Chapter 608
Elain felt herself trembling so much she would have sworn her ribs were shaking inside her chest. Drawing a steadying breath, she made herself nod as she looked down at her mate one last time. "Alright," she said, "I love you." She wanted to say that to him just in case she did this wrong. She wanted to have told him once more in case he would never hear her say it again. She knew she was being dramatic, but her absolute worst fear in that moment was not doing this correctly and somehow damaging Lucien's mind.
"As I love you, Petal." He knew what she feared, and still he trusted her to do this. Lucien did not think she would hurt him, that was clear, and Elain tried to tell herself that if he thought she could do this, then she could. She would. Elain would cut away any disgusting traces of Vassa's selfish magic, and free Lucien from that taint.
Closing her eyes, Elain reached for the bond. She could see it between them, not so long while they were so close to one another. "It's stronger when you're touching me." She told him, and then felt his hand move up her arm to her elbow. Elain smiled when she heard Lucien's soft chuckle.
"Then I will do my part to assist you, Lady." His other hand came to rest on her thigh, tracing slowly upward and then back down. "It is the least I could do."
The bond was brighter now, and Elain grasped it, following it. She could see where Helion had cut away the blue web. It had seemed effortless as she had watched the High Lord go about his task, and she hoped that she found as easy as he had made it look. What if she missed some? Elain hadn't thought about the consequences if that. If some of the web remained, would her mate be always connected to Vassa in some way? Would the bond always be dimmed? It was not something she was going to allow to happen.
Moving deeper, Elain began winding some of the bond around herself. She was beyond the physical distance between them and had followed the thread now inside her mate. She knew that it would lead her to Lucien's core, to that place where the very essence of him resided, and an odd curiosity awoke within her. She wondered how that would be presented. What would it look like? She wondered just how much of Vassa's spell had gotten that deeply into him.
"Have you found it?" Lucien's voice seemed distant and Elain paused as she realised that he was speaking to her.
"Nearly." Her own voice echoed back to her and she reached one of her physical hands out to him. Silk moved beneath her fingers and she realised that she must have touched his hair.
"Keep going… I can feel you approaching…"
It was a door Elain came to, and she frowned as she looked at the blue web draping the whole thing. She knew she would not be able to get through without clearing the web away first and she blinked in surprise at the small blade she suddenly found in her hand. Hesitantly, she approached the door, looking at it curiously. It was wooden and ornate; something one might expect to find in a doorway in the Autumn Court. Under the door she could see a faint glow, warm light spilling out, and she smiled as she imagined what that could be.
Reaching out, Elain focused on one of the larger blue strands of the web. This one was attached to the coppery looking door handle, and she knew that it would have to go. She was surprised by the physical sensation when she took hold of the strand, and she gasped. She had not expected to feel anything at all, but she felt as if a hole had opened up in the bottom of her stomach and everything was being sucked out. Startled, she released the web and stared at it.