Chapter 28

The air seemed to tinkle with bells as leaves fell around Elain. She stopped walking on the path and looked up toward the trees overhead. If she lived here for five hundred years, Elain doubted she would ever not be enchanted by those trees. Lucien, still holding her hand, came to a stop just ahead of her and she saw him turn to wait. Glancing at him, she smiled.

"Enjoying yourself?" he asked.

"It's like walking through a jewel box." She replied, "The colours…"

Lucien nodded, tilting his head, and Elain's eyes moved over him. He was just as colourful as everything around them and her smile grew wider.

When Ashk appeared across the courtyard and strode toward them, Lucien stepped slowly away from Elain, releasing her hand. "It's almost time for my meeting with Eris." He said gently, smiling at his mother when she had reached them.

"Already?" Elain asked, glancing around them. She hadn't noticed how long they had been strolling the grounds for, and the light here was strange enough that she hadn't noticed the day growing long. Lucien smiled more widely at her, looking pleased at her apparent disappointment.

"Don't worry, Petal." He said, his voice smooth and elegant, "I'll leave you with my mother, and I will see you soon enough." Actual disappointment coursed through Elain when he turned and strode away, and she didn't notice Ashk move closer until the Lady's hand touched her arm.

"What if they fight?" she murmured, and Ashk rubbed her arm slightly.

"They will not."

"How can you be sure?" Elain turned to look at the redheaded faerie standing beside her.

"I know my boys." Pretty russet eyes moved over Elain's face and then dropped to her throat. Ashk lifted a gentle hand again and lightly traced the golden leaves of the necklace Elain was now wearing. "You're wearing it…"

Tilting her head, Elain looked at her. "You know it?"

"Yes." Ashk's fingers moved over the garnet. "He showed it to me when he had it made."

"Did…" Elain paused for a moment, glancing around the courtyard. "Did you know about Jesminda?"

Ashk's hands fell to her own sides. "I knew Lucien had fallen in love with a female he'd met nearby… I did not know who or what she was." Elain's heart twisted and she lifted her own hand to the garnet, looking back up to meet Ashk's eyes, "He told me it was intended for his mate. That, Elain, has always been you. Since long before you were born."

Letting out a deep breath, Elain looked up at the perpetually falling leaves. She knew that Ashk was trying to comfort her, letting her know that Lucien's love for Jesminda did not somehow lessen what he could feel for her, but telling her that this had somehow all been preordained centuries before did not help with the decisions she had been wrestling with for so long now. She wanted the choice. She wanted to fall in love with Lucien because of who he was, not because it was somehow destined that she do so. Realising that she'd had that thought, Elain bit her lower lip.

"If I recall correctly," Ashk said, "you are to select flowers for a book?"

"Yes." Elain murmured, her hand slipping into her pocket and pulling out the small book that Lucien had given her. "I am collecting my sketches in here…"

"Let us walk, then." Ashk said, "We shall see if you like what we find."

"I like everything…" Elain murmured, falling into step beside the other female. "Everything here is so pretty."

"Not everybody agrees." Ashk told her, smiling at Elain, "But in my opinion, no other court compares."

"Have you seen all of the others?"

"Yes." Ashk smiled at her again.

They talked easily for quite a while as Ashk walked Elain from courtyard to courtyard, showing her all of her favourite flowers. Elain had sketched a few, and asked the Lady about them to record the information for later. She had just finished a sketch and had gotten to her feet, sweeping the dried leaves from her dress as she slipped her book into her pocket when someone came out of a nearby door. Elain paused when she recognised the brother who had sat next to her at dinner and then breakfast this morning. His eyes met hers across the courtyard and he paused in his steps, his glance flicking to his mother, before he turned and went back inside.

Ashk's arm slid around Elain's shoulders, turning her away and heading back the way they had come up the path. "I do believe he was looking for you."

"For me?" Elain asked, "Why?"

"I couldn't say." Ashk replied, "But I suppose it probably has something to do with what you said to him this morning."

Elain shuddered. "I don't imagine he liked that."

"No." Ashk agreed.

It was nearing sunset when Lucien found them again and, Elain was pleased to note, he did not appear to have been fighting. He joined them in their walk through the final courtyard of the day and Elain made sure to slip off to the side, sketching a flower she knew she did not intend to include in her book, in order to give them a few moments alone. From the corner of her eye, she watched them. Lucien appeared to practically glow under his mothers attentions, and Elain had not seen the Lady's face so bright. Feyre had told Elain that Lucien was his mother's favourite son, and Elain was quite certain that she had been correct. Mother and son talked quietly, animatedly, to one another, their hands joined and never moving further apart than this allowed and, by the time Elain got to her feet, she suspected that they would be late for dinner.

They needn't have bothered hurrying, for Beron was not at dinner either. Lucien's brothers all sat across the table beside Eris, and didn't so much as look Elain's way. She could feel how much this pleased Lucien who kept smiling at her. The rest of dinner passed without incident, and Elain was yawning by the time she and Lucien returned to their room.

"A successful day?" She asked when he'd closed the door.

"You could say that." He replied, his eyes moving over her and coming to rest on the necklace she still wore.

"Did everything go okay with Eris?"

"It was fine." Lucien moved toward her, "He seems to be the one running things lately." Elain held his eyes as he came to stand just before her, one of his large hands coming up to touch the garnet resting against her chest. "I think he might be ready to claim the throne."

"Would that be good or bad?" Elain tried to read Lucien's expression as she stood her ground, shuddering when his fingers lightly brushed her shin.

"I would like to be gone when he does." He said after a moment, "No doubt there will be blood…"

"Will they try to kill you?" Elain asked, her own fingers skimming the hem of his jacket.

"Possibly."

"…he'll wait until we're gone, though, right?" Fear clenched at Elain's heart and she suddenly felt herself clenching a handful of his jacket.

He smiled at her, lifting a hand to push her hair back over her shoulder. "I believe so. One less contender for what he wants…"

"Would you…" Elain asked, "Want it, I mean?"

Lucien tilted his head, considering. "I never did." He replied, "And I wouldn't want it as things are now…"

"If things were different?" She asked softly.

"Not really. Though, the thought of being able to shape a place into what I want… make it perfect…"

"To create your own home…"

"Yes." He agreed. "That might be worth it." His fingers ghosted across Elain's shoulder and down her arm and she stood just looking up at him before she made herself let go of his jacket.

"I think I should have a bath." She said softly, jumping slightly when there was a knock at the door.

Lucien moved instantly, putting himself in front of her, an arm out to keep her back. He hadn't yet dragged the couch back in front of the door, so it was capable of opening. "Come in…" he called, and Elain could sense the tension in him as the door slowly opened inward to reveal his mother. He relaxed at the sight of her and Elain felt herself let out a relieved breath.

As Ashk stepped into the room and closed the door behind herself, Elain could clearly see something was on her mind. "Lucien, love…" The Lady's voice sounded somewhat shaky. "I must speak with you."