Chapter 560
Lucien was still smiling at Eris when his brother suddenly glanced past Lucien, raising both eyebrows. He felt Elain then, approaching from behind and he turned to her as Eris cleared his throat. "I know that look on a female's face." Eris sounded a little wary, and Lucien didn't blame him. Elain was frowning deeply as she approached and, behind him, Eris took a few steps back. "I…" Eris cleared his throat again, "might go and see where Nera has ended up…"
"I… also have… somewhere to be." Helion added slowly. "Not here…"
Both of them were gone then, and Lucien stood alone as Elain reached him. "Where did they disappear off to?" She asked, and Lucien shook his head.
"They were scared off by that look on your face." He said honestly, and Elain raised her own eyebrows as she looked up at him.
"What look?" she asked.
"You looked very serious…"
"Oh." She nodded, relaxing a little and the frown evened out a bit. "I just had a rather interesting conversation with Vassa out in the garden."
"Did you?"
"Yes…" She looked at him silently for a moment before she went on. "We do need to talk about why she is here."
Lucien did not like the sound of that at all. Not the conversation with Elain, he knew that they would always be able to discuss any topic with one another, but if Elain was this concerned with Vassa's intentions in coming to the Day Court, then something had to be wrong. "Should be not have invited her?" he asked, and Elain linked her arm through his, leaning into his side a little.
"Perhaps we should discuss this elsewhere…" She said, and he nodded his agreement. It probably wouldn't do to have discussions of this nature that could be overheard by anyone from any Court. While Lucien thought that he would trust each of the High Lords, he did not know everyone they had brought with them from their own Courts. He had never met several of them before, and he did not know about the depth of their allegiances. Any of them could have motives of their own and cause more trouble than he was prepared for. By the sounds of it, Vassa was going to be enough. "Are we allowed to… leave?"
Lucien nodded, glancing around the room. Faeries had been coming and going all evening and, although he was meant to be the host, he supposed that he and Elain wouldn't be missed for a while. Even if she did not return, as long as he showed his face for a few minutes later before the official end of the evening, all would be well. Moving for the door, Lucien steered Elain toward the hallway. "I am a little surprised that you and Vassa had a conversation." He said, "I didn't think you were seeking her company…"
"I didn't." Elain replied, "She found me, claiming that we didn't know one another well."
"I see."
"She thinks I am weak." Elain told him and he saw her dark eyes glance up at him as they strode up the hallway.
"Her mistake." He replied, giving his mate's arm a little squeeze. He knew that Elain was certainly not weak. Not after everything she had been though.
"That was not all she told me." Elain said, and Lucien bit his lip. He knew that Vassa had come with the hopes of her curse being broken by Helion, but evidently there had been other motives he'd been unaware of. They approached the doors to their room and he tried to ready himself for whatever Elain was about to tell him.