Chapter 489

Feyre's fingers dug into Elain's shoulder and Elain knew that her sister was not letting go this time. Lucien had tried to step back, but Cassian had moved into him, and the two of them were struggling with one another below. With a grunt, Elain tugged at Feyre's elbow. Her own grip was tight, and she knew that neither of the would be relinquishing their hold this time, and it was only going to end when one of them hit water.

"I hadn't expected you to put up such a fight, Elain." Feyre's voice was clipped, and Elain could hear her sister's struggle in her voice.

"I'm aware." Elain replied, "You have always thought I was weak."

"Not weak." Feyre said, "Just…" she grunted, tugging Elain again, "Unwilling… to… fight back…"

"I'll fight when there's something I need to defend." Elain said, defensiveness flaring within her. "I've never enjoyed conflict or violence, and I still don't." She told Feyre, trying to pull her sister forward, "But I have a future that I will fight for now…" She felt Feyre shift, and pulled again, "My mate…"

Feyre frowned at her, fingers tightening on Elain's shoulder, "And your future wasn't worth fighting for before?"

"We didn't have a future before." She thought about when they'd lived in squalor, starving and freezing. She hadn't seen a way out of that, had lived in her daydreams, waiting for change, for something else. She knew now that she had been waiting for Lucien, and now she had come alive.

"I suppose I disagree." Feyre tugged at her, and Elain felt herself slip a little. She couldn't help the squeak that escaped her, and she felt Cassian try to move, but found himself still entangled with Lucien. Feyre had made a noise of satisfaction and redoubled her efforts, and Elain tried to get her sister's hands off of her, but couldn't break her hold, and then she felt herself fall. Stubbornly, she grabbed hold of Feyre as she fell, pulling her sister with her.

For a moment, Elain's hold on Feyre held her suspended, but then her sister's centre of balance shifted and they both went. Elain shrieked, but then tried to draw breath, expecting to hit the water and be submerged. But it didn't happen. With a start, she realised that Lucien held her, had caught her before she could hit the water, and she looked up at him in surprise as a splash sounded around them and water droplets sprayed into the air. Her mate gave her a satisfied smile, and then Cassian sounded a whoop from nearby, proclaiming their victory as Feyre came up spluttering.

"She fell first." The Lady of the Night Court declared.

"Yeah, but you're the one who hit the water." Cassian chuckled, wrapping his arm around Feyre's shoulders. "And that means that Elain and I win."

"Is that what you believe?" Feyre coughed, pushing her wet hair back from her face and Cassian chuckled again.

"You know it is."

Elain shook her head as Lucien set her back on her feet and she wrapped one of her own arms around his waist, unwilling to lose the comforting contact with her mate. She knew that this had been a game, but she felt as if grappling with Feyre had led things a little too close to home. Perhaps this wasn't a game she would enjoy after all. She should have known. Violence had never sat well with her. There was a reason that she grew flowers and gardens; she thrived in a much more peaceful setting.

"Seems like we attracted quite the audience." Lucien commented, and it was only then that Elain noticed the throngs of faeries who had gathered alongside the pool, near to where Nesta sat watching them, but not too near.

"I'm sure it was quite the spectacle." Elain replied, noting the way Nesta's attention seemed to switch between them and the female faeries who were muttering appreciatively about Cassian, audible even from a distance.