Chapter 354

Elain straightened the dress she had chosen, smoothing it down over herself as she turned a little in the mirror. Lucien hadn't said anything to her about going to see Helion, but she understood. She needed to look thoroughly presentable. She needed to look well put together and unruffled. She needed to look as if what had happened to her had left no impact. So she would. Elain lifted her hands and began braiding her nearly dry hair up into an elaborate style around her head. She would look as if nothing more than a pleasant walk had occurred when she had left the palace with those Courtiers. If Amala was there, then Elain would show her that she and her people had held no power over Elain and the others. Elain would show them that no matter what was done to her and to Lucien, they would come out victorious and do their duty to the Court. Lucien was the Heir; he was Helion's son and, as his mate, Elain was going to look the part.

"Looking a little bit fancy, Petal."

"Do you think so?" Elain eyed her mate in the mirror, securing her braid as she did so. He approached her with a small wreath in his hands and she turned to him, wondering what it was that he was doing. Lucien held it up to her and she realised exactly what it was. "Am I to wear that?"

"If you like it."

Elain took the small circlet of flowers and inspected it. Tiny delicate white and gold flowers bloomed out of thick green leaves. She smiled. "I do like it…" One of Lucien's gentle hands came up then and he took it from her hands, bringing it up to her hair. Elain stood still, watching in the mirror, as Lucien placed the crown atop her braid, adjusting it to best advantage. She smiled again, eyes on her reflection. It did help in her quest to look as if nothing troubling at all had ever happened to her. She looked like she would one day be the Lady of the Day Court. Her white and gold dress glimmered in the light coming inside from the garden and she let her gaze slip to Lucien in the mirror. He wore Day Court attire of similar colouring and it set beautifully against his golden skin.

"Like what you see, Petal?" he gave her a wicked grin and she nodded.

"If only you knew how much."

"I think I rather get the gist…"

"Ah…" Elain gave a light gasp when she felt a playful tug down the bond and she realised that he must have been reading her down it. She smiled more widely at him. "I am glad." She watched him smooth his own hands over his clothing and she let her gaze drift lower. Lucien was, she knew, still a bit self-conscious in the Day Court clothing, but she truly was glad that he could feel how much she appreciated him in it. If she wasn't mistaken, she would have thought she could see a light blush tainting his skin and she turned to look at him properly, reaching a hand out to lay gently against his solid chest.

Smiling up at him, Elain rubbed her fingers over the material covering her mate's chest, about to comment that she could feel how quickly his heart beat beneath her hand when her mouth dropped open at a startling realisation. "I can't hear your heartbeat…"

Lucien blinked, his head tilting and, as she watched him try to process that, she grasped quickly at the golden thread in her head.

"… Elain…"

"Uh…" Elain clutched at the bond, trying to keep hold of it as it faded and slid from between her fingers. "No…"

And then it was gone. Dark and empty as she searched frantically, trying to choke back sobs of panic.

"Elain…" Lucien's strong hand wrapped around her forearm and he made her look up at him. She met his wide eyes, trying to read the thoughts she could see in his russet eye. He glanced past her, to the bed, and he frowned. "The food…"

Elain looked over her shoulder at the empty platter. "But…" She turned back to Lucien, "But…" she didn't know what she wanted to say. They were safe here! This was the Palace. This was where the High Lord was, and they were meant to be well protected. This was their home!

Lucien was rigid, and Elain gripped his arm. "We need to decide." He told her. Elain blinked, waiting for the choices he had evidently come up with. "We can barricade ourselves in here, and hope that any threat is kept at bay. Maybe Helion will discover that somebody is still trying to harm us and will take care of it…"

"Or…" Elain prompted when Lucien fell silent.

"Or the threat is not only to us." He told her, "Perhaps the entire Court is under attack, in which case we should try and get to the High Lord and protect him…"

Looking up at her mate, Elain could see the war going on inside of him, even without the bond helping her to read him. He wanted to protect the Court, he wanted to protect the High Lord, especially as Helion was his father. Lucien wanted to do his duty as Heir. He wanted to do his best to be helpful, useful, as he had always done wherever he had gone over the centuries. But, she could see, his instincts were also screaming at him to protect his mate.

"What do you want?" She asked, fingers skimming his arm gently. Lucien met her eyes and bent slightly to her.

"… what do you choose?" he asked. Elain bit her lip. "This is your choice, Petal." One of Lucien's hands came up to her cheek. "I won't make you go out there. If you want me to protect you in here, I will…"

"We can't just leave the others…" She breathed, "What if they don't even know there's a threat yet…"

"I know…" Lucien nodded slowly. "If they haven't been detected yet, there may still be time to get the High Lord out… before anybody even notices he's gone…"

"Yes." Elain gripped Lucien's arm. "We have to try…"

She leaned into him when he pulled her closer, and she closed her eyes when her mate's lips pressed to her forehead. Wrapping an arm around his trim waist, she drew as much warmth as she could from him, suddenly feeling chill within herself. He held her for a few moments, warm hands rubbing circles against her back. Then, with a heavy sigh, Lucien released her and Elain looked up to him once more. Steadying herself, and trying to keep worry at bay, she nodded. "Alright…" she said, "Where will Helion be?"