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)
She then took me to bed, tucked me in, and because she was my gal, my Laura, she climbed in with me and tucked herself to my back, holding me, because I was still crying.
It wasn’t long after that when Mom came in, sat on the bed and whispered, “Oh, my beautiful girl,” as she stroked my hair.
My beautiful girl.
My beautiful Catla.
I was Tanyn’s beautiful Catla.
My weeping had been prolonged, though quiet, but at the reminder of what he called me, and how I’d treated him, a sob tore up my throat.
“My dearest, dearest girl,” Mom whispered, an angry tremble threading through it I couldn’t quite lock on because I had to focus on falling apart so I could get it over with and begin the process of putting myself back together.
I did that.
I fell asleep doing it.
And hours later, I woke up alone.
Unraveled.
I rolled to my back to stare at a ceiling that looked studded with diamonds, glinting in the morning light.
Under that sky of diamonds, I gave myself long moments to wallow in what I was determined to make the last moments of misery.
Finally, I muttered, “Time to pull my crap together.”
Gathering the remains of myself, I threw back the covers to do just that.
I had not lied to Tanyn.
When I needed alone time, you had better give me alone time.
I didn’t make my loved ones guess at my mood.
While drinking coffee I’d ordered up and preparing for the day, I’d text commed my loved ones to warn them of this, and they gave me space.
I told staff I’d breakfast in the queen’s study, and that was where I went to await my summons from Tanyn.
As the hours slid by, I did some work. I checked the social tapes to see if anything had been leaked about Riland, Darynda and Tatra (it hadn’t). I texted Gayle again (still no reply). I left a very long a-comm for Monique to give her a brief version of the trial, telling her I was still in Sky’s Edge, and I’d audio soon to fill her in completely.
And I spent a good deal of time practicing what I’d say to Tanyn.
I got a text from Jorda telling me my meeting with Tanyn was at two, and someone would arrive at the queen’s study to escort me to it.
I was not liking this.
However, I had to give him time to hold a grudge.
He deserved it.
I’d done something stupid.
I would apologize for it.
I would explain to him where I was with us.
That being, I liked him. I found him interesting. I was incredibly attracted to him. Since I thought we had a chance, I wanted to continue to explore this, not because I had no choice, but because that was what I wanted.
But even so, I was still going to need time to come to terms with all the changes it would bring for me.
Because…not only was there no way around me leaving Night’s Fall to live in Sky’s Edge to eventually be queen, and I still didn’t want to be queen, however I was understanding I was going to be, and I needed to get my head around that fact.
Though, one could say I didn’t need time to take it to the next level, that being sexually, but I was going to save that for last.
And finally, I wanted him to know, even though I fell down on the job yesterday evening, he could count on me to be there for him with all he was learning, and what might come of it.
I was too freaked out and nervous to order lunch, so when a member of staff came to collect me (this one I’d actually seen before—one thing was certain, if (now, it was when) I actually became queen of this castle, I was going to have a look at the staffing because this was a big place, but the level of staff was ridiculous), I was tense and jumpy.
I was no less so, in fact I was much more so by the time we traversed the space from one wing of the castle to the other, and I was shown into Tanyn’s study.
It was bigger than the queen’s, decorated in the deepest purples with black accents.
We hadn’t toured this room yesterday. It was the only room with dark décor I’d seen.
And it was filled with beings, including Nayden and Mira.
“A moment, Catla,” Tanyn bid when I arrived, affording me only a scant glance.
That stung, but I’d wounded his pride.
I had to take it and anything else he delivered so he could get over it.
“Of course,” I mumbled and moved to a seating area with two wine-leather-covered chesterfields facing each other.
“So we’re agreed. More information is needed before we share anything,” Tanyn was saying. “Focus on today’s business and what might result from that. Yes?”