Chapter 204

When Nesta returned to Cassian with her plate of food, Elain went back to where she had left Lucien. He was standing where he had been, and she was pleased to see that no random female, feeling the Mabon drums, had approached him in trying to persuade him to participate in the rite with her. He smiled when she strode toward him, and Elain went up on her toes to fling her arms around his neck. Pressed firmly against him then, Elain could feel Lucien's heartbeat while able to hear it in her mind. It was quick, and still in time to the drums.

"What did you find out?" he asked, and Elain lay her head against his shoulder, allowing Lucien to move them to the beat of those drums.

"They haven't had sex yet." She told him, pressing her lips to his throat. "But Nesta wants to choose him tonight…"

Lucien was silent for a moment, and Elain knew that he was thinking that piece of information through. "That makes sense." He eventually said, one of his hands moving down Elain's back, "She's had so many choices taken from her, it makes perfect sense that she would want control over this…"

"Yes, I think that's part of it." Elain replied, wrapping her arms around Lucien's waist now so that she could lean more comfortably into him. "I think she would have always wanted to have control over this, though."

"Yeah, I can see that being true."

"She did tell me that she saw your mother by that fire over there…" Elain made a vague gesture at the nearby fire, and felt Lucien turn a little to try and look that way. "Do you want to see if you can find her?"

"Maybe…" there was a smile in Lucien's voice and Elain lifted her head to try and see his face. He pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose then, smiling more widely at her. "Do you mind?" he asked, "It shouldn't take long…"

"I don't mind…" she replied, allowing a smile of her own as she met his eyes. She could see the fire alight within, and knew that he was still very much feeling the pull of those drums, just as she was. "As long as you're ready when I need to drag you out of here."

"Oh, Petal." He grinned, giving her a wink, "I will forever be ready for you."

"We'll see." Elain stepped back from him, just enough to allow him to move, but she kept hold of one of his hands. "Let's find your mother."

"Alright…" Lucien allowed Elain to pull him through the crowd in the direction of the fire. As she walked, she looked back over her shoulder at him, seeing his eyes still on her, and she smiled again.

"Nesta said she wanted to take Cassian back up to her room inside the house…"

"Fair enough." Lucien replied, raising his eyebrows at her when Elain smiled more widely at him. "You don't think so?"

"Well, she said she didn't fancy a hurried encounter up against a tree…"

Lucien's eyes moved back and forth across Elain's face, and she could hear his metallic eye clicking and whirring. She saw the moment he cottoned on to what she was hinting at and his mouth opened silently. Nodding, his lips twitched in a small grin. "Ah."

"So just keep that in mind for later." Elain turned back around to watch where she was going.

"Part of it at least." She heard Lucien say, "I do not intend to be hurried…"

"Uhh…" Elain bit her lip when liquid heat pooled between her thighs, her blood still pumping through her body matching its rhythm to those drums. "Of course you don't." she murmured, but she knew that Lucien had heard her because she felt his reaction to her words down the bond.

They reached the fire a moment later, and Elain paused to let her eyes sweep the crowd. Lucien came to stand beside her, hand still in hers, as he did the same. They needn't have bothered though, as at that moment Eris appeared, and a hush fell over those gathered around the fires and the feast tables.

Slowly, the drums slowed and softened although, Elain noted, they didn't stop entirely. Her heart, and Lucien's as she could hear in her head, continued to keep time with the beat. Eris raised his hands and the only sounds aside from those drums that anyone could hear were the soft tinkling bells as leaves continued to fall around them and the strangely quiet sounds of the woods. Everything seemed strangely muted, as soft footfalls on sodden leafy earth. Watching the High Lord of the Autumn Court, Elain could feel the anticipation building in the air. Something was about to happen and she had no idea what it was.

When Eris began to speak, Lucien shifted closer to Elain, slipping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her gently to himself. She knew, without having to probe too deeply, that he was attempting to claim her, and she wondered why considering it was meant to be the females who chose their partners for the evening. Glancing around them then, however, she saw that many of the males present in the crowd had crept closer to whichever female they were evidently hoping to catch the eye of, and she knew that Lucien hadn't wanted anyone even looking her way. It wouldn't have mattered to her though, because she would never have any intention of choosing anyone other than her mate. Nearly everyone here would know they were mated, too, so she doubted anyone would be dumb enough to try and come between them. As Eris continued to speak, Elain glanced around again for Nesta. She wasn't publicly mated, and Elain wondered if anyone would have risked getting closer to her despite Cassian who would have, no doubt, been standing right beside her.

Unable to see her sister or the Illyrian, Elain returned her attention to Eris who seemed to be wrapping up his introduction to the evening. She watched as the High Lord made an elegant gesture, and then Ashk stepped up beside him. If Elain thought that Lucien's eyes had been alight before, she never would have been able to imagine what she saw in Ashk's russet eyes. The Lady of the Autumn Court seemed to be practically glowing with fire and heat, and Elain knew instantly that this was the power of Mabon. All of that magic had seemed to have flowed into Ashk and it burned within her now. As Eris went on about the Lady choosing a mate for the evening, Ashk moved forward, beginning a slow stroll through the crowd, and Elain watched with fascination as every female that the redheaded faerie passed seemed to take some of that glow into herself. When Ashk drew closer to them, Elain could feel that heat, and as the Lady passed her, that heat flooded Elain and she felt an aching throb flare to life within her. Lucien's hands tightened on her, and she had to resist turning in his arms and jumping him then and there.

Managing to control herself, Elain forced her eyes to follow Ashk, watching as the Lady came to a stop before a tall male who seemed to shine with a light of his own. Helion.

Lucien's grip on Elain tightened again, and they both watched as Ashk took Helion's hand before turning and walking off into the forest with him. Almost instantly, all sound returned. The drums were beating as loudly and enthusiastically as before, and Elain's heart raced to keep pace with them. Turning, she looked up at Lucien, pleased when she saw her own desires reflected back at her in his eyes.