Chapter 538

When Lucien stopped and turned from where he strode ahead of Elain up the road, she knew that he'd felt something from her down the bond. She smiled at him, meeting his eyes across the distance between them. She could see the questioning look in his russet eyes as he wondered why she wanted to stop.

Nodding her head at Sheera's shop, Elain raised her voice a little so that Lucien would be able to hear her. "I thought we might stop so that Nera could see the shop."

"Okay." Lucien nodded and turned to say something to the High Lords, no doubt explaining to them a little about the shop as Elain and Nera went for the entrance.

The bell tinkled as Elain pushed the door open, and the pleasant floral scent swept around them as she and Nera stepped into the leafy green space.

"This is like a forest." Nera said, and Elain could hear the smile in the other female's voice even without having to see her face. "Wow."

"It sure is." The whole shop was much more lush than the last time Elain had visited, and she suspected that this must have had more than a little to do with Tamlin and his abilities. Sheera had said that she had asked him to work a little magic in her shop. "It was always nice, but this is… almost wild." She was smiling, and she couldn't help it. Realising that Nera would probably be interested in the suspected developing relationship between Tamlin and Sheera, Elain turned to look at her. "Sheera had Tamlin come and … well, do this…I suppose…"

"She did?" Nera's eyes widened a little, "And he agreed? The High Lord of Spring?"

"Yes." Elain grinned at her, watching Nera take that information in. "Even though Sheera is not part of the Court or anyone of any great name or consequence in the grand scheme of Prythian things."

"Does he often do such things?"

"I wouldn't really think so." Elain replied, thinking about how Tamlin had often been a bit of a recluse from what Lucien had told her, and what she had seen herself of the Spring Court. It was a little surprising."

"They like one another?" Nera asked, her voice dropping low. "A High Lord and a…" Those eyes flicked around them, "… a… florist?"

Unable to help the slight giggle that bubbled from her, Elain lifted a hand to her lips, covering her mouth to silence herself. "Lucien and I have our suspicions." She wondered if she could get Sheera or Tamlin to admit it. Nera looked just about as thrilled by the ideas as Elain had thought she would be. It was not really surprising considering the idea of another High Lord being interested in someone who was not some fancy Courtier would make her feel less insecure about her own relationship with Eris.

Nera looked like she was about to ask something further, but a rustle of leaves distracted them both and a moment later Sheera appeared, smiling widely. "Hi!"

"You can really sneak around in here now." Elain said, noting that she could not even see the counter from here yet with all of the greenery.

"I know." Sheera laughed, "Isn't it great?"

"It is a nice reprieve from the street and the rest of the city." Elain replied, following her friend through the shop.

"I didn't know you would be coming," Sheera said, "But I am glad you are here. Do you have the time to put together a bouquet or two?"

"Of course." Elain glanced toward the door. She knew that Lucien and the others were still out there, and it wouldn't take her all that long to stick some flowers in a vase. She smiled again as the bell tinkled once again as someone else entered the shop.