actually more than one reason I wanted this gathering to happen as soon as possible." Helion's amber eyes found Lucien and pinned him to the spot, and Lucien was more than a little certain that he had stopped breathing. "You all know why you are here, and what we will do tomorrow, but tonight…" Helion's grin widened, and his gaze swept the room again. Lucien knew that the High Lord was enjoying the drama, he always had enjoyed this kind of attention. "I would like to make it known to all of you present here now … that I have a son."

Lucien had expected the whispering that erupted throughout the hall at those words. The sound was hushed quickly, however, as everyone was keen to hear the next thing that Helion would say. The High Lord didn't say anything however, he simply strode across the room to Lucien, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, and pulling Lucien to his side. The whispering erupted again and Lucien's eyes caught on the absolute shock on Tamlin's face.

Helion's tone had changed when he spoke then. Gone was the flair and the extravagance and, in its place, was the seriousness of the formal words which he said loudly and clearly. "As the High Lord of the Day Court, I hereby acknowledge Lucien Vanserra as my blooded son and gift to him all positions, rights, privileges, and responsibilities that this status entails." Helion's eyes turned on Lucien then "You don't use the Vanserra name, do you?"

"No…" Lucien couldn't make his voice any louder than a whisper and Helion's eyes were bright at he met his gaze.

"He shall henceforth be known as Lucien Spell-Cleaver."

Lucien stared at him and Helion gave him a small smile. "You've apparently proven you have that ability." His father said, low enough that only Lucien would have heard him. More loudly, he spoke so that the entire hall could hear him once again. "Do you accept this acknowledgement as my son?"

"I accept." Lucien forced his own voice to be steady then, and he was rather pleased with how calm he sounded, even though his heart was still trying to break its way out through his ribs. He blinked as more applause broke out around the hall, and he tried to find Elain among the movement as several fae watching began milling around as if trying to get a better look at him. The couch she had been sitting on was not visible, and he resisted a sigh, turning his attention then to those fae who had approached Helion and himself.

Lucien spent the next little while being congratulated by seemingly half the faeries in the hall. All of the High Lords came to speak to him as well as an endless parade of Helion's Courtiers who were much more interested in him than they had ever been. He figured that they would likely have decided they had more reason to get to know him now that Helion had claimed him as his son because there was probably more chance that they would be seeing him frequently and, even possibly, serving in his Court someday.

When Tamlin gave him a light clap on the shoulder and stepped aside, looking as thoroughly shocked as Lucien had seen him about anything ever, Lucien turned his eyes on the blonde priestess who approached. "Well, wasn't this just a thoroughly exciting evening?" She asked, stepping forward and reaching up to wrap her arms around him.

"Uh… Thank you, Sorcha." Lucien bent so that she could reach him. He had noticed that just about everyone in the Day Court appeared to be a hugger. Lucien didn't think that he had been hugged this often in his entire life. It was probably something he was going to have to get used to.

"I suppose I will see you around." Sorcha smiled widely at him, her perfect teeth gleaming just as brightly as Helion's own did. "I'll keep an eye out."

"I'm sure." Lucien stepped back when she released him. She looked up at him, her hand trailing down his arm from his shoulder, and he just watched as her big eyes turned to Helion standing beside him.

"High Lord." She purred, giving a light curtsey before striding away. Lucien watched her for a moment before looking at his father.

"She… is friendly."

"Ah, yes." Helion nodded, his amber eyes flicking around the room and narrowing slightly. Lucien glanced around, wondering what was happening, but before he had figured it out, Helion had touched him gently on the shoulder. "Excuse me."

Lucien had tried to watch for a moment, his eyes following Helion across the room before someone else stepped in front of him to congratulate him and he lost sight of the High Lord.

"How dare you!" Eris' voice reached Lucien across the hall and Lucien frowned as he turned to watch. His brother was standing beside their mother, and the High Lord of the Autumn Court was glaring at one of Helion's courtiers. As Lucien watched, Helion hurried across to them, coming to stand beside the Lady of the Autumn Court. Helion slid an arm around her shoulders, looking at the dark-haired courtier before them. The courtier bowed slightly before hurrying away, and Lucien tilted his head, wondering what had just happened.

"Lucien."

"Tam?" He glanced around at the blond who was standing beside him again, before looking back to his mother.

"He should make a command." Tamlin said gently. "Stop them…"

"Stop what?" Lucien frowned.

"What they're saying about your mother."

Lucien turned completely around to look at Tamlin. "What?"

Tamlin's green eyes shifted around the room before meeting his own eyes. "You have been distracted…" his friend said. "There has been comment about her… disloyalty."

Lucien turned quickly back around to look at his mother across the hall. Of course Helion acknowledging him as his son would bring to light the fact that his mother had had an affair with Helion and thus betrayed her marriage to Beron. He watched her with guilt swirling within him. His entire existence brought shame to her, and he was surprised that she could even stand to be around him let alone love him as she had his entire life. A jolt moved through Lucien when his mother's russet eyes met his across the hall, and she gave him a small smile. Returning her smile, Lucien felt a rush of affection for her, knowing that she did love him, and that she was happy that Helion had acknowledged him, even if it meant that gossip would circulate about her. He listened then as Helion made a loud announcement that anyone overheard engaging in salacious gossip would be answering to him, and he heard Tamlin give a satisfied hum of approval.

"I need to sit down." Lucien muttered, moving for a nearby couch. Tamlin followed him, sinking down beside him, and Lucien could feel his friend watching him closely.

"Did you know that he was going to do that?"

"Claim me in front of everyone?" Lucien asked, nodding slowly. "Yes." He ran a hand through his hair, his eyes moving around the hall again, looking for Elain. He hadn't seen her since before Helion had addressed everyone.

"It's a big deal." Tamlin said, and Lucien eyed him.

"Yes."

"Rhys is going to fire you."

"What? Why?"

"You're the heir to the Day Court. You have no business being the Emissary to the Night Court now."

"I guess that's up to Rhys." Lucien leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. He could feel so very many eyes still on him as people from all around the hall watched him.

"I know that you know this," Tamlin began softly, "But you're going to have to watch people who approach you now." Lucien leaned back against the couch, his eyes on his friend, "Nearly everyone is going to want something from you…"

Lucien did know this. "I have considered it. I did grow up as a High Lord's son…"

"I know." Tamlin's voice was soft, "You weren't considered the heir, though. This will be different." Lucien nodded, realising that Tamlin knew what he was talking about not having grown up as the heir to the Spring Court until his brothers were dead and he had been forced into the role. "It's worse."

"I will keep that in mind." He gave Tamlin a grateful smile before looking up when someone came to stand over him.

"Well, I don't think I've met the High Lord of the Spring Court." Sorcha's voice was melodic and sweet as she looked down at Lucien. "Would you introduce me?"

Whispers about Ashk. Betraying her husband. Eris gets protective and Lucien checks on her. Helion makes it clear that if anyone disrespects her, they will answer to him.