Chapter 179

Focusing intently upon the petals of the small orange flower, Elain tried to take in the way the petals curled around toward the ends. She was kneeling in the garden attached to their little suite, and she held the book Lucien had given her in her lap. Lucien had organised for a message to be sent to Helion, informing the High Lord that the mating frenzy was over, and then he had gone to bathe and clean up as they would no doubt be asked to join the rest of the Court for dinner that evening. Elain had decided that before they left the suite and the frenzy was officially over, she wanted to capture just a little piece of it to keep with her. She had decided that a flower from the garden would be a nice way to do so, and had selected the pretty little orange flowers growing in one of the garden beds as effective ground cover. They were pretty, they smelled nice and, she rather thought, they looked like little suns.

Sketching the twisted shape of the petals, Elain tilted her head, trying to decide if she would just leave it at a single flower, or if she would include the whole stem with several flowers on it. She figured that capturing the whole stem would give a better indication of the shape of the plant, and so she continued with her efforts. She would need to colour it to best keep true to the flower, and she made note of the way that the petals seemed to darken toward the ends. She had first noticed the little orange blooms when she and Lucien had been out here together in the sun several days ago and she had been moving atop him wondering if she could make him scream. Smiling at the memory, Elain continued to sketch the flower as best she could. She did not expect to hear Helion's voice from directly behind her.

"Elain, are you well?"

Spinning around on her knees, Elain looked up at the High Lord. Her eyes flicked to the door behind him, looking for Lucien, and wondering how her mate might react to another male being in here and being near her so soon after the frenzy.

"I am well. Thank you."

Helion moved closer, and Elain noticed his amber eyes looking her over slowly. "… do you require a healer?" he asked, and she could hear genuine concern in his voice. Was it common for females to need to see healers after the frenzy? She supposed it might have been, depending on how rough things got.

"No, I… don't…" she murmured, her eyes on his face once more.

"… does Lucien?" he asked, and she could hear slight amusement there now, although she could tell that the question was genuine.

"No." she replied, "We're both fine."

"I am pleased to hear it." Helion's voice was warm, and Elain saw him smile as he looked at her. "I am to take it that everything went well, then?" She nodded and watched as he cast his eyes around the garden. "Everything was to your liking? You didn't need anything further that we had not thought to include?"

"The suite was perfect." She looked at the orange flower again, "We were both very comfortable here."

"It is to remain yours." He said, "The rooms of my heir and his mate…" his amber eyes found hers again, "That is… if you are planning on staying." When he raised an eyebrow, Elain realised that he had wanted her to confirm that they would be staying, but she couldn't do that. She had assumed that they would be, as had Helion, she figured, but until she and Lucien had that conversation and explicitly stated that this was what they wanted, then she was unable to say for certain that they would be staying and they would be living here.

"Thank you." She said to Helion. "I need to speak to Lucien about it… make sure we are on the same page."

"Of course." The High Lord said, clasping his hands in front of him, "I do understand." He glanced over his own shoulder then before looking back to Elain. "Lucien is in the bathroom?"

"Yes. He was preparing for dinner… ah… do… how… do you think he will react to… you… in here…?" She didn't know how to ask the High Lord if he realised that Lucien may be less than impressed to come out and find another male in his space. "So… soon after the frenzy…"

"I think Lucien possesses enough self-control to deal with any lingering… aggression."

Elain hoped that he was right, but a part of her let out an exasperated sigh. She was tired of Lucien having to control himself and moderate his reactions. He had been forced to do that his entire life, and she wanted him free from it, if only for a while, and if only in these rooms. Helion was still looking at her, so she gestured to the little orange flowers. "Do you know the name of these, by any chance?" she asked, "I would like to include them in my book."

Helion strode closer until he could bend down beside her. "I believe these are called Sundaze Blaze."

"They are lovely." She said, showing him the sketch she had completed so far. "I think they might be the last for the Day Court that I will do."

He smiled at her and then they both looked around to see Lucien stride into the garden. Elain heard his heartrate suddenly increase and she noticed the way that he suddenly changed, holding himself straighter and more still. Getting to her feet she strode toward her mate and away from the High Lord. She didn't stop until she reached Lucien and she slipped one of her hands into his. "You smell nice…" she told him, hoping to distract him from the uneasiness and a hint of anger that she could feel within him. She could also feel him fighting it, and knew that the rational part of his brain was trying to tell him to calm down.

He turned his head toward her at her words. "Do I?"

"Yes." She hooked her elbow through his as she leaned against him. "Helion was just telling me about that little flower I was drawing."

"Yes…" he murmured, his voice suggesting that his mind was still partly elsewhere, "You said you wanted a flower from our garden…"

"It's called Sundaze Blaze." She told him.

"That seems appropriate."

"I was thinking of cutting a bunch and putting it by the bed…" she knew that she was just talking for the sake of it now, trying to distract Lucien enough that his heart would slow down and he would be able to get control of himself again. When he tightened his hand on hers, Elain knew that it was working.

"That would be nice." He said, and then turned his eyes toward his father. "To what do we owe the honour of your visit?"

"I came to offer Elain and yourself the services of a healer, should one be required." Helion said, and Elain raised an eyebrow at that blunt honesty. Lucien didn't seem to bat an eyelid, however.

"I don't believe either of us does require a healer." He bowed his head slightly, "I am thankful for the offer, however."

Helion smiled at him, and Elain watched the two of them just look at one another for several moments. "Also," Helion went on, "I would like to extend the invitation of dinner…"

"Yes." Lucien nodded, "We will be there."

"Nesta and Cassian are still here…" These words Helion directed at Elain, who would not help but smile. She had known that Nesta would remain, but to hear it confirmed made her heart sing.

"We will definitely be there." She agreed.