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)
He handed me the first and helped me on with the latter.
After I tied the belt, he put my hand in his elbow again and we headed out to the lift.
But I stutter-stepped in the hall when I saw the tall, built, bald demon standing outside the lift, his gaze on us.
And it was glowing red.
“That’s Set,” Aleksei told me when he felt me balk. “One of my bodyguards. He remains always at the ready when he’s on duty.”
That explained the glowing eyes.
And this made sense, considering a demon’s speed and senses were significantly heightened when they were, as Aleksei put it, “at the ready.”
Not to mention, I was glad he was around, especially after my recent conversation with Madam Garwah.
“Set, this is Laura Makepeace,” he introduced when we came abreast of the male.
No unnecessary courtesies, Set dipped his chin and grunted, “Laura.”
“Nice to meet you, Set,” I replied.
He nodded to me, to Aleksei, and we got in the lift.
Set stood at alert facing the doors.
Aleksei and I lingered at the back.
“Was your entire session a history discussion or did Garwah teach you anything?” Aleksei asked.
Hmmm…
Seemed like someone eavesdropped for a while.
I looked up at him. “I learned to eat fast when I’m around your dad.”
He chuckled.
Oh yeah, I liked that sound. I’d jump through hoops to get that sound. I could see a time in my life where I might not be able to live without that sound.
“I thought it would be silly,” I told him as the lift doors opened and we remained where we were as Set walked out, scanned the space, and only when he turned back and jutted his chin did we walk out. “But it was really interesting.”
“I believe it was interesting for Garwah too,” Aleksei replied as we followed Set to the doors of the building. “I don’t know Garwah very well, though she’s always invited to events and celebrations at the Palace. However, I doubt she engages very often in historical debates, and it appeared she enjoyed it.”
“I was probably being impertinent,” I mumbled, then I blinked because, as we strode over the pavement, the doors to a sleek, black JetPanther 570 boosted up with a sultry purr.
I knew about the JetPanther because everyone knew about the JetPanther, considering it was the pinnacle of land-sky craft in all the realms. Every inch of it was handmade (unheard of), and it was so highly engineered, and as such, high performance, you could actually pilot one to a satellite resort.
I wasn’t all about crafts, so I didn’t pay attention, thus I couldn’t be sure, but if I remembered correctly, I heard it took so much time to make one, not to mention, very few could afford them once they were made, they only built five a year.
Aleksei stopped us at the passenger door that perched high like a wing and turned me to face him, which successfully tore my attention from his elite craft.
“I suspect she deals mostly with the social-climbing daughters of social-climbing mothers who salivate over royal etiquette and twist themselves into knots to be the best at it in hopes of catching the eye of a duke.”
“Or a prince,” I put in, realizing in that moment that he’d been a sort of prey all his adult life.
Also realizing how much that had to suck.
He conceded my point with a tilt of his head. “Or a prince. In other words, you were probably a breath of fresh air.”
It was unexpected, but I sensed I was. “I hope so.”
“I’ve little doubt,” he murmured as he helped me into the low-slung craft hovering at the curb.
I settled in, unsurprised at the luxury, but surprised at how roomy it was. It was small, a two-seater, but it had great leg room.
He settled in beside me, the doors descended, and he commanded, “Stained Glass. Brush Island. Manual.”
The dash lit blue and replied, “Assessing clear route, your highness.”
Stained Glass?
He was taking me to the finest restaurant in all of Nocturn and its islands? Maybe even all of Night’s Fall?
Were we ready for that?
I thought we were doing private things to get to know each other.
As if he knew my thoughts, Aleksei shared, “We’ll enter from the back. No one will see us. We’ll have our own room and be attended by bots programmed to confidential. The only being who knows we’re coming is the chef, who’s a friend of mine. I would have liked to take you to my flat and cook for you, but there isn’t time to do that and go to the Catalogues, because I have a meeting off-planet in the morning, and I need to leave early.”
“Why didn’t you leave tonight?” I asked stupidly, seeing as I was in his JetPanther and he was taking me out to dinner.
He shot me a glance confirming he didn’t because I was beside him in his JetPanther and we were off to dinner.