Chapter 403

Lucien felt Elain's shiver, and his eyes shifted down to where she still sat on the ground. He knew that she had seen something just then, he'd gotten to know that sensation after having felt her have a vision back in the Autumn Court the first time he had taken her there. He knew what that felt like, and he knew that it had just happened. He wondered what she had seen as she had not shown him any of it, but he could see the expression on her face and he knew that it hadn't been good.

"Petal…?" he asked, and she looked up at him, brown eyes wide. The bond flared between them and he saw her hands pressing against a locked door. Lucien got the gist. He looked back up at Colm sitting on the Throne and he could not help a snarl. No matter what happened here, Lucien was not allowing anyone to lock Elain away like that. Nobody was going to use her for her abilities or for any other reason. He didn't need to look down at his hands to know that flames had erupted and were licking their way up his forearms. His blood simmered in his veins and he felt the anger within him boiling. He had begun to build a home here, they both had. They had a future here, and these bastards were not going to destroy that. Even if it tore him to pieces, Lucien was not going to allow his mate to be imprisoned by this prick, or anyone.

"We've established your little flames don't work, haven't we?" The dark-haired male, 'Rian', Elain had called him, said. Shaking his head, Lucien stared back up at Rian, lifting his chin to meet the challenge.

"I wouldn't say I've really tested that to my satisfaction." He replied, "But if you just stand there I could give it another try…"

The look that slowly moulded onto Rian's face was disturbing, and Lucien just blinked, unsure what the other male was going to do. Out of the corner of his eye, Lucien saw red hair moving as his mother sank down beside Elain, and some part of him relaxed just a little. "Come," Ashk breathed softly, "We need to get out of the way…" She wrapped an arm around Elain and tried to coax her into standing.

Colm got to his feet then, and Lucien felt Helion move slightly, taking a step toward Ashk and Elain; to protect them, he realised. Rian snickered from up on the dais and, with a flick of his wrist, another shimmering barrier appeared cutting Lucien and Helion off from Elain and Ashk. Panic and rage fought for dominance within Lucien then as he looked at Elain to see her staring back at him, panic reflected in her brown eyes. He watched as she closed a hand around part of Ashk's sleeve, and his mother rubbed her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.

Turning to look at Helion, Lucien tried to ignore the way that his panicked heart was beating painfully in his chest. He knew that Elain could hear it, would be listening to it, and that it was doing little to reassure her.

"Rian…?" Colm's voice held little patience left, and irritation was clear.

"You wanted a pet seer," Rian replied, "Now you have one. I'm sure you can use the other to bargain some kind of alliance with the Autumn Court."

"If you think Eris will have anything to do with you after this…" Ashk said as if she were speaking to some disobedient youngling, "You have an important lesson to learn."

"No, Lady." Colm replied, "If he has the best interests of his Court at heart, he will play nice."

"I don't think Eris has played nice in his life." Lucien spat, just about at the end of his own patience. "And I am through listening to your shit. You will release my mate and my mother, or I am going to tear you apart piece by piece."

"Do further exhibit why you are too feral to be the Heir…" Colm smiled condescendingly down at him, and Lucien bit back a snarl, "Raised in the Autumn Court, killing your own brothers, and then it's clear you spent too long with that beast in the Spring Court…"

"If you think you can look down your nose at the Autumn Court," Lucien ground out, "but then go and mimic what happened there barely months ago when Beron died…"

Colm gave a half-hearted shrug, "There has been much change in the leadership of most of the Courts over the last few centuries. It is always bloody. It is time for a change in the Day Court."

"Over my rotting corpse." Helion said dangerously low, "And you do not have it within you to kill me." Lucien eyed his father from the corner of his eye, while making sure he did not let Rian out of his sight. Helion had seen what these fae had done to his palace, to the Court. There were dozens of bodies of those who had served the High Lord daily laying on the ground only feet away. How could he be so sure that Colm was not capable of killing him? He seemed capable of just about anything to Lucien.

A shiver from Elain down the bond drew his attention back to her, and his focus sharpened. His mate and his mother deserved his full attention. He would let the others squabble over the throne; his first priority was to break that shield currently separating him from his family. As he focused on the shimmering hanging in the air, Lucien noticed Rian moving closer, watching him survey the shield, and Lucien did his best to ignore him.

"Lucien…" Elain said gently, and he met her eyes as she got to her feet, still holding onto his mother.

"Don't worry, Petal." He said, giving her what he hoped was a charming and reassuring grin, "This is nothing. I'll have you out in a moment."

"You think so?" Rian asked, smile as cold as his eyes. "Let's see you try."