"Let him go," she says to Lace.

"You will forget you saw us. You will go to the other members of your coven and kill as many as you can."

She steps back.

He rises, nodding, and repeating Elana's instructions back to her.

"Go," she dismisses him.

He leaves.

"Not entirely a waste of time," Lace says.

"No, not entirely."

"Mostly because it was short."

"Want to keep moving on?"

"That would be best. We will find no rest here."

Serious nod. And: onward, out of Solitude. It's still early, and no one accosts them.

"I don't think we should go in together."

"Why not?"

"Harkon is expecting us both. If it is only me... He may grow overconfident. If you use the sewer entrance while I go in the front, you can ambush him from the inside."

She nods. "Alright."

"Stay safe until I catch up, alright?"

"It's a promise."

Kiss. "I'll keep you to it."

Mm, kiss.

She grins.

And, once they've docked at the island, she slips into the sewer entrance.

And Elana walks up to the front gates like she owns the place. Which she does, in a manner of speaking.

There's a guard at the gate, who challenges her. "What is your business here, Lady Elana?" he calls.

"Must I have business now to enter my own home? Open the gates and step aside, fool."

"Lord Harkon has been waiting," he says, almost warningly - but does so, getting deftly out of her way.

She does not deign to respond to that, entering without looking at him again.

Harkon is presiding over his court within.

He stands when Elana enters, spreading his arms a bit. "Ah, my prodigal daughter returns," he says, voice pleasant with an undertone of venom. "It is good to see you well, Elana."

"Father." She stands at the top of the stairs, not quite entering the room. "I have returned, despite Mother's best efforts."

"Yes. It is rather a pity she turned out to be a traitor to our cause."

"Mm." She sweeps just gaze across the room. "I see we are missing a few faces. Traitors also?"