Chapter 472

Lucien thought that Tamlin was probably working harder than the High Lord of Spring ever had. He knew that the older male was exhausted, and was draining himself with every minute that passed, but so far he hadn't seen Tamlin take a break. As some of the memory trees had gone into the ground, Tamlin had been called upon almost consistently to come and to put some of his magic into them to ensure they would take to their new position and flourish rather than die. Lucien knew that what Tamlin was doing was draining, and he had expected the blonde to give up or have stopped for the day well beyond now. As Lucien had walked into he Memory Garden with Rhys, Cassian, and Mor, he had not expected to see Tamlin still working, covered in dirt as he moved around the trees.

The faerie Elain had put in charge of managing the different shifts throughout the day signalled that it was break time and, as Lucien as the others walked into the garden, streams of faeries walked out, giving them the place to themselves.

"Helion mentioned this place," Rhys told Lucien, and Lucien nodded.

"It is currently the largest project within the Court." He said, "Just about everyone who lives in the Palace has a role in putting it together."

"A nice symbolic thought…" Mor mused, looking around at the plaques which were just about ready to be put into the earth, once all of the trees had been planted.

"Elain's idea." Lucien told them, noticing that several small containers of ashes had been paces with each of the plaques.

"Thoughtful." Rhys commented, as they moved further into the garden. "A nice way to bring the Court together."

"I believe that was the idea." Lucien said, "She seems quite good at coming up with projects everyone can contribute to to feel a part of something."

"Yes," Rhys agreed, "Her book proved that."

"Mmm…"Lucien eyed the nearby garden bed. He looked up when footsteps on the stone path approached and smiled when he saw his mother sweeping toward them. Behind her came Elain with her sisters, and Lucien felt a little relieved that he wouldn't have to take the Night Court through the garden on his own. This was Elain's project after all. She should be the one to be able to show it to her family.

Elain's face held joy, her eyes a light, that hadn't been there earlier, and Lucien smiled at her, pleased that she had apparently been able to sort things out between herself and her sisters. He knew how important they were to her, and it would have pained his mate greatly if they had left the Day Court with something still amiss between them.

Elain and her sisters reached the rest of the group moments after Lucien's mother did and he greeted them all with a smile. Elain moved closer, slipping her hand into his and leaning into his side. "Did you show them the garden?" She asked him, and he made a vague gesture around them.

"This is as far as we got…"

"I was unaware we had guests…" Ashk said, and Lucien flicked a glance at his mother to see her russet eyes focused on Mor.

"We've not been here long." Mor replied, her expression clearly confused as to why the redheaded faerie's attention seemed to be solely upon her. Lucien glanced again at his mother, the intensity in her face something he didn't think he had seen all that often before. But then, he supposed, this wasn't a situation he would have ever seen her in before. He doubted that any lover of Beron's who happened to cross his wife's path in the Autumn Court would have caused her any amount of jealousy. That was what he could see in his mother's face now, though. Jealousy.

"Shall we have a look at this Memory Garden?" Feyre asked, and Lucien nodded, looking at his friend for a moment, thankful that she had asked. He saw the quick way those pale eyes flicked from Ashk to Mor and back again, and then Feyre met his eyes, and he knew that she had put the pieces together as well, coming to the same conclusion that he had.