Chapter 149

Elain awoke to screaming. Opening her eyes, she realised that she was laying on the ground, her hair in her face and, as she pushed herself up as much as she could, she bit back a cry of pain. Her whole left leg hurt and, brushing her hair back so that she could see, she looked around to see a large chunk of some kind of rock pinning her leg.

"Elain?" Eris' voice came from behind her, and she twisted around try and see him. The High Lord of the Autumn Court was crouched nearby. When her eyes met his, he moved toward her slowly, as if trying to move as carefully as he was able. "Are you alright?" he asked, and she could see blood running down the side of his face, out of his red hair, and to his chin.

"I… my leg…" she gave a small sob as she tried to move again, and felt a jolt of pain when she did so. Eris' amber eyes looked at her leg, and he frowned before he moved again. Elain watched as he gripped the rock pinning her leg before he glanced to her face once more.

"I'm going to try and move this as little as possible." He said, his voice surprisingly calm, "As soon as you can get out from under it, do so carefully."

Nodding, Elain held her breath as Eris lifted. At first she thought that nothing was going to happen, but then she felt the weight lift from her and she scooted away from the rock, gritting her teeth as her leg protested. "Oww…" She gave a small gasp, closing her eyes as her vision swam, "Oww."

Eris was suddenly beside her again, hands hovering over her leg as if reluctant to touch her. "You're not bleeding… it's not too bad… I…" he shook his head, his eyes moving past her. She watched his expression change, growing more concerned.

"You're bleeding…" she told him, watching as his blood continued to drip down the side of his face. He nodded and lifted a hand, bringing his fingers away red.

"I know. We have bigger problems."

Elain blinked, looking at him, and then twisted back around to look at what he had been. She and Eris were alone, and they were on a small section outcropping of the cliffs overlooking the ocean. Pieces of the balcony were strewn around them, and Elain gasped in horror. Eris' hands were suddenly beneath her arms, half lifting her and she let him bring her to her feet, hobbling slightly when she discovered that her leg wasn't ready to take her weight. He helped her backwards, away from the edge, until they were back against the side of the cliff. "Cauldron help us." She muttered, lifting her gaze to look up. "We fell…"

"Us and most of the rest of the table…" Eris replied, "It's all unstable… stay away from the edge, and try not to move around."

She looked around at him. "Where's everyone else?" she asked, her eyes trying to take in everything she could. She couldn't see anyone but Eris.

"I don't know…" He replied, "And, I can't winnow…" he frowned, and Elain realised that he didn't mean that winnowing wasn't an ability that he possessed, but rather that it was, and that he couldn't do it right now. Evidently reading the questioning look that must have been in her eyes, he made a displeased expression as he added, "Faebane."

Elain's stomach twisted and she gasped, her eyes going up again. Most of the balcony was gone as far as she could see, and she could still hear screaming from above. "Have… you seen…" her gaze went to the edge of the ledge they were on. Others must have fallen like she and Eris had and, if they hadn't landed on something like she and Eris had, then they would have hit the water far below and would surely be dead.

"Some…" he said gently, his hand on her arm as she went to take a step toward the edge to look. "Don't… it might give way."

Elain looked up to meet his eyes before glancing back to the edge. She wanted to know where her sisters were. Feyre had been right beside her at the table, she couldn't be far. What had happened to Nesta who was trying to collect chocolate sauce for her? What about Lucien who had been smiling at her from across the table. With a sickening jolt, Elain realised that she could not hear Lucien's heartbeat. Gasping, she stumbled away from Eris, her hands coming up to her mouth, struggling to stay upright when her leg screamed in pain.

"Elain?"

"I can't hear him!" she cried, staring at Eris who had reached out to her. "I can always hear him!"

"What do you mean?"

"I can't hear Lucien's heart!" she moved closer to the edge of the outcropping of rock, wanting to see up on to the balcony, and hoping that a different angle might show her more, but they were too far below to see anything.

