Chapter Four

The air had grown chill by the time Elain had conceded that there was nothing further she could do in the garden for the day. She felt resistant to going indoors after the afternoon out in the sun had been so pleasant. She had sat under the tree with Lucien for quite a while as he'd told her about the Spring Court and how beautiful it had been, and Elain had let him talk. The change within Lucien had been evident as he had talked. Elain had been able to hear his heart slow as he'd grown more comfortable, and she could tell just by looking at him that he had been pleased that she had wished to hear what he had to say. It had been a pleasant afternoon, easy and relaxing. She had managed a satisfactory drawing of the flower, and had begun to scribble notes beside it, trying to work out a rough guideline for what she would eventually include in her book. She had then returned to weeding the small garden bed she had been working on previously, and her mood had been light and positive by the time she had collected her blanket to bring inside.

Nesta approached Elain the moment she came through the doors, and Elain smiled at her sister who took her arm. Lucien moved past them, carrying the empty teacups toward the kitchen. "You should have come in well before now." Nesta said, frowning at her and slipping the grey shawl she wore off her slim shoulders before attempting to wrap it around Elain. "You're cold."

"I hardly noticed." Elain replied

"Then, you should be more careful."

"I'm fine, Nesta."

Her sister cast a scowl in the direction Lucien had gone, ad Elain let out a soft breath. She knew that Nesta wasn't Lucien's biggest fan, but if Elain had accepted that he hadn't been at fault for their kidnapping, then so could Nesta. Also, Elain was no longer that weak girl who had struggled to hold on to herself when she'd first come out of the Cauldron and the weeks that had followed. She was better now. She was stronger. Nesta no longer needed to try to shield her from everything and everyone. That included Lucien. If Elain wanted to talk to him, then she would. She just needed to find a gentle way to make that clear to Nesta without hurting her.

Having cleaned up in the kitchen, Lucien paused by the door to the hallway. He wanted to find Elain again, but he didn't want to monopolise her time. She had spent more time with him outside than he had ever hoped for, and it had exceeded any of his expectations. It had been easy to be with her, and he hoped that she had felt the same way. He was almost positive that she had, or she would have packed up sooner. He wanted to talk to her more, but he knew that he probably shouldn't push it. She needed time to herself, and with her sisters. The viper had glared at him the moment she'd seen him follow Elain inside, and he knew that he wouldn't be welcomed to any conversation they may be having. Perhaps his best bet was to head upstairs to bathe and change before dinner.

Elain's voice stopped Lucien in the hall, however. "Nesta, that's not fair."

"You should keep your distance." Nesta said sharply. "You don't know what he's up to."

"He's not up to anything."

"And how do you know that?"

"I can feel it."

"You don't know what you're feeling." Nesta said, "These new abilities can be confusing, and you haven't properly even learned what you can do or what it means…And, you have other options…"

"What other options?" Elain asked, and Lucien could hear the tiredness in her voice.

"Do you think he'll be the only male to look your way?"

"Nesta…"

"Do you?" Nesta pressed, "He doesn't even have a court, Elain. He doesn't belong anywhere. He can't go home, and he can't go back to Tamlin… He doesn't fit here… Is that what you want your life to be?"

Lucien turned away from their voices, bitterness rising in him. He'd been about to head for the stairs when he came face to face with Rhys. He couldn't tell if the other male had heard what Nesta had been saying, his face gave nothing away.

"Come…"

Unable to think of a reason not to, Lucien followed him into a small study. "Have I done something?" he asked, feeling as if he was about to be reprimanded.

"Not that I'm aware of." Rhys said, dropping easily into a comfortable looking armchair, "Should I be aware of something?"

"…No."

"There we go then." Rhys looked pointedly at the chair opposite him until Lucien sat in it and met his eyes. "I have something to ask you." Lucien just waited for it, not having any clue about what Rhys was after. "Would you have any interest as acting as my emissary?"

"What? Why?" Lucien asked, not trying to hide his surprise.

"Probably for the same reasons Tamlin asked you." Rhys replied, "You know everybody, and you have a way with talking to people… You're clever." The dark haired male gave him a smile, "You're good at it."

"I don't recall this admiration for my skills previously."

Rhys' smile turned twisted. "Oh, you got in my way plenty."

Lucien grinned back at him. "It was fun." His grin faded when he noted Rhys' eyes go to his scar. "… not all of it, admittedly."

"No." Rhys agreed, "Not all of it."

They looked at one another in silence for several moments. "What's your game?" Lucien eventually asked.

"It's been some time since we checked in with the other courts." Rhys responded, steepling his fingers as he looked at Lucien. "I want to do it properly. Formally. Something they can't refuse, so you can get in and really see what's going on. I want to know if everyone is as they claim."

"Why don't you send Azriel?"

"This requires more than secrets and shadows." Rhys said softly. "And, it's about being seen."

Letting out a soft sigh, Lucien tipped his head back against the chair. He'd barely gotten back. With that thought his head snapped up and he looked at Rhys. "Are you trying to get rid of me?" he asked, "Keep me away from Elain?"

Shaking his head, Rhys held Lucien's eyes. "Not at all." He said gently, "I know how it feels, remember? I know how it feels to be parted from your mate when she hasn't even accepted that he is your mate yet…"

"Of course…"

"I meant what I said last night." Rhys went on. "You are welcome here for as long as you like…"

Lucien closed his eyes for a moment, Nesta's words about him not belonging going through his mind. If he did this for Rhys he would have a purpose here, he would belong. At least, he would belong more now than he had before. "Okay," he eventually murmured, "I'll do it."

Elain stumbled, pressing her hand to her chest.

"What is it?" Nesta asked, "Did you eat today?"

"Yes." Elain murmured, straightening. She smoothed her hair back, realising that the hurt that had washed through her, so suddenly she'd been unprepared for it, hadn't been her own. Lucien. She looked toward the hallway, wondering if she should go and find him. She couldn't feel anything further through the bond in regard to what had caused that emotion, and she could hear his heartbeat continuing on at a regular pace. She would find him later.

"Elain…?"

"What were you reading yesterday?" Elain asked, and Nesta blinked at her.

"What?"

"Last night Cassian said you hid the book you were reading when he found you."

"…so?"

"So, what was it?" Elain asked.

"Why?"

"…because maybe I want to read it."

Nesta narrowed her eyes at her. "Do you?"

"If it was good, yeah." Elain watched the way Nesta tilted her head before nodding.

"It was good…"

"Show me."

She followed Nesta to the bookcase and trailed behind her elder sister. After several moments, Nesta pulled a book down and smirked at it before passing it to Elain. "Here…"

"What's it about?"

"A High Lord's daughter and her stable hand secret lover…" Nesta's grin suggested to Elain that the book had been exactly what she had been hoping for, and probably exactly what Cassian had been suspecting.

"Ohhh…" Elain looked at the book and then her sister. "Scandalous."

"Thoroughly."

"And Rhys has this on his shelf because…"

"Why don't you ask him?" Nesta suggested, smiling in a way that Elain had missed, and in a way that she was sure Feyre had never seen. During moments like this Elain could almost forget the way that her sister was struggling with what they had become.

"He'd probably tell me that he and Feyre like to re-enact their favourite parts…" Elain laughed at the look on Nesta's face.

"Elain!"

Elain just laughed again and thanked her sister for the book before heading upstairs for a warm bath.