Chapter 389

Three steps. That was as far as Elain got before something encircled her and yanked her backwards. Rian was saying something she was sure was not flattering and probably rather stupid, but her heart was pounding too hard in her ears to make out the words. Instead she gave an enraged scream, realising that she couldn't pull free of the binding he'd caught her in. He laughed then, and Elain went still, drawing herself up as tall as she could. Trying to emulate Ashk to some degree, she straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin before she looked at the two males before her.

"The way I've heard it," She said, voice more even than she had expected it to sound, "If you kill a seer, you set the prophesy in stone for they do not have the chance to change it." Elain had heard nothing of the sort, but she hoped it sounded good enough that the superstitious Colm would want to keep her alive. She could see her words having some kind of effect on him. His brown eyes were narrowed slightly and she could practically see the decisions warring within him.

"Are you to change it then?" he asked, "What else do you see?"

Elain made a show of frowning and trying to look as if she struggled to make sense of something. "I cannot see…" She said, "It is as yet unclear."

"This is utter shit." Rian turned on Colm, "She's lying. Put her to death." He gestured at Elain, and she could easily read his frustration.

"And risk it being truth?" Colm replied, his eyes on Elain. "I think not." He reached for the tether in Rian's hands, and yanked it to bring Elain closer. "We shall," he said to her, "keep you nice and close to give you that chance to change your words…" he pulled her over to a nearby column, forcing her back against it before securing her tightly. Elain couldn't move at all, but she was at least thankful that she could see most of the hall from this position. She could see Ashk and Tisia sitting nearby, their faces pale. Sheera sat behind Ashk, and Elain felt a twinge of guilt that her friend was even here. It was Elain who had brought her to the palace in the first place. If she had not, Sheera would never have had to endure any of this.

The doors to the Throne Room flew open and Elain jumped, hope blossoming within her until she saw that the males who came though were clearly under Colm's charge. Rian stood to attention, and Colm's gaze sharpened.

"Watch them." He said to Amala, a dismissive wave of his hand in the direction of Elain and the other prisoners before he and Rian moved to meet the newcomers. Elain wished that she would be able to overhear whatever was said, because she was desperate for news of Lucien, but her eyes went to Amala who stood nearby, looking like she wished she was elsewhere.

"Amala…" She breathed, just loud enough for the other female to hear. Amala's eyes met Elain's and a frown crossed her pretty face.

"It's best you do not speak to me."

"Why?" Elain asked, "Do you think I'll change your mind?"

"No."

"You clearly do not like this…" Elain jerked her head at the rest of the room. "This cannot be what you wanted…"

"I…" Amala frowned, and there was shuffling from those sitting nearby.

"This was your home!" Tisia murmured, edging closer, still cross-legged on the floor. "You loved the Court…"

Amala straightened herself. "I love my family."

"They are using you." Ashk's words were hard. "These males are using you and the position you have earned in this Court for their own benefit."

"That isn't true." Amala bit back.

"What position do you expect you will be given when that one sits on the Throne." Ashk indicated Colm, "You will serve him." She gestured next at Rian, "And it is all too clear what that one will do with power, and I do not think you will enjoy the same games he does."

"No…" Amala frowned.

"Yes." Ashk sniffed, "I have seen it before."

Elain looked between Ashk and Amala, and she thought that just maybe the redheaded faerie might have been getting somewhere. Amala looked uncertain, and was visibly shifting her weight from foot to foot as she thought. Elain could see her wavering, but just as she thought Amala might say something promising, Rian came stalking back across the room and grabbed Amala tightly by the upper arm.

"You were told to watch them not speak with them." He growled, pulling her away.

"And who are you to speak to her like that?" Elain stared at Kera. She had not recognised the blonde before, possibly due to the blood caked into her usually perfect hair. She looked the other female over quickly, taking in her rough and dishevelled appearance, the dried blood and the bruising evident on her, and she wondered just what Kera had been through today.

"Excuse me?" Rian asked, eyebrows raised as he stared down at Kera among the others on the floor. "Did you speak?"

"You heard exactly what I said." Kera said, her tone tired and Elain couldn't blame her, "Who are you to speak to her like that? She is from blood as old as this Court itself… and what are you? You think that because you were fostered in her family's manor that you are one of them? That you are equal to her? You're nobody. You are like their pet…"

Wide eyed, Elain slid her gaze back to Rian wanting to see his reaction to those words. She knew that Kera had a talent for cutting people to their core, she had seen it before, but she was rather less pissed off about it now, and rather more in awe. Rian let go of Amara's arm, anger sizzling in his eyes as he stalked a little closer to Kera. "Keep talking…" he growled, the dare clear.

Kera just blinked, looking up at him as if she wasn't a prisoner quite literally at his feet. "They kept you around for their amusement, seeing just how many hoops you would jump through when they told you to." Kera went on, "You run around for Colm like an obedient dog hoping he'll fling you a snack here or there as a reward, but do you really expect that if he becomes High Lord you will have any kind of position for him? He will surround himself with others of like status, and there will not be room for the family dog."

Rian snarled, and Kera gave a laugh as if he had just proven her point. "Watch your mouth."

"Watch yourself." She replied, "If you think you can speak to Amala like that, lay your hands on her, how long do you think it will be until you are punished for touching her? You are not one of them."

Rian kicked at Kera, catching her in the shoulder. "You will not distract me from what needs to be done." He told her, moving away. "And maybe look to yourself, Kera." He added over his shoulder, "It's strange to see you sitting among them when I have so often heard you talk about the poor direction this Court has been taking."

"I may not agree with everything the High Lord chooses to do." Kera snapped, "But he is the High Lord. It is nobody else's right to come in here and take it no matter how old their blood is."

"You think so?" He asked.

"It's more than sitting on a throne." She said, folding her arms defiantly. Rian smirked at her.

"You and I will need to have a little chat if you make it through this alive." With that he strode back across the room to Colm and Elain stared again at Kera. She still wasn't sure if she liked the blonde, but her respect for the other female had certainly grown in the last couple of days.