Page 114 of A Soul’s Awakening

“No!” she heard Lance yell over a muffled fight behind her.

Helena’s head spun. She squinted through the armoured legs of the Manor Guard who had thrown her down. She saw Fae being shoved as Lance tried to push his way through, nearly reaching her. Helena could feel something else magical crackling in the room, not from the observing Seelies, making the hairs on her arms rise. It was a power she had felt from the Merman before, but not as strong as this.

“You think there is anything? Anything you could give?” Helena bristled as she staggered to her feet, the room tilting sickeningly as she regained her balance. “I will kill you for this,” she promised, wiping blood from her forehead.

For a heartbeat, the room stilled.

His hazel eyes flashing with scorn, a blonde-haired Seelie Lord let a gasp. “You… you just directly threatened the King, in front of the rest of the Seelie Lords.”

“I did.” Helena lifted her chin in defiance.

Blood ran down her face and dripped loudly onto the tiles at her boots. Rage left her limbs trembling, and she hoped they did not think it was fear that made her shake.

“Mum, please! Stop,” Eleanor choked out. She took several steps forward. “Please, Your Grace. I will come with you. I won’t fight. I won’t argue. Just, please, let them go.”

“A direct threat to His Grace is considered the most grievous of crimes in Seelieland. It is punishable by immediate execution,” the Seelie Lord in green intoned. He gestured with a wave of his hand to the Fae guard who had knocked Helena to the floor.

The guard drew his sword from his hip.

“No!” Eleanor screamed, diving in the way of the blade.

Helena shoved her back.

“ENOUGH!”

A tidal blast of water exploded across the chamber. It hit with a brutal force, a roaring wall that shoved every Fae around Lance off their feet. Helena threw up an arm against the spray, staggering back as soaked bodies slammed into the blood-red walls with bone-jarring cracks. The guard above her froze for a moment, blade raised, eyes flicking towards the chaos.

It was enough.

Helena surged forward, ducking beneath the arc of his sword. She rammed her shoulder into his chest, feeling the impact jolt through her bones. Her hand shot up and knocked the blade from his grasp. It clattered across the tiles.

He reeled backwards, tripping over his own boots, crashing to the floor. His jaw hung open, stunned.

Helena was already moving.

She spun, seized her daughter’s wrist, and yanked her to her feet. They ran as another blast of magic cracked through the air. She did not look back. She dragged her daughter with her, straight to where Lance stood, water dripping from his outstretched hands.

“Are the guards dead?” she bit out.

“Not all of them,” he grunted.

He lifted his hand. Water blossomed from his palm and spread, creating a protective dome of water. The Merman dropped his hand and clenched it into a fist. His condition did not escape Helena’s notice. His chest heaved and his limbs trembled, dark circles surrounding his eyes.

Lance gave her a firm nod, before turning his attention to the Seelie Court.

King Rian blinked down at Lance and narrowed his scarlet gaze.

“High Prince! I have not seen you since you were crowned. You were just a pup then. I did not recognise you at first, but I would know your magic anywhere,” he said, his lip quirking upwards.

Lance’s eyes, as dark as the void between the stars, met with Rian’s. The Seelie King returned the stare, his brown eyes enflamed with a sunburst of Dragon Fire. The crackling power of the opposing elemental magic between the monarchs was palpable. It drowned out the residual abilities of the remaining unconscious guards and the Seelie Lords, who looked on in shock.

Rian did not tear his gaze from Lance as he opened his mouth. “My Lords, may I introduce High Prince Fathom-Abyss of the Seafolk, of Nautilus Sea Court, the largest known ocean territory, and the diplomatic delegate to Seelieland.”

“King. Lords,” Lance addressed with a nod, his face neutral. Inwardly, he cringed at the way Seeliespeak butchered his names and title. “May I ask why you have decided to steal a member of my court?” He gestured to Eleanor, who stood a step behind him on his right. “And why you assaulted and attempted to kill her mother, who merely tried to retrieve her daughter, who is also a member of my court?” He glanced over his shoulder to his left and caught a glimpse of Helena out of the corner of his eye. She wore a blank expression, seemingly careful to not betray anything, but he noticed her shift awkwardly.

“Court members?” The Seelie King scoffed. “Hardly. The mother is human peasantry. The daughter, through her father, just scrapes by as low-level human aristocracy.”

“The mother is my intended. We are to be Bound. The daughter is my adopted ward, by virtue of our intended Binding,” Lance continued smoothly, his face neutral. He felt Helena shift behind him again. This was not how the Merman had intended for this to be revealed. He knew that if they made it out alive, he would have a lot of explaining to do. “This family is therefore, by default, members of the Nautilus Sea Court, and under my protection.”