Chapter 529

It was later than she had expected when the announcement came that Queen Vassa was approaching the Palace, and Elain half considered going to bed. She didn't think she really needed to be here to witness whatever show the mortal woman was going to put on upon arrival. But then, Elain thought, what would Vassa think about the fact that Lucien would be there to greet her, but Elain would not be. Would that be a signal to the Queen that Elain was uninterested and that she was free to make another pursuit? Elain was not having that. She might be tired, but she was going to be standing right there when Vassa walked in. The message was going to be clear; Lucien belonged to Elain.

"How's the jealousy going?" Feyre asked Elain softly. "Has it begun pricking at you yet?"

"Not yet." Elain replied, trying to picture just where in the Palace Vassa was right now. She suspected that the jealousy would flare the moment she saw the redheaded Queen, but she hoped that it wouldn't.

"Petal?"

Elain turned to see Lucien had returned to her side from where he had stood beside his father on the dais. "Yes?"

"Join me?" he asked, holding a hand out to her. Elain did not hesitate to take his offered hand, and her heart raced in her chest when Lucien led her back up to stand beside him as he resumed his spot by the throne. She knew why he had done it, and she desperately hoped that Vassa got the point when she walked in here and saw them standing together beside the High Lord. The message should be clear enough. Helion had the power here, and Lucien was his heir. Beside that, holding Elain's hand as he stood with her, declared to everyone present that they were a joined force. They belonged to one another. Vassa would have to be stupid not to get the point, and Elain did not think that the mortal Queen was stupid.

"She's taking her time." Elain breathed when the doors remained closed for several more minutes.

"Any moment now." Lucien replied and, sure enough, the doors creaked and then swung open.

Jurien was the first through, and a dissatisfied and disapproving hum moved through the Day Court. Evidently they knew who he was by sight, and they were not enthusiastic to have him here. Ignoring that, though, Elain's gaze went back to the doors as vibrant red hair came into view. She really was lovely. Elain didn't remember if she had properly taken into consideration just how pretty Vassa was the last time they had met. Had Elain even seen it then? She saw it now. For a mortal, Vassa was stunning. Elain didn't even want to think about how devastating Vassa would be if she had been made High Fae.

Vassa moved forward, her eyes moving around the whole room. Elain remembered how much this room had struck her the first time she had walked through those doors with Lucien, and that was after she had seen all the other Courts of Prythian. Vassa had seen none of those, so it was likely that she was being utterly shocked by what she saw around her. Elain smiled at that.

"Queen Vassa." Helion's voice broke through the low hum of the room, and everyone went silent and still, watching and listening as their High Lord addressed Vassa. "You are welcome to the Day Court."

"Thank you." Vassa came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs, where everyone else had stopped and she smiled up at Helion. "I find this place so utterly enchanting."