Chapter 211

Lucien slipped his hand into Elain's as they walked, his heart swelling when she tightened her grip, squeezing his hand for a moment. "You mentioned something about that tower…"

"Oh?" Looking down at her, he lifted an eyebrow. Elain fluttered her eyelashes at him as she lifted her free hand and pointed up. Lucien glanced up and nodded as his eyes fell on the tallest turret attached to the House. He had indeed told her that he would show her the view from up there and he looked back down at her with a smile. "I did, didn't I?"

"Mhm."

"Come on, then." He led her toward a nearby door, pulling it open and ushering her through with a slight bow. Elain giggled, and took his hand again. "You will very much enjoy the view, Petal."

"This is what you promised me." She winked at him. "Let's hope you don't disappoint…"

"Well, I would never want to do that."

"You never have." Elain tucked her arm through his and Lucien smiled down at her as he pulled her in closer. Just feeling Elain's gentle heat pressing against him as they walked up the hallway had him thinking about how he saw everything differently now. The gentle Autumn light filtering in through the window gave the whole corridor a pleasant glow and it seemed bright and inviting. This was in contrast to the way that he had often seen this same hallway when he'd been younger, and he had run up here every few days when trying to hide from his brothers. "What's up the tower?" She asked, and he stroked her arm.

"Well, it used to be a bit of a sitting room. Older furniture, and things not currently in use in the areas usually occupied by guests visiting the court."

"Oh?" Elain asked, and Lucien loved the smile that she gave him when she looked up at him, tucked into his side. He nodded and bent to press a kiss to her forehead as they walked leisurely up the hallway.

"Yes," he murmured, "I don't know if it's still the same. I never made it up here the last few visits."

"Do you think it still doesn't get used?"

"Probably." He replied, I can't really see Eris coming up here and staring out at the view."

"He might." Elain said softly, "If he needs somewhere to escape from being the High Lord."

Nodding, Lucien thought about that. He supposed that it would make sense that Eris would need somewhere to run and hide. He knew that his brother had always been particularly good at all of the responsibilities ad duties of the High Lord, even when Beron had been alive, but that didn't mean that he would be able to handle them constantly, especially when there was nobody to share that responsibility with. Eris would need to have somewhere he could just be himself, and Lucien had no idea where that would be. Over the years he had never really paid that much attention to where his brother had disappeared off to. "I suppose so."

Elain paused when they reached a door, and Lucien pulled it open to reveal a flight of narrow stairs. They wouldn't be able to walk up them side by side, so he gestured for her to go first and she gave him a wink which heated his blood before she moved ahead of him, looking back over her shoulder. Those gorgeous dark eyes seemed to beckon him to follow her, so Lucien hurriedly did so, pulling the door closed behind himself. "Don't know how I'm going to manage to enjoy the view with you looking at me like that…"

"Oh?" she asked, and he could hear the teasing note in her voice as she walked ahead of him up the stairs.

"I'll never be able to take my eyes off of you."

"I am certain you will manage."

Biting his lip as he watched her, Lucien allowed his eyes to move up and down over his mate. Reaching a hand out then, he slid it down her back, squeezing at her arse, and grinning widely when she gave a squeal and spun around to face him.

"Excuse you." She said, standing with her hands on her hips as she met Lucien's gaze straight on. Standing several steps above him on the staircase put Elain at around the same height as her mate, and she enjoyed being able to look him straight in the face while trying to keep her expression serious. "What do you think you are doing?"

"Couldn't help myself, Petal." He said, his grin not going anywhere. "You were looking at me with your 'fuck me' eyes… and then teasing me with that little walk…"

Raising an eyebrow at him, Elain had to work hard to keep a smile off of her own face. She'd give him that look deliberately, and then had definitely been exaggerating the sway of her hips as she had walked ahead of him. "Do you have no self-control?" She couldn't help a slight grin then. Nobody she had ever met had more self-control than Lucien.

"Ahh… are you mad at me, Petal?" She could tell from the tone of his voice, that he didn't actually think she was upset, but she decided to play along.

"Possibly…" her eyes moved over him, "… What are you going to do about it?"

"Well…" Lucien stepped up one step, closer to her, and Elain had to lift her eyes to meet his then. "… how flexible do you think we could be on these stairs…?"

"Uh…" Elain was actually surprised by that. She looked up and down the staircase for a moment, trying to picture it, but then shook her head. "Didn't you say there was actual furniture up the top?"

"Chairs, couches…"

"Doesn't that sound better?" She asked, grinning, "… and with a view."

"You may be correct…" Lucien took one of her hands and lifted it to his lips. Elain's heart beat enthusiastically as he kissed it, and she met his eyes again. "Lead the way, love." Turning, she continued up the stairs, still holding on to her mate's hand as he followed her.

The stairs creaked beneath them as they climbed and, before too long, Elain could see a faint glow that had to mean they were reaching the top. Her heart began to beat more enthusiastically in anticipation and she squeezed Lucien's hand an instant before she felt him hot at her back as he other hand snaked around her waist and she felt his lips at her throat. Laughing, she pushed aside the small hanging draped across the door at the top of the stairs. "Show me the view first…" she breathed, moving into one of the small rooms at the top.

"This is just the entrance." Lucien told her, indicating another door to the right. "The view is through here."

Elain moved for the door, pushing it open and walking in. She saw the large glass window, and the hint of trees and sky beyond, before movement by the far wall caught her attention, and she stopped dead in her tracks.

Ashk's dress was hiked up around her hips, her pale legs hooked around Helion's waist, and her red hair messed and wild about her face as she clung to the High Lord of the Day Court who had her pressed firmly into the wall as he moved rhythmically, his bare arse on full display as he thrust repeatedly into her. Elain felt her jaw drop as she resisted a gasp and then spun away turning straight into Lucien who had also frozen on his way through the door.

Elain lifted both of her hands to her mate's chest and she pushed him straight back out the door. It hadn't seemed as if Ashk or Helion had noticed them, but Elain kept pushing until she and Lucien were halfway down the stairs again. "Oh… my…" she breathed, not knowing what else to say.

"Cauldron boil and fry me." Lucien muttered, and Elain turned her eyes on him. She didn't think that was something she ever would have wanted to walk in on her parents doing, and she wondered what his reaction would be to the sight he had just seen. "… do you think they've been doing that since last night?"

Blinking, Elain tilted her head. "… Probably." She murmured, "But her dress was different… so… clearly they've at least changed…"

"Small mercies." Lucien said, and Elain took his hand once more.

"Do you think maybe they'll stay together now?" She asked him, and felt a small sliver of hope reach her down the bond.

"I hope so." He replied, "If they're happy."

"Me too." She replied, slanting another look at him. "Although, that wasn't the view you promised me…"