Chapter 573

The next morning had dawned bright, and Elain had been unwilling to open her eyes even as light streamed in through the window. She was sore, she knew that before she had even tried to move, and she grimaced as she stretched both hands up above her head. Muscles ached in a way they had not for a long time, and she resisted a loud groan, not wanting to wake Lucien beside her. Moments after that, she realised it would not have mattered as russet and gold eyes were upon her when she turned her head to look at him.

"Hello…" Smiling, Elain lay and just looked at her beautiful mate, enjoying the way the golden daylight seemed to light up his skin from within. His silken ruby hair looked like molten metal and Elain couldn't help reaching out to touch it. As she allowed it to slide through her fingers, she marvelled at the different tones of red and gold that seemed to move within it. "I love your hair…"

"Do you?" he asked, and she smiled again when his fingertips skimmed across her cheek.

"I have wished that I could have hair a colour as beautiful as yours…"

"I'm sure Helion would know some sort of magic that might make that possible…"

Sitting up a little, Elain grinned widely as excitement shot through her. She hadn't considered that magic would be a possibility for such a thing. "Do you think so?"

"I do…"

"I'll ask him a breakfast." Elain threw the covers back, ready to get up and bathe, wanting to start the day. She heard Lucien laugh before he followed her and she hurried naked across the room toward the bathroom. "Really need to wash…" she muttered, and smiled as her mate laughed again.

"That's certainly true."

Elain threw a mock offended look at Lucien over her shoulder before she bent to fill the tub with water. They both did need to wash, and she made a face to herself as she bent, able to feel the dried remnants of the previous evening still on her skin. "You do too…" She told him, listening as he moved up behind her, closer.

"Also certainly true…" he murmured, one of his arms coming around Elain's waist as she stood up again. "It's a good thing this tub is big enough for two…"

"This tub is big enough for ten." Elain corrected, eyeing the outrageous bathroom they had been given.

"Yes…" Lucien held her a little tighter. "Let us not imagine what Helion thought we would need such an … accommodating… bathtub for…"

"Do you think he's used…"

"Yes." Lucien answered her before Elain had even finished trying to ask her question. "I imagine he's made much use of his own enormous bathroom. Now, let us think of it no more…"

"Time to get clean." Elain agreed, stepping into the tub which was now full of steaming water. She knew that she certainly would never have liked to imagine her own father in any such situation, and it must have been strange for Lucien who had only recently began to think of Helion in a similar light. Especially now that his mother was part of the situation. "I grabbed this…" She held up the small bottle of delicious smelling liquid intended for bathwater and Lucien took it gently from her hand.

"Allow me." He said, and she could hear the smile in his voice without having to turn and face him.

"Certainly."

Sinking down into the water, Elain let the heat sink into her aching body, soothing her even as Lucien opened the bottle and the delicious scent lifted into the air, carried by the steam. She closed her eyes in pleasure then when her mate began gently rubbing the liquid into her back, smoothing over her shoulders and bubbles began to coat the water's surface around them. Breakfast could wait a little while, she decided. Just a little while.