Chapter 388

Helion was a force of nature. Lucien had nearly faltered, awed by what he had seen of his father as they had moved through the palace. They had a significant distance to travel to get to the Throne Room, and during that time they had come across many faeries who had tried to get in their way. Each one of those faeries had regretted it. The High Lord of the Day Court moved as smooth and gracefully as any feline predator, and Lucien rather thought that was exactly what he was. Helion appeared to glide almost effortlessly as he ducked and wove, and just about walked through anyone who got in his way. It was truly impressive, and Lucien was impressed.

Their progress had been faster than Lucien had expected it to be, and he was thankful for that. He had been able to feel trickles of emotions coming from Elain for the last little while and, although that let him know that she was currently alive, he was worried. Apprehension had been first, followed by disgust and then revulsion. Fear had been most recent, and Lucien strode a little quicker. He tried to hold on to the belief that if Elain was alive, it stood to reason that his mother was also. There was nothing to say that they would remain that way for long, however, and he was thankful that Helion saw no reason to hesitate.

After everything that he and Elain had been through; after their trips to the Autumn Court and the Illyrian camps, the issues they had faced even here in the Palace, Lucien still knew that their future would be bright. This would all be worth it, and he knew that he and his mate were going to have that future that she had seen. The visions she had shown him were etched in his mind and he knew that when that future arrived, when he was able to hold his younglings in his arms, all of this would be a distant memory. There was nothing that was going to get in the way of that future Lucien desperately wanted. There was nothing that was going to get in his way as he went collect his mate.

"What's the plan?" Siv asked, falling into step beside Lucien. Lucien glanced at the guard, noticing that his eyes were on the High Lord several paces ahead of them. "…is there one?"

"My plan," Lucien replied, "is no more detailed than getting to the Throne Room and getting my mate."

"Right…" Siv nodded, "… and how are we going to accomplish that?"

"I intend to walk through the doors."

"…right." Siv nodded again, casting a glance at Kaii who was out of Lucien's line of sight. He understood the other male's reaction. The plan wasn't really a plan so much as his end goal. He would get Elain. Lucien knew there were probably several dozen steps between where he was now and when he would be able to wrap his arms around his mate. He didn't know what they were, but right now they felt like trivial details. It didn't matter what they were, he would pass them by.

"There will likely be so many more of them than us." Kaii put in from somewhere behind Lucien.

"That," Helion said, glancing over his broad shoulder as he walked ahead, "is why we spent the day decreasing their numbers."

"And we did a great job," Kaii replied, voice respectful, "but I still think we will be outnumbered. I doubt we can just walk in and take them out."

Helion smiled at them over his shoulder, skin glimmering with some kind of inner power Lucien could only guess at. Lucien had the distinct impression that Helion completely intended to just walk in and take them out.

He shuddered as helplessness and desperation reached him down the bond from Elain, and not a few moments later his blood chilled when a scream reached them down the hallways, the echoes of it hitting Lucien again down that same bond. Elain.