Chapter 393

Lucien's heart was the only thing Elain could hear when the doors opened and she saw his red hair among the other faeries who walked in. Her eyes found him immediately and his heart seemed to beat more quickly as if in greeting. Elain could hear it in her head, and her own seemed to beat to meet it in sync. For a moment nothing happened, she watched her mate come to a stop, his eyes, both russet and gold, swept the throne room, and down the bond she could feel his reaction to what he saw. Then those russet and gold eyes met hers, and his heart quickened once more.

Everything seemed to explode then. Noise and movement came at once; the soldiers by the door rushed into action and the sound of metal on metal almost drowned out the sound of Lucien's heart. Unable to look away from her mate, Elain strained against the ties binding her to the pillar, wanting to go to him, to help him, to touch him. From what she could see from across the room, he appeared to be unharmed, but she wanted to check. She needed to make sure.

Despite the chaos that had broken out around him, he had not looked away from Elain, and her breath caught in her throat when he moved for her. It was evident in his expression, and what the bond was sending her, that he had not expected to see his mate tied to a pillar, and anger swirled within him. He had barely gotten three paces when a soldier stepped into his path, and Lucien was forced into an exchange of blows, sword glinting in the bright light. Elain forced herself to look away. She would be of no help to him if she did nothing but stand there and watch.

Helion had walked in first, and behind him had come Lucien with several of the High Lord's guards. This was not everyone who had left the library with them that morning, but Elain was thankful that they were not alone. Perhaps, she figured, the guards who were no longer with them had been those who had betrayed their whereabouts in the library to their enemy. Swallowing that thought for later, Elain hoped that this would be enough. Helion seemed to be doing well, and having little trouble with those who challenged him. Lucien too, she noticed, had dispatched several soldiers who had gotten in his way as he continued to aim her direction. Around him, two of the guards seemed to gravitate, moving around Lucien and one another to protect his back and keep others from coming at him as he fought. That sent shivers through Elain, and she knew that whatever Court Helion had once this was over would truly have accepted Lucien as the High Lord's heir. When he, one day in the future, took the throne, Elain knew that those two would be there. She could feel it, and she wondered if Lucien had noticed that particular display of loyalty.

They had done fairly well, that was evident with the amount of ground they had covered since walking in the door. Colm's soldiers had been pushed back to nearly halfway across the room, and Elain noticed Colm himself retreat to the dais, pointing at Rian as he barked some order. AMala stood nearby, wringing her hands, and Elain called out to her.

"Amala…" She tried, hoping she was loud enough to be heard over the fight happening around them. "Please… let me loose."

Amala's eyes met Elain's but the other female did not move.

"Please…" Elain tried again, "I'll be caught in this…" The fight was indeed inching closer to her, and she feared being unable to get out of the way of some errant blade. Elain did not want to be speared against a pillar.

"I cannot."

"You can…"

"No." Amala turned away then and, to Elain's surprise, she did not move up on the dais with Colm, but headed for a nearby side door. With one last glance back into the Throne Room, Amala then slipped out of the door and out of sight. Disappointment flowed through Elain, but she figured she couldn't really blame her for wanting to get out of here. It was unlikely she was going to be spared in any fight she got caught in. Elain rather thought Rian would have killed Amala himself if he thought it would benefit him in some way.

A gasp from Tisia nearby brought Elain's attention back to the rest of the room. Helion was battling five soldiers at one, holding them off himself, and Elain did understand the gasp at that sight. The High Lord was magnificent. His skin shone with an inner light she hoped was some kind of power he was about to use to get rid of those who threatened him, but even watching him block and parry and move around blades slashed his way, he was breathtaking. Glancing at Ashk, Elain was completely unsurprised to see those russet eyes trained solely on Helion.

Another gasp went up when Helion didn't quite move out of the way and one of those blades glanced off of his upper arm. Blood dripped onto his white tunic, and the very air in the room seemed to change.

As one, the Day Court got to their feet. Captives who had been sitting nearby surged forward, picking up fallen weapons and throwing themselves into the frenzy. Even Kera who, minutes ago, had been advocating fleeing the throne room was there, blade in hand as she and another Courtier Elain didn't know faced one of Colm's soldiers. Elain didn't know if these numbers were yet even, but the odds were far more favourable now. Over it all, Colm yelled his instructions to any of his soldiers who could hear him.