Chapter 467

Elain got to her own feet as Feyre was trying her best to keep Rhys from moving forward. The High Lord of the Night Court was snarling, focused entirely upon Lucien who stood nearby, motionless, and Elain felt the entire room shift beneath her. Slipping past Nesta who tried to grab her, Elain darted across the room, putting herself between Lucien and Rhys. She pressed back against Lucien, and his firm chest at her back was as reassuring as she had hoped it would be as she stared up at Rhys. Those violet eyes, which she had only ever seen directed at her filled with warmth and kindness, chilled her now, and Elain swallowed thickly. She was not getting out of the way. She was going to remain in front of her mate and, if Rhys intended to hurt Lucien, he was going to have to go through her to do it.

"Rhys, stop it." Feyre pulled on Rhys' arm again and he allowed her to pull him backward a step. There was still coldness in his eyes, though and Elain shuddered. One of Lucien's arms wound around her waist, and she felt him half lifting her, as he moved her to the side. She twisted to remain in front of him, still watching Rhys. "Think about what you're doing." Feyre told her mate, and Elain cringed as Lucien actually laughed out loud. She knew, without having to ask him, that he found that advice from Feyre a bit rich considered the fact that she never seemed to think about what she was doing.

"You think this is funny?" Rhys asked, violet eyes directed over Elain's head at Lucien.

"I really don't." Lucien replied flatly, "But you should follow Feyre's advice even if she doesn't follow it herself." Rhys took several quick steps toward them then, and Elain found herself standing between the two males, with a hand pushed out to each. She knew that if it occurred to either of them to use any kind of magic, that there would be no getting out of the way for her. Fortunately, they seemed content to stare and snarl at one another, and that quickly grated on her nerves. There were more important things to be thinking about and worrying about than whatever the fuck this was.

Shoving Rhys hard, Elain was surprised, and more than a little impressed, at the fact that he took two steps back. His violet eyes flicked down to look at her, and his raised eyebrows told her that he was surprised, too. "Stop it!" She snapped, steading herself. "You're acting like animals."

"You think so?" Rhys asked, voice quiet.

"Yes." Elain replied, lifting her chin and meeting his eyes. "You're letting primal instinct drive you. Use your brain instead." Rhys just looked at her, and she could see the moment he actually engaged his brain and began to think.

"Never let it be said that I will allow someone to insult my mate…" He looked then at Lucien, and Elain hoped that her own mate would hold his tongue. When Lucien said nothing, Rhys took another step back, and Feyre began pulling at him again.

"Feyre's skin isn't that thin." Nesta put in from where she still by the couch she had been sitting upin with Elain not long ago. "And one would hope that she can take a little criticism of her actions. Considering how often she acts before putting thought into the consequences."

"You've always thought that." Feyre muttered, lowering herself back into her seat.

"I'm not the only one, clearly." Nesta nodded her head in Lucien's direction, and Elain glanced over her shoulder at her mate's handsome face.

"What Feyre did was stupid…" Elain said, and she felt the surprise from just about everyone in the room, "But it was not done maliciously."

"I think we can agree on that." Helion said. "I will accept the fact that you did not send a spy into my court to spy on what was happening here. This time." He looked steadily at Feyre and Rhys, "The next time you send a spy here, however, it will be considered an act of war against the Day Court."