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)
“That said, even if all we’re learning about her is not good, I’m surprised Tatra is behind this,” I remarked. “I mean, she’s no longer a virgin, but she could be sold to settle a debt.”
“We have another theory.”
Oh boy.
I didn’t like the way he said those words.
“What’s that?”
“That Tatra isn’t the leader. That Tatra is only a cog in the wheel. They could tell her what she wants to hear. They could offer her what she wants to have. They could keep from her the totality of their plans to use her as a tool, or a weapon. Our biggest weakness right now is that we have very limited intelligence about what’s going on. We could even be wrong about our suppositions.”
“I’m going to point out what I hope is the obvious for my peace of mind, but you all are scrambling to alleviate that weakness, am I right?”
And he pulled me even closer. “Yes, baby. There’s an inter-realm task force doing just that, and this task force was put in place soon after the troll attacks.”
“I take it they’re not learning much of anything, though.”
“It’s been less than two months since the attack. It takes more than a few weeks to make inroads into covert factions like this.”
This made sense too.
“Right.”
“In the meantime, we’re being very vigilant.”
They were doing that.
I felt better. Not a load better, but better.
“Right.”
“I do know one thing. Polls from the Edge that showed Arnaud had support in our realm were greatly exaggerated. We don’t hang on every poll up here in the Edge like they do in the Fall, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t important to consistently take the pulse of the populace about issues that matter. Since it’s important, we do that. And we’ve found these ideas are not supported by a huge group of beings.”
That was good too.
His voice dipped low and soothing. “My beautiful Cat, I’m sure you know, throughout history there have been tyrants and despots that have forced their beliefs on their beings. These regimes might have lasted due to the backing of their might, but they always collapsed. Always. Beings on the whole do not like to be told what to believe, how to live their lives. You have to balance laws that benefit most with liberty for all. If that balance is broken, shit goes down, and it usually ends with the crown falling off a head that’s been severed from its body.”
Gross.
But accurate.
“Do I need to eat you to make you come again so you’ll sleep?” Tanyn queried.
This idea held merit.
“For fuck’s sake,” he muttered good-naturedly as he slid down my body.
“I thought you liked the taste of me.”
As answer to that question, he shoved my leg aside, dipped in, and fed.
Definitely.
My male seriously liked the taste of me.
And I was super happy he did.
“Baby.”
My eyes fluttered but didn’t open.
“Gayle is okay. She’s at Spikeback. Safe and home.”
That opened my eyes. “She’s good?”
“I’m not sure about good. But she’s with Laura, and as you know, Monique is spending the night there.”
“Cormac?”
“As far as we know, he doesn’t know she’s gone yet.”
I wished I was a fly on the wall when he discovered that.
“Now, go back to sleep,” Tanyn ordered.
“Thanks for telling me.”
“Of course.”
“Thanks for taking care of my friend.”
I felt his lips touch mine and then, “Of course on that too.”
As my eyes drooped closed and sleep claimed me, I wondered vaguely if I was still falling for him, or if I was already a goner.
Since I fell right back to sleep, I figured the answer didn’t matter.
Either way was fine by me.
The next morning, Nayden stood at the top of the steps to the soni-jet, waiting while Tanyn and I made out at the foot of them.
Eventually, he ended our session, which set me to pouting.
“I’ll be down no later than seven on Friday,” he said to my pout.
That wasn’t even forty-eight hours away.
I still kept pouting.
“And I’m not leaving until Monday morning.”
This meant another dinner with him. Another evening of sex with him. Another night sleeping at his side.
That didn’t end my pout, but it did end the severity of it.
He pulled me closer and said gently, “Thank you for carving out a night for me.”
“Should we plan one for next week?”
“Shall we make them a thing for Wednesday?”
I nodded.
He sealed our agreement with a kiss.
He then let me give Hurley, who was hanging close, a head rub before he scooted me up the stairs to the jet.
After I settled in, I watched him through the window, Hurley again sitting at his side.
And as we lifted off, me, Catla Truelock, waved like a lovestruck schoolgirl.
Tanyn sent me another one of his air kisses.
So sweet.
We stayed strapped in until the boom emanated from the craft after it broke the sound barrier, and only then did I realize Nayden wasn’t in the cockpit, he was again sitting across from me.