Chapter 394

With barely a second spare to breathe, Lucien realised that those who had been seated on the ground were now on their feet. Courtiers and other members of Helion's Court and those he knew worked around the palace now had weapons in their hands, and seemed to be doing their best to fight the enemy soldiers. He was thankful for that as he had certainly noticed that they were well outnumbered. It had taken only a few moments to understand that winning this wasn't going to be easy. He had known it wouldn't be, but he'd had the barest semblance of a plan in mind. Or, rather, he knew how he had wanted this to go.

Lucien had hoped he would walk through those doors, Helion would do some fantastical impressive High Lord business, and he would be free enough to get to Elain and then never let her go again for the rest of his life. That had been the general gist anyway. That had not been how it had happened. The second Lucien had lain eyes on Elain, all thought about anything else had fled his mind. He had not expected to see his mate tied to one of the pillars, and he couldn't think about anything other than getting to her. Every time someone new stepped into his path, Lucien tried to focus enough on what was coming at him in order to get them out of his way as soon as possible. He wanted to know what had happened to Elain. How had they ended up down here? Why was she restrained like that? What had been done to her? Was she alright? She looked alright, but Lucien wanted to be sure.

Heart pounding erratically in his chest, Lucien ducked a sword that sliced at him and drove his own blade up between the ribs of the soldier in front of him. He felt the blood, hot and sticky, sliding over his hand making his grip on the handle of his blade loose, and he yanked it free of the body as it fell. Sparing a flick of a glance for the face of the male he had just killed, Lucien was glad that he did not recognise him. That was some small mercy, he thought. It made it easier.

Siv stepped past Lucien then, his sword deflecting the blow of another soldier, and Lucien hadn't even noticed this one coming at him. Kaii was before him then, collecting another, and Lucien realised that he really needed to get his mind focused on this first step. He wasn't going to be able to get to Elain if he didn't pay attention to the fight. He was going to get himself killed, and who would protect her then? Still, he thought, blood simmering in his veins, he was going to kill whatever son of a whoring bitch had tied his mate to that pillar.

She could tell when Lucien's focus shifted. Since he had first looked at her, coming through that door, Elain had been able to feel him down the bond. She had known that he was focused completely on her, and she had seen the way he had moved through that fight; eyes always on her. The two guards always moving around him had taken care of much that would have reached Lucien, but that shifted all of a sudden. Elain looked at him, from across the room, and she could see the focus in his eyes change. His expression shifted, became more stoic, and his jaw set differently, and then his movements were somehow smoother, and more elegant. He looked rather a lot like Helion right now. He was focused now on the fight around him, and that somewhat soothed Elain. Sure, she still wanted him to get to her, to free her from her bindings and wrap her in his arms, but she knew that he was safer while he was actually paying attention to those around him and not on her across the room. The two guards remained with him, however, and Elain made a mental note to find out more about them when this was done.

Nearby, she could see Tisia and Ales, still together as they fought. Ales appeared to have some kind of unseen ability to him, although Elain wasn't entirely sure what it was that he was able to do, but both he and Tisia seemed to be using it to confuse those they were facing and then taking advantage of their momentary hesitation. Beyond them was Sheera who seemed to be ducking and weaving among those fighting without actually doing any damage herself. She was, however, getting in the way of many a soldier and causing them to lose their own fights.

Gasping when somebody grabbed her, Elain turned her head. Relief flowed through her when she saw that Ashk was the one behind the pillar. "What…" She saw blood dripping down the redheaded faerie's arm, and concern flared within her. Fire appeared then in Ashk's russet eyes, and then at her hands. The blood dripping down Ashk's arms hit the flames licking at her wrists and sizzled lightly, and Elain's mouth dropped open when Ashk gripped the bindings holding Elain to the pillar.

"You cannot remain here." Ashk told her, flames growing brighter as she held firmly to the bonds.

Elain watched as that fire burned through what held her, and then she was free. She stepped away from the pillar, rubbing at herself where she had been restrained. "I… cannot run away."

"When they begin to lose," Ashk said, eyes holding Elain's gaze. "that horrible Rian creature will come for you. He will try to use you against Lucien and against Helion."

"How do you…?"

"I know his kind." Ashk said, reaching for Elain's hand, flames gone. "I have lived with them my entire life. He will grasp at anything he can use to protect himself and hurt others. You must get out."

Elain glanced at the door through which Amala had run, and she wondered what lay beyond.