Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 165618 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 828(@200wpm)___ 662(@250wpm)___ 552(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 165618 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 828(@200wpm)___ 662(@250wpm)___ 552(@300wpm)
Thick, richly colored rugs on the refurbished wood floors. Fabulous bedclothes and hangings in a coffee, burnt orange, burnished gold and sap green paisley. Two big, slouchy armchairs angled toward the fire with a carved footed table between them, wide enough both Tanyn and I could set down our drinks, our books, tablets, whatever. Old-fashioned plug-in lamps scattered for illumination, but also to create a mood.
Tanyn had seen our efforts, and he’d approved with a long, juicy kiss (that was for me, the one for Zyra was on her cheek and it wasn’t long or juicy).
Now, Cormac would sleep in Tanyn’s old room.
Gayle was in mine.
And three other rooms had been completed so we could all be there. One for Aleksei and Laura (where my parents would stay during Dead Winter), the other two for Aleece and Bain.
Zyra noticed my arrival in the bedchamber, turned her head and smiled at me.
“We done good, didn’t we?” she asked.
“We sure did,” I replied.
She placed the bolster and straightened from the bed. “I knew this was going to be fun, but watching it all come together, it’s a lot more fun than I thought it would be.”
She was correct, and I could see she was glad to be home.
“And now you get to watch it all come to fruition in person,” I noted.
Her smile turned radiant. “I will. I love having this many beings here. It’s never been like this. It’s so…” She was at a loss for words.
“Alive?” I supplied.
More radiance. “That,” she agreed. The glow faded as a shadow crossed her face when she went on, “Darynda would have loved this, especially that Tanyn has it.”
I’d never met the female.
I still knew Zyr spoke true.
I went to her and gave her a hug, we held on tight, and when she stepped away, she was swiping the scarlet tears from her face.
“I think I have something to do in the kitchen,” she muttered her lie.
I let her have it and I let her go.
After she’d gone, I walked into newly refinished solar that Zyra and I had outfitted with an intimate table where Tanyn and I could eat if we wanted to do so upstairs, and not do it holding our plates in front of our faces. This was joined by a chaise longue gracing one window, and another seating arrangement of two comfortable chairs facing out in the direction of the chunks of ice floating on the surface of the Borea Sea.
I walked to the windows, looked down, and an unexpected giggle rolled up my throat and through my lips.
This was because, in the snow at the base of the plateau, a gorgeous pink dragon was cavorting in the powder, rolling, prancing and sending up great sprays of flurries.
Sitting in the blanket of flakes beside her was a large, proud beast of black and purple, webbed wings, claws and spikes, watching her with a terrifying expression on its face.
Laura and Aleksei.
Or, more to the point, their beasts.
Lex’s beast’s expression wasn’t alarming. It had RTF (resting terrifying face). Actually, it was more aptly described as PTF (permanent terrifying face).
However, I saw in the swish of his powerful tail he was enjoying Laura’s show.
My Palm buzzed in the back pocket of my jeans.
I took it out, looked at the display, then pulled up and read the text comm.
At the ready.
That was Bain.
I moved out of the solar and down the stairs, descended the next flight, and I might have sneaked a peek into the lounge.
Gayliliel and Cormac were watching a vid on screen.
Gayle was twirling her hair, her eyes aimed to the action playing before her.
Mac was scowling at it.
She’d taken another potion, against Mac’s wishes.
You had to admire her loyalty to the mission.
Even if it was frustrating as all hells.
I had not asked if she’d talked to him about Selediel.
I was dying to know.
But I’d told her about the ancient fae.
Now I was taking a page out of Tanyn’s book (or trying) and giving them space so whatever was going to happen would happen.
I just hoped whatever that was, it brought them together and made them both happy.
As I moved through the back hall to get to the back door, I heard Aleece’s laughter drifting up from the kitchen. It was mingled with Manny’s deep chuckles.
I’d always really liked her, even admired her.
Now, this had grown because she was who she was, Princess Royal to a mighty realm, and still, she treated Zyr and Manny like family.
This wasn’t only because they were.
She could turn on and off the airs and graces depending on if she was doing royal duties, or if she was just communing with her beings.
This meant she was just Aleece Starknight, who just happened to be a princess.
It was mega cool.
It wasn’t lost on me that Bainon felt the same.