Chapter 383
He'd managed to stand still and wait for about a minute. Siv and Kaii had paced, but Lucien had kept his feet on the ground, and his breathing under control, and he was rather proud of himself, really. Fire wasn't good at being idle. He'd been told it a few times now, and he knew that it was true. He had never been good at just sitting by. He wanted to get into the Throne Room and get his mate back. Helion had not been here when they had arrived, and Lucien had said that he would wait a few minutes. He'd managed one, and had been just about to say that it was probably time they do something when he'd heard the light footsteps.
Beside him, Siv and Kaii had made themselves ready, one on either side of the hallway, and Lucien had placed himself in the middle. They would face whatever came around that corner together and, judging by how efficient they had gotten working together over the morning, they would likely dispatch whoever it was rather quickly.
Lucien found himself hoping it would be Helion and, when he saw the High Lord's strong graceful stride, relief filled him and he lowered his blade with a barely contained sigh. Sheathing his sword, Lucien moved toward his father, wanting to ask him how he had fared and he was not expecting strong arms to wrap around him, pulling him in tightly. "O-oh…" he awkwardly pat Helion's back for a moment, wondering if they had had a more difficult morning than he had with Siv and Kaii. "How did things go?"
"The corridors are a little more cleared than they were when the sun rose." Helion replied, warm hand moving over Lucien's back and Lucien was surprised to feel himself relax rather a lot. "Did you have some trouble?"
"Not a lot." Lucien told him, stepping back when his father released him, "Siv and Kaii proved invaluable." He cast a smile at the two guards, "I would trust them with my business in future."
"Good to hear." Helion straightened himself, "Are you all unharmed?"
"Yes." Lucien ran a hand through his hair, growing uneasy once more. Seeing Helion had distracted him for a moment, but now that he knew his father was alright, he once again could think about little else than getting to his mate. "I felt something from Elain earlier." He said, "Down the bond."
"Oh?" Helion flicked some of his dark hair over his shoulder, looking utterly magnificent despite a morning of work. Amber eyes found Lucien's then, evidently hearing something in the pause. "Is something the matter?"
"I went to find her." Lucien said, "We went up to the library to check…" Helion lifted an eyebrow, and Lucien could see that the High Lord knew enough of what was to come to not to have to hear the words. Lucien said them anyway. "She's gone. They all are. The library was empty… aside from the body of the guard we left."
"I see."
"They're in the Throne Room." Lucien knew that everyone was aware of this information, but he said it in a way that was asking when they were going to do something about it. Helion was watching him carefully, and he had the distinct impression that the High Lord was trying to read him, trying to work out just how close beneath his skin that fire was burning. Helion had tested Lucien when he'd first arrived, he'd almost forgotten that fact. He'd touched Elain and gotten closer to her than necessary to see if Lucien had any self-control. They were both aware that he did, but Lucien rather thought they both knew that right now that self-control was nearly worn thin. The fire itched beneath his skin, urging him to move, to get to his mate. The voice within him had started its old chant again over and over. Mate. Mate. Mate.
"Stands to reason they would be." Helion took several steps up the hallway and then turned and came back. Lucien could see the High Lord thinking quickly, and he wondered at the centuries of wisdom and knowledge in that clever mind. He wondered, when he had lived as long as Helion had, seen so much, if he might be as clever and wise as his father. Would that knowledge be put to good use now? Would it help save Elain and his mother? Would it help win the Day Court back?
"… Tell me that we are going in there." Lucien breathed, watching Helion and unable to drag his gaze away. "Tell me that we are going straight there and we will get them back."
Helion stopped his pacing and his gaze met Lucien's steadily. "We will." The High Lord drew a deep breath and straightened his posture. "But where is the other group?"
"Somebody," Lucien replied hesitantly, "gave away the library…" He knew that it hadn't been Siv or Kaii, and he was pretty sure that it hadn't been Helion or the guards who had been with him. That left the other group who had not yet arrived. If they were coming at all, they had some proper explaining to do.
Helion's eyes were yellow ice when Lucien met then again, and Lucien knew that if they came across the missing group that he would not like to be on the receiving end of whatever the High Lord was going to dish out. "We shall not wait for then, then."
Lucien was certainly okay with that. He glanced to Siv and Kaii and was pleased to see that they both appeared ready to move again, and he reached for the bond, hoping that Elain would be able to feel that he was coming for her. Nothing was getting in his way.