Page 53 of Fae Tithe

Lance’s hands moved. “I didn’t bring anything this time. I usually do.”

Helena gave the slightest chuckle, still conscious of letting her sleeping daughter rest. “You do,” she signed in agreement. “I want to let you know, that even though I am angry that you did not tell me that you are the High Prince of the Sea, I understand why you didn’t. I can understand why you thought it was best to keep us safe. In your own way, you were drawing your Circle of protection around mine. You were doing what you thought was best to keep our family safe. I wish you had told me before we went into Tithe Manor—”

“I should have, and I’m so sorry,” he interjected with a flick of his hands, a flush of shame across his cheeks.

Helena nodded at his apology. “I don’t like information being kept from me. I should have known as much as possible before I made a decision like that. I was desperate, and that was why I took the option Declan gave us.”

Lance’s small smile cracked into a toothy grin, his hands moving excitedly. “Does this mean we are alright? Us, I mean?”

Helena nearly snorted in response to his puppy-like eagerness, his enthusiasm diluting her anger. “I’m furious with you. I will need time to understand and process it all. We all need each other right now, but once we’re out of Solas, I will need to talk about this again, and as many times as I need to. You will need to accept that,” she signed, letting out a long breath. “I know that you just saved us, Lance. It was the bravest thing I’ve seen. You stood against the six Seelie, one of them the King.” Helena’s hands dropped to her side, clenching and unclenching, emotions whirling in her mind.

“Anything you need. I will give anything to help you feel like you can trust me fully again. I will talk about it and answer any questions you have, as many times as it takes,” Lance signed. The High Prince’s expression grew soft as he stood from the armchair. “Can I hug you?” His hands shook.

Helena considered for a moment, before nodding in agreement. He tentatively wound his arms around the small of Helena’s back. The Merman let out a long sigh when she willingly leant into his chest.

He pressed his lips to her ear and whispered so lightly she could barely hear him. “With the Seelies? You did it too, sweetheart. No magic, injured, exhausted, and you fought against them.”

Helena pressed a kiss to his cheek, his short beard scratching at her lips. She felt his arms tremble, slumping onto her with exhaustion. She gently pushed him back down to the chair and poured him another cup of water.

The Merman nodded as he took it from her, quickly knocking it back. He placed it gently on the table with a slight tap.

“Thank you,” he signed.

“Rest,” Helena gestured back.

“Your wounds?” Lance signed, making a move to stand again.

“Absolutely not!” Her hands moved quickly, pushing him back down softly. “I’m alright for the moment. Rest, drink some more water, and then see how you feel.”

Lance nodded, his eyelids closing. Before Helena could even turn around, he was already snoring gently, his head leaning back into the chair.

Helena settled onto the bed next to her daughter. Her eyes had barely shut before they opened again. Eleanor had jolted awake, whimpering.

Helena blinked away her drowsiness. “El? What is it?”

All lethargy left Helena when she saw Eleanor digging her fingernails into her flawless skin, alternating between her chest and forehead. A panicked look danced in her daughter’s eyes.

Helena shifted from her reclined positioned and sat up, back against the wall. “Are you alright? What happened?”

Eleanor met her gaze. “The King… he’ll never let me go.”

“But… Lance.” Helena turned her head to the Merman’s sleeping form. The High Prince’s head lolled back onto the chair, his mouth open as he snored. “You’re under his protection,” she whispered.

“He said, the moment Lance goes back to the sea, he’ll come for me.” Eleanor tapped her chest and then forehead with her finger. “Rian did something to me when we first met, so he can talk to me in my head, in my nightmares. He pulls me to him, Mum, and I don’t know how long I can fight it for. I think he could even use it to find me.” Eleanor’s eyelids dropped, her head bobbing. “I’m so tired, but he won’t leave me alone… what am I going to do?”

Helena swallowed. She patted her own shoulder, inviting her daughter to rest her head. Eleanor leant her temple there, relaxing into her mother. “Sometimes, the only thing we can do is the next right thing, and for all of us… that’s to try and rest before we leave this Faedamn city,” Helena reassured.

“But… what about the King?” Eleanor mumbled sleepily against her shirt.

Yes, what about the King? Helena squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her jaw. “One way or another, I will deal with it. I promise.”

Her daughter murmured something into the sweep of her neck, gentle breaths tickling her skin. Helena blinked back tears as she let Eleanor settle back into sleep. Her heart rate galloped, chest rising and falling in panicked breaths.

I won’t let what happened to me, happen to her. Helena squeezed back the tears that threatened to fall. She doesn’t belong to anyone but herself. She has hopes, dreams, and she needs to have the chance to make them come true.

She shifted from underneath Eleanor, slowly lowering the Changeling’s head to a pillow. Helena gritted her teeth when her daughter mumbled and scratched at her chest before rolling over. She scooted forward on the bed and planted her feet on the rug. Helena put her head between her knees, biting back a sob.

Get it together. Concentrate. Breathe. El needs you to figure this out. You can’t let him take her back. If having a High Prince protect her isn’t enough to keep her safe from the King… what is? She breathed deeply in and out, slowing her panicked pulse.