Chapter 162

It was Ashk who was the first to find Elain sitting in one of Helion's studies. The Lady of the Autumn Court sank down in a chair beside Elain, who lifted her eyes to look at the red headed faerie. "How do you know?"

"I have my ways." Ashk replied gently.

Elain looked at the other female who said nothing further. "You think I should have voted with them?"

"Not if you don't think you should have."

"I'll wager they all do."

"They're males." Ashk shrugged, "It will not be the last time you have differing opinions. When you are the Lady of the Day Court and Lucien is High Lord, you will have more power and the ability to make them hear you." She smiled kindly at Elain, "You will get better at making yourself understood."

"How did you do it?" Elain looked at Ashk, remembering Beron's harshness. She had no idea how this gentle lady had dealt with such a male.

"Time and experience." Ashk told her. "You will have these also." Lifting a soft hand to her shoulder, Ashk smiled again. "And Lucien already listens to you. That would have been half your battle."

"He does." Elain agreed, smiling in response.

"Of course I do." Lucien's voice came from the doorway and both Elain and Ashk turned to watch as he strode across the room toward them. When he reached the couch, he bent and pressed an affectionate kiss to his mother's cheek before turning his own eyes on Elain. "Are you alright, Petal?"

"Yes."

His eyes flicked back and forth across her face, and she watched as he knelt in front of her. He was still looking at her with an assessing look and she tilted her head as she looked back at him. "They're going to execute Sorcha." He said softly, watching her reaction. Elain just nodded.

"I figured they would."

"… how do you feel about that?" he asked, and Elain let out a sigh.

"I don't know." She replied, "You are right in that she is dangerous. Even if she was exiled like Eris suggested, then she could have done what your brothers did and convinced some of the Courtless to join with her. She could hardly remain here, because she would just keep trying to attain what she wanted…"

"So you agree with the decision?" Lucien raised an eyebrow and Elain tilted her head again, her eyes on his face.

"I never said that I didn't. I didn't say I wanted her excused or pardoned…" She replied. "I just did not want to be made to vote for it. It was what was going to happen anyway… I will not be someone who lifts their hand to vote because everyone else did. I will not be someone who has cast a vote to end someone else's life."

"I see…" Lucien went higher on his knees, lifting one of his large hands to her cheek and cupping it gently. "I see, my love."

"Do you?"

"I was so proud of you." He smiled, "Biting back at Tarquin like that. Standing your ground."

"Until I walked out." She murmured, her eyes on his face and he nodded.

"You'll get better at it." He told her, his thumb tracing her jaw. "You'll learn ways to make them listen when you disagree with them."

"Your mother told me the same thing." She said, her eyes going to Ashk who smiled.

"Who do you think taught me?" Lucien grinned. Elain lifted one of her own hands to his face, her fingers moving gently over his scar before sliding back into his hair. She held his gaze, still able to feel pride from him down the bond. It was true, he had liked her voicing her opinion to the other High Lords, and that she hadn't backed down and given her vote just because they had wanted her to. "Your defiance," he murmured, low enough that Elain wasn't sure if Ashk would be able to hear, "was so very sexy…"

Elain blushed, her fingers still combing through his hair. "I'll keep that in mind for later." She replied, hoping that only he could hear her. He grinned and, if she had heard, Ashk pretended that she hadn't heard a thing.

The execution was to be at sundown, and Elain was not going. She saw no reason for her presence. Lucien had been required as he was Helion's son and the heir to the Day Court, and he was expected to show his agreement with the sentencing, and his support as it was carried out. All of the other High Lords were to attend as well. Elain, however, went back to the suite that Helion had prepared for herself and Lucien.

She had been slowly moving their belongings into the suite all afternoon. She hadn't told Lucien as she still wished for her acceptance of the bond to be a surprise and she didn't want him to know that she was developing a plan for how it was to happen. She had begun with the smallest of their things, hoping that she was choosing things that would not be missed. Knowing that when the time came, the rest of their belongings would be moved to the suite for them, she made sure that there was no thing laying around that might be overlooked.

When she got to the suite, Elain set about a little bit of redecoration. She liked all of it, that was true, but she rather thought that some things could be in different places. The couches around the sitting area in the entrance, for instance. Gripping the armrest, Elain pushed and dragged until she could shift the entire couch. When she had worked out how to best move them, she spent a good hour shifting the room around until she had it the way she wanted it. By then, the sun outside was low and the very air seemed to glow a faint orange. It was sunset, and Elain knew what must be happening at that very moment.

A twinge of something reached Elain down the bond from Lucien and she sank onto one of the couches trying to identify the emotion. Distaste? Regret? Knowing that he would return to their room when he was free to do so, Elain got to her feet and turned to look at the rest of the suite one last time. Everything looked as it should, and she gave a satisfied smile before heading out the door. It didn't take her long to get back to their room, and Elain found it empty of her mate. She could still feel him down the bond and so she sank down onto the bed to wait for him.

Only about ten minutes later, the door opened and Lucien came in. His face reflected exactly what she could feel of him down the bond and she met his eyes as he approached her. Patting the bed beside herself, Elain shuffled to make space for him and Lucien sat down next to her.

"Love…" she murmured, rubbing a hand over his back softly. "Is it done?"

"Yes." He replied, his voice soft.

"Was it horrible?"

"Yes…"

Elain leaned against Lucien's arm, resting her head against his shoulder. "I'm sorry." She breathed and he nodded, leaning back against her.

"At least we're safe now." He murmured, "All of us."

"Did Helion speak?" she asked, "Before the sentence was carried out?"

"He did." Lucien said, "He explained the choice, and made it clear to anyone else thinking of doing something similar that they would face the same fate." She could still feel him down the bond, and she smiled up at him, pressing her lips to his shoulder.

"I love you." She murmured and, when he turned to look down at her, he smiled softly back at her.

"Not as much as I love you, Petal."