"Elain please… come back here…"

"No!" She was crying now, tears streaming down her face as panic rose in her, heating her from the inside, and she found herself unable to draw a complete breath. "I've been able to hear his heart since the moment I came out of the cauldron!" she sobbed, "Even when he was in the mortal lands and so far away from me… I could always hear it… and I can't now!"

Eris' hand locked around her wrist and he drew her slowly away from the ledge. "That's…"

"Is he dead?" Elain sobbed, turning to him, "Is that why I can't hear it? Did he fall?"

Eris was shaking his head, "I don't know, Lady."

"Please…" Elain gripped a handful of Eris' fine jacket, much like the ones that Lucien often wore, "Please…" she didn't know what she was asking him for but, as panic consumed her, she found herself unable to form coherent thoughts let alone sentences. As Eris gently lowered her to the floor against the wall again, she cried, listening desperately for the familiar beat of Lucien's heart in her head, but found only deafening silence.

Burying her face in her hands, Elain felt as if she might drown in that silence, still unable to draw a complete breath. She slid her fingers up into her hair, straining and trying to reach for the bond, but there was nothing there and she felt a scream rising in her throat. She couldn't tell if it was the panic or the tears or the ache of the loss of the bond that was the main reason for her being unable to breathe, but she was unable to hold the scream in any longer and she released it as a wail, the pain of it ringing in her own ears.

"Elain…" she barely heard Eris and, not caring about what he wanted, she kept her face hidden in her hands. She couldn't stop crying, and she couldn't stop the panic at the thought that Lucien might be dead. "Elain…" Eris repeated, "It's probably the Faebane."

"…what?" Lifting her head slightly, she rubbed the tears from her eyes, trying to look at him.

"If I've had Faebane, you probably have too. It would block all your magic." He said, his voice soft, "Even the bond."

Seizing that explanation and gripping to it with everything she had, Elain swallowed thickly. "Yes…" she choked, nodding. Her eyes went back up to where they could see what was left of the balcony. She could see some movement up there now, but the screaming continued. "How…" she forced out, glancing back to Eris, "How will we get up there?" If he couldn't winnow, then she didn't see how they could get off the ledge. There was no way they could climb. Eris shook his head, indicating that he didn't know, and Elain let out another sob.

If Lucien were alive and unharmed he would have come for her by now. There was no way he would have left her down here. Beside her, she felt Eris slump back against the cliff face and she glanced toward him. He looked paler than usual, but the blood had ceased running down his face. Instead, it had left a thick, sticky, red trail to his chin, and she figured he would need healing.

They both looked up when there was a flurry of wings and then Aelius stood before them. The ledge shuddered under his additional weight and Elain's breath caught in her throat.

"High Lord." Aelius moved toward them, his eyes on Eris, "If you would come with me."

"Take her."

Aelius blinked, and his eyes shifted to Elain. "I… was instructed to bring you back first…" his eyes went back to Eris.

"I won't go first." Eris replied, "I'll stay right here. You'll find me here when you return."

Elain watched Aelius consider it, then sigh. "Okay."

When the Peregryn bent and lifted Elain into his arms, she looked at him. "My sisters, and Lucien?" she asked, "Are they alright?"

"The High Lady of the Night Court is fine." He replied, launching them into the air. Elain hardly noticed, despite the rush of air around them, "I haven't seen the other. Or Lucien."

Closing her eyes, Elain tried to manage that piece of information. She allowed the relief she felt at knowing that Feyre was alright to wash over her, but tried to keep the panic she felt for Nesta and Lucien at bay.

"Elain!" Feyre's voice went up the instant Elain's feet touched the ground as Aelius set her down and, a moment later, her sister's arms wrapped around her tightly. "Are you alright?"

"I… yes… my leg…" she clung to Feyre, trying to stay upright. "Where are Nesta and Lucien?" She met her sister's blue-grey eyes. "I can't hear him, Feyre…" Tears welled in Elain's eyes, "I can't hear his heart…"