Elain and Feyre are already in the kitchen laughing with wine in hand when Nesta and I enter. The laughter dies as shock takes over their faces, but I don't hesitate before planting Nesta in a chair beside the fire that I put out. The stones will emanate their own warmth for a while and the house can keep a steady temperature from the other fires. For some reason, Nesta doesn't like fire and I'm sure she has a concrete explanation for why. She won't tell me, of course, but I can still try to help.
I'm washing blood off my hands when I address Elain. "Alright, he'll be home in a few hours. Time to start?" I initiate and she blinks before remembering why I asked her here.
"Yes, of course." We begin the process as Feyre comes over with questions written all over her face. My head shakes slightly. No matter how quietly she whispers, Nesta will hear all her questions and all my answers.
"Later." I mouth and her brows pinch, but she nods.
Elain moves around the kitchen easily, finding out where everything is before piling what we need on the counter. "Alright, Feyre, measure the wet ingredients and dry before putting them in separate bowls." She sets a scrap of paper in front of her sister who glances between that and the ingredients apprehensively.
"Pretty sure I only signed on for wine." She whispers to me and I grin.
"Kaira, you stir what she adds together, but wait for me to combine the bowls. I'll stoke the fire for the stove." Elain instructs and I nod, admiring her ability to take charge. It's nice to see.
"Nesta can butter and flour the pans then," I say with a glance over my shoulder at the woman still sitting ramrod straight at the small table. Elain blinks and Feyre's hands freeze from their measuring.
"Y-yes." Elain nods in agreement. I'm surprised when Nesta rises without a fight and walks over to my side. Butter and two pans are set in front of her while she slowly pushes up her sleeves despite the dotted stains already on them.
"If I stain this dress—"
"Then I will happily pay for a new one. Might as well wring whatever labor I can out of you while you're here, though." I tease, but her expression doesn't lighten. It doesn't darken either, so I'll take it as a win.
Feyre changes the topic of conversation. "Did the issue before Solstice resolve itself? Are the tonics I gave you...needed?" She asks and my cheeks brush pink.
"Yes, and yes," I reply and her smile is teasing, but there's an edge there that makes me think there's more she wants to discuss. "He takes it since the taste isn't my favorite."
She hums a soft laugh and takes a sip of her wine between measuring. "Rhys does the same for me. Although sometimes he'll mix it into something to negate the bitterness." Her eyes lift to Nesta. "Do you need any tonics?" My lips press together at the change in her tone and I know Nesta hears it as well.
"I have my own." She snaps and Feyre sighs, but doesn't push the subject. Elain pops up from the stove and walks over to look over our progress, ignoring the conversation we just had.
"Time to combine. Slowly put cups of the dry into the wet ingredients until it's all mixed together." She instructs and I begin mixing while Feyre pours. She tilts her bowl a little too much and flour flops out, sending a puff of white flour over Nesta and I. Feyre's eyes go wide as she stares at Nesta, but only a moment passes before I start laughing. My hand claims a fistful of flour and throws it at Feyre to paint her chest white. Laughter echoes from both of us now as flour flies through the kitchen, now aided by Elain as well, until we're all covered in a thin film. Even Nesta.
She hadn't thrown any, but her eyes are softer than I've ever seen them and there's a smile on her face. No matter how small. "Okay, okay. Finish mixing so it can go in the oven and bake before we run out of time!" Elain chides through giggles and I follow her instructions as we finally get the pans into the warm oven. We all glance at one another, all covered in flour, but Elain only has eyes for Nesta. "You should come around more often." She says gently with a warm smile stretching across her face. "I like it when we're all together." Graciously, she includes me in this as her eyes flick over to my figure.
YOU ARE READING
Risk and Reward
Fanfiction"It was perfect. Everything we'd dreamed it would be. The only thing that wasn't perfect...is me." After the events of Shadowsinger, Solstice is coming up. The war is over and battle is done, but that doesn't mean the difficulty ends. Everyone in th...
