Chapter 214

Eris seemed distracted during dinner, and Elain had given up even pretending that she wasn't watching him. Lucien's hand moved over her thigh beneath the table, and she knew that her mate was trying to get her attention. When she looked up at him, he raised an eyebrow, giving her a questioning look, and she gave him an innocent smile in return. Lucien's fingers curled around the inside of Elain's thigh as they slid higher, and Elain felt her eyes widen as she looked at him.

"What are you looking at?" he asked her, and Elain shook her head.

"The High Lord."

"Why?" Lucien asked as some of those around them began getting to their feet once the dishes had been cleared. Elain watched some of the lesser fae collecting bowls from around the table, and then her eyes went back to Eris.

"Your brother… seems…" She broke off when Eris' amber eyes flicked to a female faerie who had just collected the bowl from in front of him. He smiled and said something quietly, and the faerie gave a slight nod of her head.

"Seems what?" Lucien asked, glancing around and toward the head of the table where Eris sat.

Elain hesitated before replying, but then Lucien had turned back to her and she met his eyes. "Have you noticed the way he looks at that female?"

Russet and gold eyes swept the room again and Elain watched him focus on the faerie Eris was still watching. Confusion and disbelief reached Elain down the bond then, and she reached a hand out to her mate, her fingers brushing against his leg. He met her eyes again, and Elain bit her lip. She had no idea how Lucien would react to the idea of Eris and a lesser fae female after what had happened to Jesminda because he had loved her. Lucien just blinked, before looking once more toward the end of the table, those eyes focusing on his brother who was still watching the female he had seemingly been unable to take his eyes off of.

Elain didn't think that anyone else at the table or around the room had noticed that the High Lord's attentions had been captured, as the usual amount of chatter and talk was echoing around the room. More and more of the Courtiers from the table had gotten up and were mingling and milling about the room, shifting to smaller tables where they could sit and talk more comfortably. She swept the room with her eyes once more before looking back to Eris. Elain didn't think that he had even noticed that half his Court was no longer sitting at his table.

"Surely not…" Lucien murmured, and Elain turned in her seat to better look at her mate.

"Are you alright?" she asked, and a flash of various emotions rushed through him and down the bond to her.

"He…" Lucien shook his head, pushing his chair back from the table and getting to his feet. Elain followed him. "How…?"

"Lucien…" Elain reached out for him, taking his hand. He allowed it, but drew her away from the table, and Elain followed him across the room and into a comfortable couch by one of the fires. "Lucien…?" She could feel all manner of things swirling around within him, and she couldn't identify a single one apart from hurt. "Love…"

"I'm alright, Petal…" Lucien's free hand slid up Elain's arm, past her elbow, as he pulled her in and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

"I can feel you…" she murmured, and he nodded.

"I know, I'm sorry."

"Talk to me."

"There's nothing to say, really." He sat back, and she saw his gaze head toward his brother again. "It would just be strange…" he murmured, "To see Eris with…" Lucien shook his head. "If he was able to manage that… I never would have thought. Beron would never have allowed it…"

"No…" Elain said gently, "Do you think maybe it's been going that long?"

"I have no idea…" Lucien shook his head, "I wouldn't have thought so. It certainly couldn't have been while I was here. Beron would have known. He would have put a stop to it… like he did with me." He paused for a moment, "… and Eris would have killed him."

"It must be fairly new, then."

"I would think so."

"So, that must have been where he went for Mabon?"

"It does seem likely."

Elain looked at Lucien again, her fingers skimming his arm as she gazed at him. "Do you think he will ever actually acknowledge it?"

"I couldn't say, Petal." Lucien said, "People would talk… but… he's the High Lord, so there is nothing anyone would be able to do…"

"Are you okay?" she asked, "… I mean, he… you were punished for the same thing…" her eyes followed as Lucien lifted one of her hands to his lips, kissing it gently.

"I'm okay." He replied, and he smiled then, easing Elain's heart and diminishing any worry that she had held. "I would like to talk to Eris and find out a little bit more, though."

"Do you think he would be receptive to that?"

"There's only one way to find out, isn't there?"

"I suppose you are correct." Elain sat back in the chair, then. She knew that Lucien wasn't going to leave this room until he had had the chance to speak with his brother. It wasn't all that late in the evening, and so they had quite some time to sit and watch the room before Courtiers began to head off to their own rooms and lives and beds. Elain had even begun to doze slightly before someone sat down in the chair opposite them, and she felt Lucien sit up a little more straight.

"Your mate seems tired." Eris' voice was soft, and Elain blinked as she tried to wake herself up a little.

"I'll take her off to bed soon." Lucien's response matched his brother's in tone, and one of her mate's hands glided down her arm, soothing. "You seemed a little preoccupied at dinner."

"Did I?"

"Yes." Elain could feel Lucien searching for a way to bring up the topic he really wanted to discuss. Sitting up, she wondered if she might be able to help. "Something on your mind?" Lucien went on, and Eris shook his head.

"Nothing beyond the usual…" running a hand though his vibrant hair, Eris' amber eyes moved over them. "Might have been wondering if our mother is going to remain here in the Autumn Court or if she desires to leave and go to the Day Court with her lover."

"What do you think she wants?" Lucien asked.

"I don't think she's used to taking her own wants into consideration." Eris said. "It will take time for her to accept that she has that freedom."

"I would agree." Lucien's voice was gentle then. "And your own wants?"

"What of them?" Eris sounded a little wary.

"Beron is dead now. You are High Lord." Lucien sounded as if he were explaining the most simple thing in the world to someone who just couldn't grasp it. "You can do whatever you wish… have whoever you wish…"

Eris' amber eyes narrowed, and Elain watched him twist his hands together in his lap. "Things are never that simple."

"Yes, they are." Lucien replied. "If you make them that simple."