Chapter 148

As the dinner plates were cleared away, Lucien heard Helion begin speaking to Elain. "I thought you would like the detailing," the High Lord said, and Lucien watched Elain nod her head as her hand went to the fine material of the dress.

"Oh, I do." She smiled brightly, "I like it very much. I was going to ask you if I am to keep it." Lucien saw her blush slightly, and then Helion gave a gentle laugh.

"Of course. It was made for you." The High Lord's voice was rich and warm, "It would be a shame for it not to be yours when you look so wonderful in it. Lucien, doesn't she look wonderful."

"Beyond words." Lucien said, his eyes still on Elain. His mate's dark eyes shifted to him, and he watched as her smile lit up her entire face. When he noticed the minstrels by the door beginning to play, and the soft swell of skirling music went up, Lucien pushed his chair back and got to his feet. He made his way around the end of the table and toward Elain. She turned and looked up at him, and he held a hand out to her. "Would you dance with me?" he asked softly.

Elain's eyes flicked up and down the table and then to the empty space on the balcony before the minstrels. Nobody else was dancing, and he knew that was what she was thinking. He held his breath as she considered, releasing it only when Elain placed one of her hands gently in his. Smiling at her, he lifted her to her feet and led her across the balcony.

As he pulled her closer, sliding one of his arms around her waist, he smiled again when she looked up at him. "Why did you want to dance?" she asked, voice gentle. "Nobody else is…?"

"Can you think of a better way to wait for dessert?" he asked, and she smiled again, leaning into him.

"I think you just wanted to touch me." She said quietly, so that nobody else could have overheard and Lucien winked at her, turning them both in small circles. He flicked a glance toward the table, keenly aware that more than a few pairs of eyes were directed their way, and he held Elain a little tighter, a little possessively. He knew that she could tell by the way that she lifted a hand, sliding it up over his chest and to his shoulder as she gazed up at him. "Let them look…" she breathed, "Let them see how perfect we are together."

Lucien thought his heart might burst at those words, and he smiled, bringing his free hand up to Elain's cheek. She tilted her head back a little, letting him trace her jaw with his thumb, and he wanted to bend to kiss her but, at that moment, the doors to the balcony opened once more and the first trays of dessert were brought out. Elain smiled wickedly at him and he released her. He watched as her eyes followed a tray past, and he led her back to the table, smiling as she sank quickly into her seat between Feyre and Nesta.

Walking back around the table, Lucien resumed his own spot, eyeing the small chocolate cake that was now sitting before him with interest. He picked up his fork and broke a small piece of cake off before lifting it to take a bite. He watched Elain do the same thing, and he could tell from the look that passed across her face that she liked it.

"We need this recipe in the Night Court." Feyre's voice was also appreciative, and Lucien heard Rhys' agreement a moment later.

It seemed as if the same conversation were making its way up and down the table, as a variety of other deserts were brought out and lay on platters before them. Dessert like this, and the view to go with it. Lucien definitely thought that Helion had been on to something.

Having finished her first piece of cake, Elain eyed the platter on the table in front of her. A second one did seem like a very good idea to her. She listened to Feyre and Nesta try to decide what the ingredients must be to make it so smooth and soft, and he figured that they would be trying it out when they returned to the Night Court.

"Why don't you ask whoever made it?" she grinned, glancing at Feyre who shrugged.

"Where's the fun in that?" her sister asked her, giving her return grin.

"I'd say it would be in the eating of the perfect cake at the end…"

Feyre tilted her head in acknowledgement. "That's not wrong."

"Elain," It was Helion's voice that made her look up and across the table to where the High Lord of the Day Court was sitting beside Ashk. Both of them were looking at her and, if she wasn't mistaken, they appeared to be amused. Wiping surreptitiously at her face, Elain wondered if she had chocolate cake on her. She couldn't feel anything, however, and she blinked.

"Yes?"

"I have some good news for you." Helion said, his amber eyes seemingly alight, and Elain watched as Ashk's smile grew even wider.

"Do you?" Elain asked, her gaze flicking between Ashk and Helion. A spark of joy flared within her as they both looked at her, and she felt herself grow warm with anticipation.

"What you have asked for will be ready tomorrow, if you would like to have a look at it." Helion's eyes burned as he looked at her, and Elain nodded her head quickly.

"Yes." She said, unable to wipe a large smile off of her face, "I would very much like to see."

"I will take you." Ashk said, her voice warm, "After breakfast, if you like?"

"That would be perfect." Elain felt excitement build within her then, and she couldn't help but look toward Lucien. His attention was on the cake before him, and she figured that he hadn't been listening. That was alright, she thought with a smile. It would be a surprise. Her eyes going back to Ashk and to Helion, Elain smiled even more brightly as ideas began to swirl through her mind. "Thank you."

Looking back down at her own plate, Elain continued to think. When Nesta pushed an elbow into her, she glanced up at her elder sister, startled. "Nes?"

"You're staring at your empty plate, and I know you want more cake."

"Yes…" Elain reached and claimed a second piece from the table.

"Have you tried it with the chocolate sauce?"

"The what? No?" she looked again at Nesta who eyes the table.

"There's a dish of it… just up there." Nesta's pale eyes flicked toward the end of the table. "I'll get it."

"Oh…" Elain watched as her sister got to her feet and went to fetch the sauce.

"It is rather good." Eris was looking at her now and, with Nesta having vacated her seat, Elain had a clear view of him. "You do need the sauce."

"I wasn't aware that you were partial to chocolate cake." Elain said to him, eyeing his plate which had clearly once held both cake and sauce. Eris gave her a smile.

"Not many do." He told her, "It is reserved, in the Autumn Court, only for special occasions."

"That's a shame." She said, raising an eyebrow. "As High Lord, you should change that. You could have it for breakfast every day."

An odd look passed across Eris' face then and he tilted his head, looking at her.

"That sounds entirely too fun for Eris." Lucien's voice held a slight laugh, and Elain grinned and looked across the table toward him. He smiled back at her, sending another look to his brother, and Elain figured that Eris had taken his words for a joke when she heard the High Lord of the Autumn Court give a small huff. Further up the table, she heard Nesta make a sound of triumph as she retrieved a small dish of chocolate sauce, and then the ground trembled and the balcony gave way beneath them.