Chapter 414

Elain sank gratefully into a plush armchair when Lucien directed her to do so. She felt thoroughly exhausted and, as she watched faeries hurrying about the room fetching this or that, she wondered how anyone was still on their feet. Feeling guilty that she wasn't also moving around doing useful things, Elain just watched. Since being moved up here, what was left of the Court had obviously been busy. Someone had pulled the heavy curtains back from the large floor to ceiling windows, letting bright daylight stream into the room, and that light illuminated so much Elain almost wished she couldn't see.

Couches had been turned into makeshift beds, although there were plenty of faeries lying on the carpeted floor. Many of them had what looked to be serious injuries, and Elain wondered just how many faeries of the Court had the ability to heal. She didn't know if there had been many before what had happened today, let alone how many there may be now. The sounds of pained groaning and crying seemed out of place with the quiet this room usually saw, and Elain felt even more useless as she sat there, not knowing how to be helpful if she even could.

Slowly, the Court began to notice Helion's presence, and a hush fell over them. Even those who had been crying out in pain seemed to grow quiet as they all looked to their High Lord.

"Thank the Cauldon," Someone muttered from nearby.

"Is he dead?" Another asked, and Helion just nodded his head.

"Are they gone?" This was Kera, and Elain looked at the blonde faerie sitting on the floor by the window. The other female's appearance was still surprising to Elain who had only ever seen her looking close to perfect, and she wondered yet again what Kera had gone through.

"That is what we need to make sure of." Helion said, "I want everyone who is not needed in here, and who is able, to meet me in the hallway in two minutes." Low murmuring met this announcement, and several of the males who had been sitting nearby got to their feet. Lucien turned toward his father, and Elain grabbed his wrist. He looked surprised when he glanced back around at her.

"Petal…?"

"You can heal…" she breathed, nodding her head toward the injured members of the Court. "Should you not stay?" She knew that, as the Heir, it was probably his role to accompany his father and the others to sweep the palace to make sure that there were none of Colm's people hiding anywhere, but she truly did not relish the idea of her mate disappearing from her sight already, having just gotten him back.

"I…" Lucien frowned, thinking for a moment, and Elain wondered if he even had the energy to heal anyone. What he and the High Lord had done would have cost a lot of power and she reached for the bond, trying to read him.

"Nobody is to go anywhere unaccompanied," Helion said as he approached his son, "Not until the Palace has been cleared." Amber eyes focused on his son then, and Elain felt herself holding her breath as she waited to see what the High Lord wanted from her mate.

"Should I… remain?" Lucien asked, "To assist with…" his hand swept in the direction of the injured and Helion nodded.

"Not only that," the older male said, voice dropping so as not to be overheard, "Your presence will bring reassurance when I have gone…"

Elain noticed then the soft whispering of what bordered on despair that the High Lord had re-joined them only to once again leave them. She supposed that the Heir remaining would offer some comfort.

"I see…" Lucien nodded once, his eyes, both russet and gold moving around the room quickly, golden eye clicking as he took in those who were currently watching both him and his father.

"I will leave Kaii and Siv with you." Helion said, "They will watch the door, and offer any assistance you require."

"I don't doubt it." Lucien replied as Ashk glided toward them.

"Apparently there are two Palace Healers left," She said, russet eyes on Helion, "The other two were killed downstairs. Healers from in the city have been sent for."

"Thank you." The High Lord said, and Elain did not miss the way that his hand brushed the sleeve of Ashk's dress. He turned then to two guards nearby and told them to go and escort the city healers when they arrived, before he looked back to Ashk and then his son. "I will return when the Palace is cleared." Ashk stood straight, her chin lifted slightly as she looked at him, and Elain wondered if anyone else had noticed the red-headed faerie's hands were shaking.

"We will await your return." The tone was one that had probably been used as the Lady of the Autumn Court for centuries.

Another hush fell in the room when the High Lord bent and pressed a gentle kiss to Ashk's cheek before he strode quickly for the hallway to meet those who would help him scour the Palace for any lingering threats. Elain looked up at Lucien to see her mate blinking rapidly before he met her eyes, his own a little wide.

"You need to eat something." He told her, and Elain glanced around the room. This was not the kitchen and she doubted that food was kept in here at all.

"I'm alright."

"No." Lucien gestured to Siv who approached quickly. "We need food in here." He said, "Choose one or two to go with you to the kitchens. Bring whatever you can find that is easy."

"On it." Siv nodded and hurried away to speak to two females who got to their feet, all smiles as they looked at him.

"I bet he could have asked them to do anything and they would have agreed…" Elain mused and Lucien nodded his head.

"I get that feeling too…" He looked down at her again, "Please do not move." He said, "I am going to see who needs healing most urgently. When the food arrives, please eat something."

"I will…" Elain agreed, her eyes finding Sheera as Lucien moved away. Her friend hurried for her, flinging olive arms around Elain's neck when she was close enough. "I am glad you are alright…" Elain said when she had been released and Sheera pulled back enough look at her face.

"Me too…" Sheera let out a sigh and Elain looked her over more closely. Her friend seemed unharmed.

"I am sorry…" She began gently, "You would not have had to endure all of this if I had not brought you here…"

"I imagine the day at my shop would have been less… intense." Sheera nodded, smiling at her. Elain could only manage a half smile in return, guilt settling in the pit of her stomach. If she had not befriended Sheera and gotten her involved at the Palace, her friend would not have nearly died. "But being here, knowing you, meeting the High Lord…" Sheera smiled again, "Getting to work for him and design and grow his gardens…" the smile grew even wider, "It is all worth that."

"I am glad that you think so." Elain felt the guilt ease within her. "The next time I get to visit another Court, you can come with me." She remembered that Helion had said it would be beneficial for Sheera to have exposure to other Courts and their gardens to better understand what he wanted.

"I am so excited for that." Sheera sat back on her heels. "There's blood on your face. Are you alright? Do you need anything?"

"Oh." Fingers coming up to her face, Elain wrinkled her nose when she felt the dried blood there.

"I'll get a washcloth…" Sheera got to her feet and hurried across the room to where most of the medical supplies had been brought in for the healers. Elain had just swept the room with her gaze, looking for Lucien when Tisia and Ales sat down at her feet.

"Thank you," Ales said and Elain looked at him. His hand was on Tisia's lower back and he didn't seem to want to move more than a few inches away from the dark-haired faerie. "I know that I would be dead now if it were not for what you did."

"You are welcome," Elain said, and it took her a moment to realise that he was talking about when she had distracted Rian and Colm with her fake vision so that Ales would not be killed in front of all of them. "I am glad that you are both okay." She took the wet cloth that Sheera had then presented to her and began rubbing it carefully over her face, trying to get the blood off of her skin.