Chapter 215

By the next morning Elain was thinking about preparing to pack in order to head on to the Winter Court as she moved around the room she shared with Lucien. She kept one eye on her mate who was sitting on the couch, more silent than was usual, a thoughtful expression on his face. Elain eyed him as she came to sit beside him and, after several moments, he turned his head toward her. "Are you thinking about your brother?" she asked, and Lucien nodded. "Do you think that he will acknowledge his lover publicly?"

"I don't know."

"It must be quite difficult for him."

"I should think so." Lucien replied, "I'd bet he is worried that if he is to seen to be with a lesser faerie, that someone will think that means they could attempt to take his throne."

"Ah…" Elain breathed, "Which do you think Eris would choose? His lover or his throne?"

Lucien gave Elain a long look. "I would have always said he would choose the throne first and foremost, it is what he has always wanted." He ran his hand through his vibrant hair, and Elain watched him, "I would be most surprised if this new lover sits above his throne in Eris' priorities."

"Maybe he really loves her."

Lucien raised an eyebrow and that thoughtful look returned to his features. "Perhaps." He said, "Wouldn't that be something?"

"I suppose so."

"I just wonder how long it has been." Lucien murmured, "Or where he found her."

Elain nodded, about to tell him that she had been wondering the same thing when her ears began to ring in that way she had begun to find familiar.

Eris drew one deep breath after another, the panic rising within him. It was all too much and he couldn't take it. Elain frowned, realising that she was witnessing something that had taken place a matter of months ago. She could feel the anxiety coming off of Eris as he took the stairs two at a time and, looking around, Elain realised that these were the stairs to the tower that Lucien had shown her when they had come across Ashk and Helion.

Now, Eris was just about bolting up the stairs and Elain followed him. She had learned that she had to remain with him from the times she had found herself in some of Lucien's memories. It took her some effort to keep up with Eris as his legs were rather longer than hers and he seemed to determined to get to the top of the tower as quickly as possible.

When they reached the top, Eris went straight for the window. Elain followed him, getting a proper look at the view for the first time. She could see so much more of the forest than she had expected, with such a brilliant sky over it. Unable to help herself, Elains' gaze swept the forest and the trees. Her breath caught at the sight of all the colours, all rubies and golden topaz. It was truly stunning and she wished that she had been able to see this with Lucien when he'd brought her up here.

"Cauldron boil and fry me." Eris muttered, his hands moving through his hair and then down over his face. Elain watched him, unable to do anything as he seemed to shrink in on himself. His shoulders shook as he held his face in his hands, and Elain wondered if he wasn't crying.

Moving a little closer, Elain peered at him, wondering what it was that had gotten him so worked up like this. She didn't think she had ever pictured Eris like this, and she wondered if anyone had ever seen him this way at all. Perhaps that was why he had come up here all alone, so that nobody would see him in this position. No doubt Eris would have thought that it would make him look weak. Anxiety and fear were rolling off of Eris in waves and Elain frowned as she watched him.

Movement by the wall caught Elain's attention then, and she turned at the same moment as Eris. "Who is there?" he asked, voice suddenly commanding and much more like the Eris that Elain had come to know.

"I… I am sorry…" a soft female voice from the shadows.

"Come here."

"Yes, Lord." The female faerie Eris had been watching the night before stepped into the light, her large dark eyes on the floor. Elain looked at her, taking her in properly for the first time. Her skin was a pale brown colour and her hair the colour of the soil out in the forest. She had pointed feral features, and what appeared to be pale translucent wings coming from her shoulder blades. "I… did not intend to intrude." She said softly, "I… I was told to tidy up…"

"Who are you?" Eris' amber eyes were moving over her with an interest Elain had never seen in him before.

"Nobody…"

Eris took a step toward the female then, and Elain was unsurprised to see her take a startled step backwards. Eris froze, eyes widening. "You need not be afraid of me." He was watching her closely, and Elain noticed that his anxiety seemed to have vanished. "What is your name?"

"I… I… Nera."

"Nera." Eris repeated, "How long have you been here?"

"I… do you mean in the Court?" She asked, and Elain saw a hint of a smile, "Or in the corner trying not to be noticed?"

"I mean in the Court." Eris' reply sounded amused, "I don't believe I have met you before…"

"I don't think anyone would have thought to introduce me to you…" She said, "I've been here since the equinox." Her brown hands twisted the front of her dress as she looked at Eris. "It hasn't been that long."

"What are your duties?" Eris asked, moving toward her again, "What are your opinions of the Court?"

"They've had me doing lots of things. Working in the kitchens and cleaning… rooms like this one. I didn't know you would be up here…" She looked shyly up at him, "I wouldn't have thought to intrude…" Elain watched her bite her lip, "You obviously came up here to be alone…"

"I did."

"I apologise…" Nera said, "I will leave…"

"No…" Eris held up a hand, "I would like to speak to you…" he gestured for her to approach, "Someone new to talk to… and you haven't told me what you think of the Court."

"Well…" Nera smiled, "I like it so far."

"You may tell me the truth." Eris said, "I won't punish you."

"It is the truth." Nera replied, looking up at him with more confidence, "It's good work and I have been treated better than I expected… They all speak well of you, too."

"Do they?"

"They all say you will make an excellent High Lord."

Eris smiled then, and Elain knew that it was a genuine smile.

Shaking her head, Elain leaned into Lucien on the couch. He raised an eyebrow looking at her, and she knew that he was asking her what she had just seen. Reaching a hand out to him, Elain pushed the vision toward her mate. "When they first met…" she breathed, and Lucien closed his hand around her wrist.