Chapter 496

Tightening her arms around her sister, Elain smiled. Feyre squeezed her, her own strong arms around Elain's waist and Elain rubbed her back gently.

"I hope that we will hear from you frequently." Feyre told her, and Elain couldn't resist the reply.

"I will endeavour to write frequently enough that you do not need to send a spy to make sure I am well."

"Well, good." Feyre released Elain from the hug, but held onto her hands, keeping her close. "That would ease some of our worry."

"You don't need to be worried…" Elain murmured, feeling bad that she had caused her family to be worried at all. "I am as safe here as I would be anywhere. Safer, I would think." She had her mate here, and literally nobody in the world would work harder to keep her safe than her mate. Feyre should know that. "I have Lucien."

"Yes." Feyre smiled at her, squeezing her hand. "But we will miss you…" Elain glanced at Rhys, "I will miss you. And the garden will definitely miss you…"

"I'll just bet there's a lot of weeding to do…" Elain thought about the garden she had tended in the Night Court. She had grown quite fond of it, and it did sadden her to think of the kind of state it would be in now.

"Yes, well… neither Mor nor Amren are really interested in weeding…" Feyre smiled at her, "And we need a way to lure you back to visit us."

"You don't." Elain told her, "But… it will be effective." She would have to make time to visit the night court regularly; both to visit her sister as well as tend to that garden.

Stepping back, Feyre gave her another smile and Elain returned it. "Enjoy having Nesta stay with you."

"I'm sure I shall." Elain wondered if that had been sarcasm she had heard in her younger sister's voice. "I hope you don't miss her too much."

Feyre's smile broadened. "I'm sure we will manage."

Blinking, Elain glanced at Rhys who certainly did not look like he would miss Nesta. Cassian, on the other hand, looked like he couldn't quite settle himself. He moved continually, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, eyes flicking to the hallway every few seconds, and Elain knew that he was looking for Nesta who was yet to appear this morning. "You know where she will be…" Elain said, returning her eyes to Feyre who gave a half-shrug.

"She knows she can come home at any time."

The Night Court wasn't Nesta's home, though. Nesta was still searching for her home. That was why she had decided to stay in the Day Court for a while. If Feyre knew this, however, she did not let on that she did.

"I'll do as I like."

Elain turned her head to see Nesta standing in the doorway, her pale eyes on Cassian as she moved into the room.

"Unsurprising." Feyre said, stepping around Elain to hug Nesta. Elain watched Nesta pat their younger sister on the back, but her eyes remained on Cassian. The two of them clearly needed to have some time to have a conversation alone and without others to listen to what was being said.

"Uh… Feyre…" Elain moved toward her sisters again, linking her arm through Feyre's. "I'll go with you to where you can winnow." Feyre turned her head to look at Elain, and her sister went a little still, an odd look in her eyes before glancing to Rhys and then back to Elain.

"Great." Moving with Elain, Feyre headed for the door and Elain knew that she had just had some kind of conversation with Rhys to which the rest of them would never be privy. Rhys was following them to the door, however, and it was clear that everyone was under the impression that Nesta and Cassian required a few minutes on their own.

Once out in the hallway, Elain let go of Feyre and they walked in silence. "No Helion this morning?" Rhys asked, and Elain glanced his way.

"He took Lucien off somewhere mid-way through breakfast." Elain replied. "No idea why."

"Hope it's nothing too serious." Rhys replied, striding alongside them. Elain tilted her head, listening to Lucien's heartbeat. She reached for the bond, looking for some kind of indication of how he was. She got nothing very exciting, and that reassured her.

"Doesn't feel like it." She said, and Feyre smiled at her.

"That's helpful, isn't it?" her sister asked and Elain nodded.

"It is…" She smiled, thoroughly loving how much she enjoyed being able to just reach for Lucien and find out how he was no matter where he was. "I don't know how others deal without it."

"I know." There was a small bounce to Feyre's step as they continued walking. "I'm so happy that you've come to accept it and love it…" Elain slanted a glance her sister's way. Feyre had been supportive of her bond with Lucien, had encouraged her to explore it when he had first returned to Velaris.

"Maybe…" She let out a sigh, "I could visit at least once a month…" Feyre met her eyes and smiled at her again, "You know, to check on my garden…"

"That would be lovely."