Chapter 224

Lucien stared at his brother, and Elain watched her mate's face carefully. She had approached, not having heard the discussion between the two, but she had felt something coming from Lucien down the bond as he had talked with the High Lord of the Autumn Court. Helion looked amused, and Elain found herself looking from one male to the next, wanting to know what was happening. She looked at Nera next, and those dark eyes just smiled back at her.

"You did what?" Lucien asked, and Elain looked quickly to Eris, eager for the explanation.

"Named our mother the Autumn Court's Emissary to the Day Court." Eris' amber eyes told her clearly how impressed with himself he was, and she looked back to Lucien for her mate's reaction to that news.

"Uh…" Lucien's jaw dropped a little as he continued to stare at his brother. "Is that what she wanted?"

"Yes." Eris replied simply, those amber eyes focused now on Helion.

"Is… is she to go with you?" Elain asked the High Lord of the Day Court. "Back to Day?"

"She is." Helion's voice was warm and she could hear the joy in it as he answered her, smiling brightly as he did so. "She has spent the morning packing." Elain nodded, figuring that Ashk would have rather more to pack than the rest of them, considering she lived here and would be away for quite some time. Emissaries, she knew, could live in other courts for decades or centuries. Perhaps Ashk would never live in the Autumn Court again. "Lady Ashk will be most welcome in the Day Court…" Elain saw Helion turn his eyes and his smile on Lucien who was now nodding silently, and she could feel her mate's pleasure now. The words had begun to sink in and he was realising that he wouldn't have to say goodbye to his mother for quite some time. Reaching a hand out to him, Elain touched Lucien's arm and he turned his head to look at her.

"She'll be there when we go back."

"Yes…" he smiled, "That will be wonderful." Happiness was reaching Elain in waves down the bond then, and she couldn't help but smile right back at him.

"Ah… Here she is." Eris got to his feet, then, lifting a hand in way of greeting and Elain turned to see Ashk dragging several bags across the floor. Lesser faeries hurried toward her, taking the bags and lifting them for her, and she just smiled as she straightened and turned to face her two sons.

"I believe I have everything I need."

"Are you sure?" Eris asked, "Well, even if you decide later that you've left things behind you would prefer to have with you, you need only send word and I will have them taken to you."

"Thank you." Ashk smiled at him and then at Lucien, "Perhaps, Lucien," she said, "When you return to the Day Court, you will have some advice for me as an emissary…"

"I doubt I could tell you anything you don't already know." Lucien smiled brightly, and Elain thought he might have even stood a little straighter, "You're the one who trained me after all." Elain watched the way that Ashk's gaze moved over her youngest son, and she wondered if Lucien could read the pride in his mother's eyes.

"I take it you are both set to leave for the Day Court when we leave for Winter?" Elain looked from Ashk to Helion and back again and the High Lord of the Day Court nodded his head.

"Yes." He said, his smile as bight as the sun, "As soon as the Lady is ready…" his eyes shifted from Elain to Ashk and that smile brightened even further.

"She is ready." Ashk sounded happier than Elain had ever heard her, and she watched the red-headed Lady bend to pick up one of her bags. As Elain slipped one of her own hands into Lucien's holding tightly, her mate moved closer to her until she could feel his heat at her side. They both watched as Helion reached over and took the bag from Ashk's shoulder, hoisting it over his own as lesser fae moved in to pick up the other bags. "I look forward to seeing you all soon, my loves." Ashk smiled, her russet eyes moving from one of them to the next before she turned and followed the High Lord of the Day Court from the room.

"Is Cassian not joining us?" Lucien asked, and Nesta shook her head. He glanced at Elain who was watching her sister silently. "Why not?" he asked, "Did you scare him away?"

"Uh…" Nesta raised an eyebrow at him, her chin lifting with it as she looked at him down her nose. "No, he had responsibilities in the Night Court." She said, "Rhys has things he's asked him to take care of."

"Sorry, Nes…" Elain's voice was gentle, and Nesta's cold eyes shifted to her sister. Lucien watched the elder sister soften a little, nodding her head just a little.

"He has seen the Winter Court." She said, giving what he figured was meant to be a nonchalant shrug, "I have not."

"You'll love it." Elain said.

"Yes," Nesta replied, "You've told me that before… I am eager to see it."

"Let's go, shall we…?" Lucien slipped an arm around Elain's shoulders, his fingers moving up her arm and beneath the blue cloak he had given her before the first time they had travelled to the Winter Court together.

"Let's." Nesta pulled her own cloak around herself, and Lucien cast an assessing eye over it. It was one that she had gotten in the Autumn Court, and he wasn't entirely sure it would be enough for the Winter Court. For the short trip to Kallias' palace, sure. But, for lengthy explorations, perhaps not.

"Here…" Lucien shifted them to the point from which they would winnow, and an instant later the icy wind hit them. Instantly, Elain burrowed into him, hiding her face against his chest, and Lucien pulled her closer.

"Ohh…" Nesta bunded herself tightly under her thin cloak, and Lucien bit his lip.

"Are you alright?"

"I am perfectly fine." Nesta replied, her eyes lifting to meet his. "Where is this palace?"

"Kallias is coming to get us." He told her, "But we could begin walking this way…" he gestured ahead of them and Nesta set out right away.

"Nes, don't go too far…" Elain said, her hands sliding under Lucien's cloak as she leaned into him. "You'll get lost…"

Nesta looked at them over her shoulder. "I won't go far…" she said, "But I would like to get to the palace and out of this wind. This cloak is far too thin."

"Here…" Lucien reached out and brushed his fingers against the edge of Nesta's coat, sending some heat into it.

"Was that the same warming spell you put on me last time?" Elain asked, and he nodded.

"Is that helping?" he met Nesta's eyes again, surprised to find the look there softer than he'd ever seen directed at him.

"Yes, thank you…"

Lucien smiled at her, retracting his hand and wrapping both arms around Elain. He tucked his mate into his cloak with him, casting the same warming spell again on the both of them. Comfort reached him down the bond from Elain as she leaned back into him and he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I think I see Kallias…" he said, eyes on the distance. "Something's moving out there."