Total pages in book: 192
Estimated words: 192810 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 964(@200wpm)___ 771(@250wpm)___ 643(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 192810 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 964(@200wpm)___ 771(@250wpm)___ 643(@300wpm)
“And Errol?” I asked.
“I think Errol is avoiding all of us because he’s trying to keep it together,” Aleece answered, but she did it in a way where it sounded like she wasn’t so sure.
However, I took note that Aleece had lived her whole life with shifters, so, with the queen off to an appearance that day, maybe I could sit down with Aleece and have a deep chat.
On this thought, she pushed her chair back, stood and said, “I should probably check on that. Errol, I mean. See you all later.”
And with no further ado, she was off.
Okay, I guessed she was out for me to ask her to provide some insights. At least for now.
I heaved a sigh.
“You doing all right?” Gayle asked.
I looked at her to see this was aimed at me.
With our company, I couldn’t tell her no, I wasn’t. My mate was being a dick again and everything was farged up.
I’d have to wait until later.
“I just didn’t get very much sleep,” I said for now.
Gayle gave me an understanding look. “I don’t think any of us did.”
“I don’t suppose so,” I mumbled.
Monique looked at her watch unit and said, “My transport is here. Gotta go.”
Wait.
What?
I tensed. “You’re leaving?”
“They’ve set up offices for the rest of us because we can work from here,” Gayle answered for her.
“But Cat and I can’t,” Monique added.
I’d thought Catla was probably having a lie-in or availing herself of the ability to pull a cord and have someone bring her breakfast.
That was very Cat.
Now I took in the table with no small amount of concern.
At the expression on my face, Monique continued, “They’re giving me protection, Laura. I’ll be okay.”
We had protection yesterday, and we were not okay.
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“I have clients who depend on me, hon,” she answered. “And bills to pay.”
She did.
Not to mention, as Aleksei reminded me earlier, it wasn’t all about me and what I wanted.
“Of course,” I mumbled.
“Aleksei wouldn’t let anything hurt me,” she assured. “And I’ll come right back to the Palace after my last client.”
I nodded, even if I didn’t like it.
But I got it.
It wasn’t long ago that I would have done the same. It was just that now, I was no longer in her position. Through my mate, I was filthy rich. I had four homes in one city alone. I could walk away from my vid and my career, never look back and never want for anything.
But it wasn’t my credit line to tap into, it was Aleksei’s, and the Palace’s, so I couldn’t tell her I’d cover her losses so she could stay safe in the Palace.
And it was because of me that she might not be safe.
“Is Cat in the city?” I asked.
“The gallery has been repaired. She’s working with Terrinton on the next showing,” Mr. Truelock said.
I examined his face, searching for signs of worry his daughter was out in the world, a possible target.
But either he was very good at hiding it (which was a possibility), or he trusted the RS (also feasibly genuine).
With Monique going first, one by one, they all took off to find their new palace offices and get to work, and I lingered alone at the breakfast table, sipping coffee, trying not to think, and thinking too much.
In an effort to curtail that, I left the table and wandered the Palace by myself.
I definitely needed a guided tour. There were a number of rooms, but none of them had plaques outside that said “this is the room the family uses to do so and so.”
I did notice that everything on the second floor seemed more lived in, even if it was imposing and refined, bearing testimony to what I’d already figured out, it was the family living area, whereas what I found on the first floor was more formal. Meaning the first floor was where they did their royal business.
And I already knew the third floor was where they had their private spaces and where some guest rooms were located (I didn’t peruse that floor).
I was out in the courtyard, trying to enjoy the nip in the air that was brought on by the gray skies and the coming autumn and giving myself the opportunity to see the lush but exacting layout of the garden close up, when I heard the mighty flap of dragon’s wings.
I looked up to see a dragon, smaller than Aleksei’s, but with a goodly number of horns and spikes, the ridges of his wings, his brow and his breast an iced blue that looked fierce against the rest of his black.
He flapped down to land behind some shrubbery not close, but not far from me.
I saw a member of staff scurry behind the shrubs with an arm full of clothes, the proud dragon’s head I could see over the top of the neatly clipped shrubbery disappeared, and within minutes, Timothee was stalking out from behind the bushes.