Chapter 404

The way that Rian moved slowly along the dais and then down the stairs made Elain uncomfortable. His cold eyes were completely focused upon Lucien, and the way that his mouth quirked just about made her skin crawl. There was no way that anyone in their right mind would have put Rian in a position of power. If Colm had been truthful in his promise to name him heir then he was insane too. If Amala ended up having to marry Rian, then Elain felt even more sorry for her, for it was clear that any life shackled to the dark-haired male currently drawing even closer to her, would be a life of torment and suffering. Elain doubted there was any kindness in Rian at all, no matter how deeply one looked. She also did not like the way that Rian was looking at her mate.

Rian's eyes traced every movement that Lucien made, flicking back and forth as if sizing him up, which, Elain figured, was exactly what he was doing. As Rian drew closer, Ashk once again put herself between Elain and the male, flames coming to life as Lucien's had.

"You Autumn Court fae." Rian snickered, "Over and over, you'll try the same tactics expecting a different result."

"The Autumn Court has never been easy to dominate. We are not submissive." Ashk replied defiantly, "We will not be submissive and just let anyone walk over us. We will not give in."

"I did admire the persistence." Rian said, his hands spread wide. Elain followed their path, her breath caught in her throat, uncertain what he would do. If he had a fairly strong shield ability, she wondered what else he was capable of. It did not sit comfortably with her that she and Ashk were cut off from Lucien while Rian moved closer, but those cold eyes were once again on Lucien, not on her or Ashk, and that at least was something.

It was Lucien he saw as his rival. Lucien who was currently the heir to the Day Court, a position that Rian coveted, and it was Lucien that Rian evidently thought he needed out of his way. Having seen the dark-haired faerie's cruelty, worry and anxiety twisted Elain's stomach as she watched the two males staring at one another. Lucien had gone so very still, and she wondered if he was even breathing, as the only thing that moved were his eyes as he traced Rian's movement closer. The tight way he held himself reminded her of the night she had walked into Rhys' kitchen to find Lucien standing in the dark. He had gone still like this while trying to control himself at the scent of her, trying to control some predatory nature within him, and she figured that something of that nature was moving through him again.

Reaching for the bond, Elain brushed against that golden thread in her mind. Protect! Protect! Protect! She understood then. He needed to protect her, and his mother, and yet Rian's shield stood between them. That instinct would not lessen, and Elain could just about see Lucien shuddering as it pushed him to act while there was nothing he could do. He moved then, two short steps took him to the edge of the shield, and one hand lifted as if to touch hit. Elain opened her mouth to protest before Lucien could touch it, for she was certain that something nasty would happen if he did, but Lucien lowered his hand, his eyes still on Rian.

"Come on, Heir." Rian drawled, "I have your mate, and your mother." Elain looked at Rian then, his face twisted into a wide smirk, "What are you going to do about it?"

Lucien moved quickly, striking the shield with one of his blades. There was a crackle and flash like lightening and that blade went skittering across the floor while Lucien shook his hand and swore. Rian laughed. "And your reputation said that you were clever."

"Did it?" Lucien looked the shield over quickly, his metallic eye clicking and whirring, and Elain wondered what he could see with that eye that she could not.

"Just another Autumn Court brute." Rian went on, "Are you certain you're not Beron's son?" Russet and gold eyes flicked back to Rian, and Elain could easily read the anger there. She felt the flush of heat down the bond as he tried to reign that emotion in, and then his face cleared and he stood a little straighter. "Perhaps you need more motivation…"

Ashk's flames flared, and Elain whirled as Rian grabbed the older female, pulling her arms around behind her back and securing them with something. Those flames went out, and Elain wondered if Ashk needed her hands free to be able to wield that magic. Ashk struggled, and Elain looked quickly around them for anything she might use against Rian. "Sit down, Lady," The male growled, pushing Ashk down on the stairs, "Or I will make you sit down." Ashk looked enraged, but Rian's hand forced her down on the stairs. The look that crossed Lucien's mother's face then was followed by the most feral snarl that Elain had ever heard or seen, but Rian seemed completely unphased. "Stay." He told her, and flicked his fingers. Another shimmery form appeared in the air, and Elain gasped as it appeared to wrap itself around Ashk, binding her and holding her in place. Ashk snarled again, trying to wrench herself free, and language Elain had not yet heard from the older female streamed from her mouth.

Lucien's snarl met his mother's, the sound of both of them reverberating around them in the air, and Elain took a hasty step back when Rian moved for her. The last time he'd had hold of her, he had punched her in the face and thrown her down the stairs, and she just knew that this time would be worse. Fear slithered its way up her spine and she looked to Lucien who moved along the shield until he stood right behind her, though still unable to touch her. Elain's own fear was reflected in her mate's russet eye, and she swallowed thickly. Rian swore then when Ashk kicked at him, unable to do more as she was still bound, and he stepped around her, still moving for Elain.

Rian's eyes were not focused on Elain as he approached her, but rather he looked at Lucien over her head. Lucien's anxiety flowed freely down the bond, and she looked over her shoulder at him, before edging to the right along the shield. She didn't think that she would be able to get away from Rian but she couldn't just stand still. Before she had even seen him make the choice, the dark haired male had closed the distance between them and grabbed her by the forearm. A small cry tried to escape Elain as she jumped in shock, but she choked it back, looking up at him. Those cold eyes were still on Lucien, who had followed Elain along the shield, and her mate was growling again. As Elain watched, Lucien struck the shield once more, losing another blade as it was flung away, and then he threw handful after handful of flames at the centre of the shield. The shield shimmered as it appeared to absorb the flames, and Rian gave another chuckle while Elain could feel Lucien's growing panic as he couldn't get through the shield, couldn't get to her.

One of Rian's hands gripped Elain by the back of her neck, and he forced her to face the shield, looking at Lucien. "You see…" Rian crooned, pushing Elain within millimetres of the shield, just out of Lucien's reach, "You cannot even protect your own mate; how would you ever protect the Day Court?"

Lucien stopped throwing whatever he could at the shield and he moved closer again, ignoring Rian as he met Elain's eyes. She held his gaze, listening to his heartbeat, could feel his desperation and despair. She could feel his confidence wavering, and that old doubt creeping back in and through him.

"I would say you should go back to the Autumn Court," Rian said almost conversationally, "But I am going to kill you…" his hand squeezed the back of Elain's neck, "…and your little mate will earn her keep as the High Lord's personal seer." Lucien's expression shifted but he didn't look away from Elain and, though she winced in pain, she held his gaze steadily.

"Lucien…" Elain breathed, "You are not Beron's son…"