Then she peels herself off and resumes her walk.

She can't afford to be seen yet.

If Kent were to see her…

She'd lose her nerve and she can't afford that.

She locates the flight of stairs exactly where she knew it'd be.

She casts another glance around before beginning her ascent.

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There's a part of her, however small, that would welcome a sword to the back right now.

The rest of her keeps her moving.

She has to see this done.

She hesitates at the top of the staircase.

Is she sure she wants to do this?

Kent would never forgive her.

She shakes her head.

She has no choice now.

She pushes open the innocuous looking door and walks into the luxurious bedroom.

Even though she knows what she'll find, the strategist in her can't help but catalogue the occupants of the room.

Two mages stand guard, waiting for any cue to attack her and on the bed…

There sits Eri, the telepath.

Her eyes are closed, no doubt, in deep concentration.

Still, Eri has to know Helena is there.

She has to hear her.

Eri's eyes slowly open and focus on Helena.

"So the silent one must be Sonia. Did you really think such a simple deception would change anything?"

Helena shakes her head 'no'.

Giving Sonia the necklace had been a desperate move but not one that could affect the outcome of this particular battle.

It was merely a distraction.

In fact everything in place now can be seen as a distraction.

The battle - the real battle - is supposed to be the one here.

Eri's mouth twitches in a mockery of a smile.

"You really think you can sway me?"

Helena's eyes flicker to the mages standing guard and she shakes her head 'no' once again.

She merely wanted to be certain.

The way the Telepath curls an arm around her abdomen protectively tells Helena that she caught that stray thought.

"I suppose congratulations are in order."

The words. .h.i.t a nerve as she knew they would.

"Now you understand why I cannot betray my king - not when his child grows within me."

Eri's words are steely but Helena can feel how conflicted she is.

No doubt Helena is giving off a similar mix of emotions.

She had hoped…

"Did you really think the only thing driving me was revenge against House Auron?"

After all, the telepath had been taken as one of the spoils of war once Lord Auron killed her far more skilled father.

If she still resented the events it would have been old hat to redirect her hatred towards the king who commanded Lord Auron.

Helena even considered doing the unthinkable - the one thing she swore she would never do again - by cutting the threads that allow Eri to feel. But here and now faced with the truth, her conscience won't allow her to do that to an innocent child.

And Eri...

She has something to protect.

Helena cannot hope to win against that.

All she can do is surrender.