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)
In the end, it was the right thing to do, but it was horrid all the same.
It was on this thought Aleksei walked in.
After my convo with Timothee, I’d decided to give him his bad mood of the morning, considering all that was going on, and pretend it didn’t happen.
So I smiled at him.
He did not smile back.
He took us all in, looked to me, and asked, “Enjoying your day?” in a tone that said, The rest of us are taking this threat seriously, and you’re in here, chilling out.
I ignored his tone, put my book down and replied, “I’ve been waiting for your meeting to be over.”
I did not share it was nearly three in the afternoon, his meeting was at seven in the morning, and maybe it lasted that long, but I was guessing it didn’t.
And if it didn’t, in between times, he didn’t come to me.
“Did you get anything accomplished today?” he asked.
I was in a holding pattern with work, something he knew.
His mother was away from the Palace for an appearance, something I suspected he knew.
So I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to accomplish.
But I offered, “Timothee and I had a conversation about Caelyn Knightstar and the Battle of the Chasm.”
“You asked Tim to explain the instincts of a male shifter?” he all but sneered.
No.
It wasn’t “all but.”
He straight-up sneered.
It was hard, but I ignored that too.
“I couldn’t say he was leaping for joy at the opportunity to tell me, but he was helpful,” I said.
“A miracle shines out of the murk,” he muttered.
Do not ask me why, but a protective instinct surged in me regarding his brother.
“He helped me out, Aleksei. I had a question, and he took time to answer it.”
Something you did not do, I left unsaid.
He ignored that and inquired, “Did you get a tour of the Palace?”
“I wandered myself.”
“That isn’t a tour.”
“No,” I agreed. “But staff have things to do. Aleece disappeared after breakfast, she was checking on Errol. I didn’t see her after, and I didn’t comm because I didn’t want to bother her in case she was busy. Your father was otherwise engaged. Your mom was gone. So I did the best I could do.”
An odd brittleness seemed to infuse his features when I mentioned Errol, but he didn’t explain that or say anything.
He simply inclined his head.
“I also spoke to Antheme’s mom and dad, as well as the wife of the male who was lost yesterday,” I told him.
His brow creased. “Did Germaine approve that?”
“No.”
He put his hands on his hips, like a father preparing to educate a small, dull child. “Laura, I believe you’ve already learned, in sensitive matters like that, you need to discuss them with Germaine.”
Do not rise to the bait, Laura.
“They were moved I took the time to comm,” I shared.
“We’re lucky for that,” he murmured and then declared, “I have a meeting in ten minutes. I’ll be in my study and shouldn’t be disturbed.”
“Is this meeting about what’s happening?”
“No. I still own controlling share of twenty-seven businesses, regardless of what happened yesterday. And in so doing, I’m required to discuss issues and render decisions on how they operate.”
And now I was not a small, dull child, but I was getting another you’re-a-dim-bulb tone from a prince of the realm.
Patience and understanding. He considers his mate in danger and vulnerable. Don’t add fuel to the fire.
“Will you share about your meeting this morning after your imminent meeting?” I asked.
“I said I would.”
More odd, I sensed he was lying.
Since I couldn’t understand why I had that sensation, I didn’t call him on it.
I nodded and said, “Okay. Can you tell me why you were called away last night?”
“No.”
I waited.
Nothing.
So I guessed that was again all I was going to get.
“Are there any more questions you have in order to detain me before you get back to reading, and I return to doing important shit?” he asked.
Patience and understanding instantly took a swan dive out the window.
“I’d appreciate it if you’d stop throwing in my face that I confided in you I was worried I was self-absorbed when we got together. I’m not Anna, Aleksei.”
“You are, indeed, not,” he agreed. “And I’m not doing that.”
“It feels like it.”
“So there are issues you wish to use to detain me,” he noted, his voice beleaguered.
Beleaguered!
I was beleaguering him!
I picked up my book, saying, “Go. I’m not a fan of you in this mood.”
“I’m not in a mood, Laura. I simply have things to do.”
“Fine. Awesome. Feel free to do them,” I muttered to my book.
“It didn’t take you long to learn to be a princess. Now that, love, is very Anna.”
My attention snapped back to him.
Nova slunk away.
Jupiter jumped off the daybed and disappeared under it.
Comet rolled to his belly and stared up at Aleksei.
My beast retreated.
His bulged.