Chapter 161

The talking had gone around and around in circles, and Elain was growing weary. She sat at the large round table in one of Helion's large golden rooms. The High Lords from each of the Courts were present and, at that moment, all of them seemed to be speaking at once. Elain resisted rolling her eyes and looked around at Nesta who sat beside her. Her eldest sister looked about as annoyed at Elain felt, and she supposed that both she and Nesta felt they had better places to be.

"What she has claimed doesn't matter." Tarquin interjected louder than anyone else at that moment. "She was a part of it. She must pay for it."

"Does intention not matter?" Thesan asked.

"Her intention was to do exactly what she did." Tarquin replied.

"That is not what she claims." Thesan's voice was steady, and Elain found him easy to listen to. "The girl has said that she was unaware of the severity of what was to happen. I think that counts for something."

"Not if she was lying." Eris put in. Elain watched the High Lord of the Autumn Court turn his amber eyes on Lucien. "You think she was lying…"

"I…" Lucien's voice was hesitant, and she knew that he was considering the weight his words now would hold. "I do think she was lying about that." He said gently, "I think she was the architect behind the whole thing, and by casting doubt on her intentions she hopes to soften the judgment cast against her."

"Of course she does." Eris said, looking back to the others around the table. "You've all seen how this female acts… Everything she has done since we got here has been to try and gain power for herself. This is no different."

"What is to be done with her, then?" Tamlin asked, leaning on the table with one of his elbows as he raised a blonde eyebrow at Eris.

"This is Helion's Court…"

"This is why I have asked you all here." Helion spoke up. "The attack was on all of us. The decision must be made by all of us as well."

Elain just watched the room as murmurs swept around the table. She watched as Rhys and Feyre exchanged a look she couldn't decipher, and then she turned her head to look at Lucien, seating to her right. "What decision does he want us to make?" she murmured, meeting his eyes when he turned them her way.

Lucien leaned toward her, and Elain tilted her head as he brought his lips to her ear. "The punishment is likely to be execution." She turned her head again to look up at him, taking in the steely look behind his russet eye.

"You agree with it?" she asked, and he gave a single nod.

"She tried to kill us… you…" one of his hands wrapped around her wrist, holding carefully. "She deliberately targeted you… If she was willing to kill to gain position in the Court, there's no doubt that she would do it again. She cannot be trusted… she is dangerous to everyone."

"And everyone has to agree?" Elain breathed, her eyes going back to Lucien's face. He nodded as his eyes, both russet and gold, flicked back and forth across her face.

"Helion did say he wanted a unanimous decision. That the decision must be made together."

"I see."

Lucien looked as if he were going to say something further to her when Kallias spoke up. "Shall we put it to a vote, then?"

"You've made up your mind then?" Rhys asked mildly.

"The Priestess attacked us." Kallias replied, "All of the High Lords of Prythian. In any Court, an attack on any of us is a sentence of death. It doesn't seem there is much of a decision to make."

"Very well." Helion said, "We must all agree." He got to his feet, and Elain watched him. "Raise your hand if you agree that the Priestess Sorcha is to be put to death for her actions and involvement in the attack on the balcony."

Around the table, hands were raised in unison. Tarquin, Thesan, Kallias and Viviane, Tamlin, Rhys and Feyre, Eris, Lucien. Helion raised his own hand as his amber eyes shifted to Nesta, and Elain watched as her sister slowly raised her hand.

Elain did not move.

"Petal…" Lucien's voice was soft.

"No."

"Elain…" Helion said, his own voice gentle. "We need your vote…"

"No." She replied, stronger this time.

"What do you mean 'No'?" Tarquin asked.

"I think it's pretty clear." Elain said, her pulse quickening in her veins. They were all looking at her now, all expecting her to raise her hand and cast her vote. That vote would mean that Sorcha would be put to death, and she wanted no part of it.

"You need to vote." Eris said, "That's how this works…"

"I am aware."

"I don't think you understand…" Tarquin put in, "It needs to be unanimous."

"I do understand." Elain said, surprised by the sharpness in her voice now. "You're saying that you need my vote. I'm saying that you can't have it."

It wasn't that she liked the Priestess at all. Elain could hardly stand the thought of the blonde female. Especially after what the bitch had tried to do to Lucien in that hallway, and then for what she had said afterward about his scar. Elain had no love for Sorcha at all, but she did not want to participate in this. It was clear what the others all wanted, and if that was their decision then they could just go and do it themselves, but she was not going to let them force her to vote when it clearly didn't matter anyway. She would not be pushed into agreeing with something that she did not want any part of.

Another murmur went around the table, and several pairs of confused eyes focused on her again. "What is it that you are thinking, Elain?" this was Helion, and Elain was relieved to see actual interest in his eyes and not annoyance or anger as he looked at her.

"You've all made your minds up." She said, "If that is what you intend to do to Sorcha, then I see no point in even participating in this. I have no wish to cast a vote that will send anyone to their death. You can do what you like, but I'll have no part in it." Elain saw Viviane smile at her, and Lucien's hand squeezed her wrist gently, his thumb tracing over her skin in soothing circles. She could feel the small spark of pride coming off of him and she turned her eyes his way to meet his gaze for a moment.

"Very well." Helion said, "We will not be getting a unanimous vote…"

"So, what will we do?" Thesan asked.

"We go through with it." Tarquin put in, and Elain met his eyes as he looked at her. "Elain refuses to vote, but every vote received was for execution…"

"Why bother voting then, if we just ignore anyone who does not agree?" Tamlin asked, his green eyes moving around the table.

"We cannot ignore what should be done, because one female does not agree." Tarquin stared at Tamlin and then looked to Helion. Elain felt Lucien's temper flare and she set her hand gently on his knee beneath the table. Helion looked around the table at all of them, and Elain could see him trying to work out what to say or do. "I did say we would require unanimous agreement…"

"One dissenting vote is close enough." Tarquin said. "Elain has registered her distaste for what must be done, however, it remains something we must do. Any who assisted Sorcha in her plot who may remain in the Court need to see what happens to those who attempt to do something like that to any High Lord, let alone all of them at once. This is not something we have a choice in."

"What about ostracism?" Eris put in.

"The Autumn Court's new favourite?" Tarquin asked.

"I… seem to recall a problem with that plan." Thesan put in softly. "Your ostracised brother attempted to murder Lucien and I because he was able to join up with others without a Court. I imagine the Priestess would be just as convincing."

Eris made a face and fell silent, and Elain's eyes went back to Helion.

"Elain…" The High Lord of the Day Court began, "I urge you to reconsider…" his voice was gentle, and Elain held his eyes. "We will vote again…"

"It does not matter." She said, "I'll make it easy for you." Getting to her feet, Elain let go of Lucien and moved away from the table. "I understand that you feel you need to do whatever you must… but I will not vote for it."

With that, she turned and strode from the room.