Chapter 601

Dinner passed quickly, and Elain enjoyed the merriment swirling all around them. She had kept one eye on Helion up the end of the table, just in case he tried to disappear before she and Lucien had a chance to speak with him, but the High Lord barely took his eyes off of Ashk. Elain understood why Lucien enjoyed watching them, it was nice to see that they were so obviously enraptured with one another. Especially knowing that they had been kept apart for centuries. She also wondered if perhaps the two might be mates, and if and when the mating bond might make itself known. With that thought crossing her mind, Elain glanced again at Lucien sitting beside her. Even now, without reaching too much for her own bond, she could feel that it was somehow veiled. Elain did not know what had caused it, but she rather suspected that Vassa had something to do with it. Had the mortal woman tried to somehow sever the bond between Elain and Lucien? Was that even possible? Feyre had once pretended that her own bond with Rhys had been broken, but that had been false. Fear stirred in Elain like ashes, and she closed her eyes at the thought. More than being the single most precious thing in the world to her, she needed that bond. She knew that, even without the bond, she would still love Lucien and still choose to be with him, but she had not forgotten that the bond was what they had used to anchor her mind. She feared what would happen to her with her Seer abilities if that was severed. How long would it be until she lost herself to that dark place?

When Helion got to his feet, it was signal to all that dinner was over, and it was now an option to leave the table. Almost at once, several dozen faeries got to their feet and moved toward the space that had been set aside for dancing. There would be about a half hour, Elain had told them, to allow others to finish their meal and relax, before the performance and entertainment began. Light music began as Helion took Ashk's hand, and the two of them ignored the soft murmur that moved among the fae as they began to dance.

"They look completely unaware of anyone else here." Vivian's voice startled Elain and she turned to give a smile to her friend.

"It's nice, isn't it?"

"Very much." Viviane nodded, "I always felt sorry for her. When she visited the Winter Court with Beron. Even when I was young, I could see the pain in her eyes."

"Do you think they're mates?" Elain asked. She had wondered if Lucien had thought about it, but she wanted Viviane's opinion as another mated female.

"It is possible." Viviane replied softly, "But, even if they are not… They deserve to enjoy this. And it appears they enjoy it very much."

"Yes." Elain agreed, "Even if they are not mates, it clearly does not lessen the love they have for one another."

"The mating frenzy though…" Viviane appeared to struggle keeping her voice down or the laugher from bursting from her. "Imagine Helion…" The words were choked out and Elain felt her eyes widen and her cheeks heat.

"I do not…" She breathed, closing her eyes to block the mental images out, "need to be picturing my mate's father involved in a mating frenzy."

"Sorry…" Viviane breathed, her hand over her mouth to keep further laughter in. "I am sorry… but… oh, wow."

Elain pushed the thoughts away. It was only too easy to picture just how intense Helion would be during a mating frenzy.