Chapter 237

Lucien watched Elain move around her room, wringing her hands and muttering to herself. He understood her inability to keep still after what they had just walked in on. He couldn't wipe the image from his own mind; Cassian laying upon the bed, wings spread out beneath him with Nesta atop him, arse in the air. Lucien ran his hands over his face and turned toward the wall. It had been graphic, to say the least.

Elain made a noise of distress and he turned toward her to see her dragging her fingers through her hair, pulling her braids apart and he smiled. "Petal…" he said, taking several steps toward her. She looked around at him, eyebrows lifted questioningly. Lucien didn't know what to say, there was nothing that would take that image of Nesta and Cassian from Elain's mind, so he just held a hand out to her. She took it, moving closer until she could lean against him.

"… did you see…" she breathed, and he nodded.

"Uh-huh…" he stroked a hand down her newly freed hair, enjoying the feeling of the waves caused by being braided up. "I suppose she really was keen to see him again."

"I'll say." Elain muttered, "She didn't waste any time."

"Nesta does seem like someone who knows what she wants."

"She always has been." Elain looked up at him, and Lucien met her eyes. He brought his fingers to her cheek, stroking her skin as he held her dark gaze.

"I suppose we've been much the same." He told her, and Elain blushed. Lucien smiled at her, following that blush with his fingertips.

"I… I do keep reminding Feyre that she needs to knock…" Her voice was soft, and she smiled bashfully for a moment, "I guess I need to follow my own instructions." Unable to help a soft laugh, Lucien held Elain closer to himself.

"Yes, Petal." He agreed, "I think it's best if you knock before walking into either of your sisters' bedrooms from now on."

"I'll try to remember that." She replied, "Though… I doubt Feyre and Rhys bother to keep their … activities… to the bedroom."

"That, I believe, is probably accurate." Lucien was pretty certain that the High Lord and Lady of the Night Court had fucked one another is probably every room in this house. Glancing around this room, he tried not to picture where they could have done it, and instead eyed the bed, remembering the first night he had come to Elain and what he had done to her there. When she laughed he knew that he must have sent something of his thoughts down the bond to her and he glanced down at her to see her gazing up at him.

"You came to show me what you could do with your mouth…" she murmured, and he found his gaze trained on her pretty lips, "It was very memorable…"

"I am pleased to hear that, my love." He slid a hand into her hair, gripping gently and pulling her head back a little, "Perhaps after dinner I'll give you a repeat performance." He felt her shiver of excitement down the bond, and he smiled more widely.

"I look forward to that…" she told him, her gentle hands moving down his back.

"Me too." He said, already anticipating the moment he would have his mate back up in here alone after their dinner at the House of Wind. It had been entirely too long since he'd been able to use his tongue on her in that way, and the mere thought of it was heating his blood.

"I think we should get ready for dinner." Elain told him, tilting her head to look up at him again. He could tell from the way her eyes moved over him that she was aware of his sudden piqued heat. "I'm dirty from the garden and I need to get dressed."

Elain sank into her seat at the dinner table, smoothing her hair down from the wild ride up to the House of Wind. She watched as Nesta did the same, pressing her own hair back into a sleek bun at the nape of her neck. Considering how neat and put together Nesta appeared, Elain knew that nobody who was looking at her sister now would ever guess at what she had been doing not a half hour ago. Cassian, on the other hand, kept leaning casually back in his seat and running his hands though his already messy hair as he grinned at the rest of the table.

"What is it, Elain?" Nesta's tone was quiet, and Elain looked at her quickly. "You keep looking at me…"

"N-nothing." Elain replied, shaking her head. "You… just look nice."

Nesta gave her a small smile, and Elain tried not to stare at her. Her sister looked relaxed and comfortable, and Elain didn't know how long it had been since she had seen Nesta look that way. She couldn't help flicking a glance at Cassian who was also looking at Nesta. As if sensing her gaze, the Illyrian looked her way and he raised an eyebrow when she met his eyes. An instant later, Cassian gave her an arrogant smirk, and Elain knew that he'd cottoned on to what she had been thinking.

"Looks like we are all here." Rhys said from the other end of the table, and all eyes turned his way. "To celebrate Elain and Lucien being back with us," the High Lord went on, "I took the liberty of getting us all tickets to a rather well anticipated show in Velaris tonight. It's after dinner… if you would all like to come."

"What kind of show?" Azriel asked, interest in his voice.

"One of the city's most popular vocalists." Rhys said, "It's a bit of an underground venue… very exclusive." He winked at Feyre who smiled at her mate.

"Of course it is." Mor put in. "I look forward to it…"

Elain turned to Lucien, raising an eyebrow in question at him. They had hoped to get back to their room after dinner for some time alone, and she wondered if he was interested in the show. "What do you think?" she asked, sliding her hand up his leg.

"I'm open to it if you are." He replied, "I know you enjoy those types of shows…."

She nodded, thinking about how much she had liked the singer that Kallias had organised in the Winter Court for them. "I do…" she murmured, smiling at him when he slid one of his big hands into hers, "I think it sounds like fun."

He leaned toward her then and Elain tilted her head, allowing him to bring his lips to her ear. "As you wish, Petal." He said, kissing her cheek a moment later. "We will have plenty of time afterwards for our earlier plans…"