Chapter 251

Elain took a seat at the table Azriel had selected for them close to the window, and looked around the little pub. She supposed that this was the place that many of those who lived in this camp would come for their evening meals or to socialise with others. The vibe was friendly enough, she figured, and she wouldn't have been surprised to see families with younglings here. Most of the room was filled with tables and chairs for groups to sit at and eat, and there was a brightly lit bar across the far wall with an open door leading to what she supposed was the kitchen.

"Would you like a drink, Petal?" Lucien asked, and Elain nodded her head, looking up at her mate who still stood beside her, not having taken his seat yet. He smiled and headed for the bar, and she knew that she would be pleased with whatever he brought back for her. After a moment, when Feyre sat down opposite her, Elain returned her gaze to the rest of the room. Everything here was made of wood, and seemed to be solidly built. She had expected nothing less from these people. The building and furniture seemed as hardy as they were.

There were two other groups, aside from their own, in the pub. One appeared to be a group of young females, and the other was an older Illyrian male and, beside him, a female Elain assumed to be his wife. Both groups were eyeing them and murmuring softly amongst themselves. Elain tried to keep her expression calm and friendly as she turned her eyes on her younger sister.

"What do we do?" she asked, her voice low so that they wouldn't be overheard. "I don't think they're comfortable with us here…"

"Just act naturally." Feyre replied, "Let Cassian and Azriel handle it…"

"What are they going to do?" Elain looked across the room to where Azriel was standing with Lucien at the bar. Feyre made a low chuckling noise and Elain narrowed her eyes, feeling as if her sister knew something she did not. Which, she figured, Feyre probably did.

"Whatever they have to."

"That sounds like it could be dramatic…" Elain said, knowing full well that Cassian could be very dramatic if he saw the need for it.

"It could be. But, let's hope it doesn't come to that…" Feyre smiled more widely, looking past Elain who then turned around to see what her sister had spotted. Cassian and Nesta had arrived and were coming through the door. She saw Nesta smile at the sight of them before heading their way while Cassian went to the bar, clapping Azriel on the shoulder by way of greeting.

"I thought that only Azriel would be coming…" Nesta said, sitting down beside Feyre.

"Oh, you know us." Feyre replied, "Adventure all the time…" Nesta's eyes went to Elain then and the eldest sister gave a strange wry smile.

"That does seem to be the way of it lately."

Elain watched her sisters both looking at her, and knew that they were wondering about the ways in which she had changed over the last few months. It had been happening for longer than that though, Elain knew. She would have said that it had been happening since she and Nesta had been dragged from their beds that night they had been thrown into the Cauldron. Obviously, she had been changed physically, and that had been the night she had met Lucien and the bond had snapped into place. That had been the catalyst for it all.

"It does, doesn't it…" Feyre said softly, and Nesta nodded.

"I should have guessed you'd come…" Nesta directed this comment at Elain who gave her a sweet smile, "You haven't seen this part of Prythian yet…"

"Thus the basis of its appeal…" Elain replied, smoothing her skirt over her knees innocently. "Also, I had a dream about you and we thought maybe it meant I was meant to come and help…"

"What did you see?"

"You and Cassian talking to that female in the clothing store…" Elain watched Nesta think for a moment. Her sister seemed to be mulling something over before she responded.

"Then you'd know that we're going to have to work with the other females of the town. They seem to be just rolling over and letting those bastards come and take whatever they want in their raids…"

"Yeah, that was pretty much what I gathered." Elain confirmed, smiling at Lucien as he returned and set a tall glass of a delicious looking orange liquid before her. Her mate then sank in to the chair beside her with a grin and a wink.

"Hello, Nesta."

"Lucien."

"Have you been having a nice time with Cassian?"

"Uh…" Elain tried to choke back a gasp at Lucien's question, but she couldn't help watching her sister for her reaction. She was unsurprised when Nesta did nothing but sniff dismissively and look at Lucien down her nose. A few months ago Elain would have thought there was venom in her sister's expression, but that wasn't what she saw now. She saw amusement and what Elain might have even called affection.

"Why yes, Lucien." Nesta replied, her voice sweet, "I have."

"Good to hear." Lucien said, picking up his glass and taking a sip of his drink, "But, that's probably all I need to hear, to be honest." Nesta actually laughed at that and Elain looked at Feyre with disbelief. Her younger sister was watching the interaction between Nesta and Lucien with somewhat narrowed eyes, as if almost unable to believe it herself. The entire exchange came to a halt when Cassian and Azriel returned to their table and sat down.