Chapter 292

Elain lay comfortably, her head resting on Lucien's shoulder, with one of her arms wrapped around his waist and one of her legs hooked around his hips. She could feel the slight rise and fall of her mate's breathing and it soothed her, lulling her into a light sleep. When one of his warm hands shifted against her back she blinked, squeezing him gently. "Did you have a nice chat with Helion?" she murmured, and she felt Lucien nod his head. His hand glided down her thigh and then back up as he pulled her slightly closer, although there wasn't that much closer she could get.

"He didn't seem at all surprised by what I did with that shield."

Elain tilted her head to look up at him. "Because he was familiar with that type of magic, or because he knew that you were capable of it?"

"Probably both…"

"Mmm…" Elain smiled, snuggling in against Lucien once more, "That's good…" she said, "You will be able to learn so much from him."

"I think I will."

"Does it feel different?" She asked, thinking about the different types of things he would be able to do, "The magic you have always known and then that which comes from Helion?"

"Hmm… I don't know." He murmured, "Mostly I have used what I've inherited from him instinctively. When Hybern dumped you out of that cauldron and I wanted to get to you, or when I wanted to protect you from my brothers…" His hand moved over Elain's thigh again, smooth against her skin when the dress she wore bunched up around her hips, "It's been panic and… not so much an intentional use. That feels different to how I usually work. And then there was that shield, and it was just so exhausting. I suppose I haven't really had the chance to learn to use it intentionally and properly to actually compare it…"

"That makes sense." Elain smiled to herself, knowing that he would one day be so very skilled with all the power he possessed. She had seen flashes of him, wielding so much power. It had truly been a magnificent sight. The contrast she had seen in who Lucien would become to the vision she had been shown of him kneeling on the floor in the Autumn Court as his brothers restrained him while he'd been forced to watch Jesminda be killed was truly startling.

"I suppose it does." He said, hand still stroking her skin slowly. Elain allowed the feeling of relaxation to spread over her again as she listened to her mate's breathing. "What did you do for the afternoon?" he asked, "I thought I would be returning to find you covered in dirt…"

"Oh…" Elain gave a soft laugh, "I was told that the city had wonderful public gardens so I went looking."

"Did you find them?"

"I found one." She said, "Apparently it is one of the lovelier ones."

"Who told you that?"

"I met someone there." Elain said, smiling, "Her name is Sheera. She helps maintain the gardens and she has a flower shop in the city."

"Oh?" Lucien's hand ran up her thigh, "She sounds like someone you might have a few things in common with…"

"Yes," Elain agreed, "It was nice to talk to someone I didn't have to try and impress…"

"Who do you feel you have to impress?"

"Everyone." She told him, "They are all looking at me to represent someone else."

"How so?"

"Well, when we were travelling from Court to Court I had to represent the Night Court and Feyre and Rhys and…" she paused and Lucien made a small sound.

"Do you feel like you have to impress me?"

"No…" Elain murmured, smoothing her hand across his waist. "You know me… But wont people expect me to be all…" She bit her lip, "I'm the mate of the Heir now…"

"You don't have to be anyone but yourself."

"And that's what was good about talking to Sheera," Elain murmured, "She had no idea who I was at first…"

"I can imagine that would be nice." Lucien nodded. "Are you going to talk to her again?"

"Yes…" Elain smiled again, tilting her face up to look at Lucien, "I was going to try and find her shop tomorrow morning."

"That sounds like a fine idea, Petal."

"Mhmm…" Elain had noticed that her mate's hands had continued running over her, and she knew that she was well and truly wet. The way that Lucien's breathing had slowed told her that he was also aware of this fact, and she pushed herself up onto one arm to try and better look at him. His satisfied smirk was exactly what she had expected to see, and Elain smirked at him in return. "After something, love?" she asked, and he nodded.

"You might say so…"

"And what would that be?"

"I think you can probably work that one out…" Lucien's voice was low and sent shivers of anticipation throughout Elain's body.

"Likely…" her eyes closed when one of her mate's hands came up to her cheek, brushing her hair back from her face. Elain leaned into his touch, letting out a squeak when he suddenly moved, rolling her beneath himself until her head rested against the pillows. Somehow, both of Lucien's hands had made their way beneath Elain's dress, and she shifted her hips to help him remove her underwear. He tossed them aside quickly, and then she watched as those hands began to work on his own pants. "I'm really getting the picture now…"

"It's only going to get better…" he said, kicking his pants away, and then pulling the light Day Court tunic off and tossing it. Elain's dress followed moments later, and then she was unable to bite back a soft groan when Lucien lowered himself to her, his pleasant weight settling atop her.

"I'm sure it is." Elain lifted her head to kiss him, parting her lips almost instantly when Lucien sought to deepen the kiss. She let him sweep her mouth with his tongue, enjoying the way that his hands tightened, clutching at her as he seemed to be trying to get even closer.

Wrapping her legs around Lucien's waist, Elain let one of her own hands glide up her mate's back, her fingers following his spine to the back of his neck. She knew they still had to go to dinner with Helion and the rest of the Court, but they had time for this. Even if they walked in late, and everyone was looking at them, she knew that this would be worth it. She was pleased to see that since being back in the Day Court, Lucien was no longer so drained. If her mate wanted to spend some of his newfound energy this way, then Elain was only too happy to comply. She had had a good day, after all, and this would only serve to make it even better.