Chapter 543

Elain had wanted to go back to the palace past Sheera's shop, thinking that they might get a glimpse of Tamlin and know if that was where the High Lord had disappeared off to. Lucien's route home led them in a different direction, however. Figuring that she would speak with Sheera the next morning when her friend came to the palace, she shrugged off her disappointment, and tried to tell herself that she didn't need to be peering into windows anyway.

"You think Tamlin stayed to speak with that Florist faerie?"

Swallowing before she turned to look at Vassa, Elain tried to make sure that her face did not betray her emotions and dislike. "Possibly."

"Well, that's interesting, isn't it?" Vassa plopped herself down on the chair near Elain. "And not quite what I expected from him or any High Lord."

"Why?" Elain asked, "What had you expected?" She swept the sitting room with her eyes, looking for Lucien and found him sitting with Thesan and Tarquin by the fire.

"Well, Tamlin is a High Lord…" Vassa said, "One who does not have a mate or partner…"

"And?" Elain blinked and looked at the mortal queen.

"I expected that he would have all kinds of female courtiers and hopeful matches all around him, ready to jump at the chance to be his match." Vassa pushed a lock of red hair over her shoulder, "He could have had his choice of females."

"What makes you think he has not chosen?" Elain felt defensiveness move up her spine.

"But that is what is so interesting." Vassa replied, "I had thought High Lords would prefer someone of… near equal standing."

Elain was pretty sure she got the gist of where this woman was going with her opinion. "Mhm..."

"Kallias has a mate who suits him. Rhys has your sister who is of unique power… Now, from what Lucien has told me of the Spring Court, it's fair that Tamlin might not have found someone worthy in his own Court in its current circumstances."

"Right…" Elain blinked, wondering what kinds of conversations Lucien and Vassa had had in the months he had lived in the Mortal Lands.

"But visiting a Court like this…" Vassa went on, looking around the room. "There are lots of suitable Courtiers here." An elegant hand gestured to a group of them by the drinks table. "I met a lovely female yesterday called Kera."

"I am familiar with Kera." Elain said, not wanting to give anything away, and wondering what Kera knew of Vassa's intentions in coming to the Day Court.

"She would be a suitable match for a High Lord."

"Are you insinuating that Sheera is not suitable for Tamlin?"

Vassa blinked wide blue eyes and looked at Elain. "Just that I am surprised that a High Lord would… choose… that." Vassa's glance moved around the room again, "When there are so many other options… but then… it seems to have been happening repeatedly, doesn't it?"

Elain had been about to ask Vassa what that comment meant when Nera approached them looking hesitant. Smiling at the Autumn Court faerie, Elain shifted a little to show there was room for her, and Nera sat down. Able to feel the mortal queen's eyes on them, Elain lifted her own gaze to meet those blue eyes and she raised an eyebrow. "What is your point?"

"Well, I am just surprised." Vassa replied, "I had thought the High Fae cared about such things. That the lesser fae were not … generally accepted… in the same circles."

Beside Elain, Nera shifted uncomfortably.

"And thankfully, that is changing." Elain replied. "With more openminded High Lords…"

"So the once looked down upon High Fae and Mortal relationships would be more commonly accepted now?"

"Is that what you're after?" The words slipped out of Elain's mouth before she could stop them, and Vassa sat a little more straight in her chair.

"Only curious." She said, smiling broadly.