Chapter 193

Elain knelt in the garden, going up on her knees and arching her back to ease the ache she had developed from bending all morning. The sun was high in the sky and really quite warm and, despite the light linen she wore, Elain was sweating. She lifted a hand and wiped the back of it across her forehead, trying not to get dirt all over herself. It had been nearly a week since Nesta had left the Day Court, and Elain had tried to keep herself busy so that she wouldn't miss her sister too much. She had discovered that she needed to keep her mind busy, and not just fill her time with things, and so she had drawn up a plan to redesign some of the little garden which was attached to the suite she shared with Lucien.

Elain had spent several days exploring the city outside of the palace, looking for things that she would need to work in the garden, and then she had set herself to the task. Garden beds had been dug up and plants transferred to new parts of the garden. Nothing had been destroyed or killed, just moved to make space for new things.

For the most part, Lucien had been keen for the mornings as it had meant that he could bring her something to eat and drink and sit outside with her while she worked, which he appeared to enjoy, and it reminded her of their initial time together in the Night Court. He hadn't been able to join her today, however. Elain's stomach rumbled as if in sympathy with the thought as she wondered where he had gotten himself off to.

As Helion had suggested, Elain had spoken to Lucien about the printing press and her book. He had asked her more than a few questions, and then told her that he would speak with Helion's friend. They were due to visit the printing press that afternoon, but Elain supposed that she would need Lucien to return from wherever he had gotten to first.

Rhys had organised for Amren to edit the book and, as he had already compensated her for this favour, Elain felt that it wouldn't be polite to change the plan now. She knew quite a few people who would have been able to do the job, but figured that Amren would be better anyway. No doubt the price Rhys had had to pay would have been steep.

When Elain's stomach rumbled, she bit her lip, and pressed a dirty hand into her abdomen. She was no real judge of these things, but she figured that by the height and intensity of the sun that it had to be well on its way to midday, and she turned her eyes back on her work. She had wanted to get all of the tiny bulbs she had collected planted into the ground before that evening. "There we go…" she murmured, smoothing dirt over them all. Elain wasn't sure what would and wouldn't grow in the Day Court, but she was willing to give any of it a try.

Satisfied that she had done a fine job for the say, Elain pushed herself to her feet and headed inside. She had just stripped and taken a quick bath to rid herself of the dirt when she heard the door to their suite open, and footsteps make their way across the room. Pulling a dress on to make herself decent, Elain stepped out of the bathroom, her eyes catching on vibrant ruby hair. "Lucien…"

He turned toward her, his face brightening in a smile. "Petal." He strode toward her then, one hand coming up to her cheek before he pressed a chaste kiss to her lips.

"You're back." She said, her eyes moving over him and catching on the paper box in his hands. Lucien set it down on the table and flipped the lid. Gasping a little, Elain allowed herself to drink in the delicious smelling and even more delicious looking pastries. "Oh…"

"I take it this was exactly what you had been hoping for."

"You do know me well…"

"I am sorry that it took me so long and that I wasn't able to get back in time to help you out in the garden…"

"That's alright…" Elain moved toward him and then wrapped an arm around Lucien's shoulders as she pulled herself up to press a kiss to his cheek.

"I'm considering telling Helion that I begin the day later so that he lets us rest."

"Oh…" Elain grinned at him, "I don't know that's the case." She thought about the way that they had both fought against getting up that morning, and she blushed at the memory of the way Lucien's hands had skimmed over her skin. "I think he might be able to smell the lie."

Lucien bent and pressed another kiss to her lips. "Let him try."

Elain grinned and looked back to the pastries in the box. "These are going to be so delicious." Lucien sank down on the chair and Elain followed him, already scooping a pastry out and into her hands. She had bitten it before she had even settled against the couch. "Mmmm…" She didn't miss Lucien's amused look as he watched her while selecting his own pastry. Elain's entire attention was then focused upon the food in her hand as her stomach continued to rumble. She really had been hungry, and this was exactly what she had needed. Around mouthfuls, she tried to question her mate. "How did you know I was hungry?" She asked, "Was it through the bond?"

"No." he told her, his metallic eye clicking and whirring as he focused on her, pastry halfway to his mouth. "I just knew that you would have put yourself out in that garden all morning and not bothered with getting yourself anything to eat." She grinned at him, knowing that he was entirely accurate and that had been precisely what she had done.

"Thank you." She reached her free hand out to brush against his arm. "Lovely mate."

"Eat up." He told her, smiling back at her. "This afternoon, we are expected at the printing press. We will be shown the process for producing copies of your book, and you'll get to make a few choices. Type of cover, any special editions… do you want the same for every Court, for example?"

"Oh…" Elain chewed her pastry, her mind suddenly racing. "I hadn't considered that…" She looked at Lucien who took a bite of his own pastry. "Do you think I should have special editions…?"

"I don't know, Petal." He replied, having swallowed his mouthful. "The idea was unity across Prythian…"

"Yes, but it's also meant to be special… something the High Lords have all contributed to."

"You're right…"

"Perhaps… Elain began, nibbling at the corner of her pastry as her mind went over various options in her head, "I might make a range of special editions… and those are for the High Lords…" She blinked as she tried to picture such a cover. "It might be a little more ornate than the standard edition, but they will each be gifted to a High Lord and they will all be the same…"

"I think that's a lovely idea, Petal." Lucien's approval reached her down the bond just as he spoke the words aloud, and Elain smiled warmly at him.