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)
And then he used his grip on me to drive me onto his cock to find his own.
I fell forward and nuzzled his neck through my aftermath.
He wrapped his arms around me in his.
“Can we do this all day?” I requested.
His chuckle was delicious.
But he said, “No. We have a royal photo op at two.”
Oh dang.
I forgot.
Ugh.
“You’ll be fine,” he assured. “Just smile. They’ll call out questions. Say nothing. Keep smiling. Wave. Change your position frequently. Look at different ones, but don’t actually make eye contact. Fifteen minutes. Then we’ll be done.”
“I suppose I can do that.”
He smoothed both hands over the cheeks of my behind then again crossed his arms around my back to hold me.
And then he said, “You’ll be perfect.”
Chapter 21
Smile
I got to make us breakfast (totally a “got to” situation, Aleksei’s kitchen was insane), and we were back at our corner of the kitchen bar, cats fed, breakfast consumed, dirty dishes pushed aside, lingering over coffee.
Aleksei had a tablet on a stand propped in front of him, and as far as I could tell with the letters and numbers that were scrolling across the display, some of which he tapped notes about on his tablet, it was some business-type stuff that seemed to me like it was written in another language.
I was scrolling the tapes on my Palm and processing my second freakout that morning, because I was all over them.
Sure, if I were in charge of costuming the scene of the heroine astride the mighty dragon’s neck soaring above the city of Nocturn, I would so put her in that fabulous flamingo-pink gown.
But…
Dang.
I was everywhere.
Everywhere.
During breakfast, at the beginning of my freakout (around the time I started making choking noises), Aleksei told me Germaine had released details about me, and she wasn’t stingy. They included my name, age, education, occupation, the shows I’d worked on, the awards I’d been nominated for, and my no contact with my parents (though, no details on that).
My close relations with Catla and Gayliliel had also been included in the release.
When I’d asked him why, he’d said, “The Truelocks were some of the first demons to leave the Edge after the Demon Rift of 1637. They came to Night’s Fall and swore fealty to a True Heir. They’re one, and there’s some debate, but they might be the First Family of Demons in the Fall. And a Vinestrong was the general who commanded the legions who defeated a rogue faction of the dark fae in the Dark War in Land’s End in 1278. That was a long time ago, but they still have celebrations where they put a mug of mead on their stoop in honor of that day. When Vinestrong marched his troops home, the fae put out the mead as a show of gratitude to him and his males. So that ritual, even today, celebrates one of Gayle’s ancestors.”
I didn’t know this about Gayle. I didn’t even know if Gayle knew about Gayle’s family legacy.
But I did know about the Truelocks.
“When it comes to blood, crowns and thrones, it’s about lineage and how strong or elite your pedigree or connections are,” Aleksei finished.
“And do you know about my people?” I asked.
He inclined his head. “The Makepeaces have been middle-class shifters for the last few hundred years. Before that, there were merchants. Some publicans. Some military males. Not landed, but not servant class.”
“So nothing special,” I muttered.
He grinned. “Until now.”
Dang, but I really liked this male.
Just a note: even before the continent condensed into the Four Realms, and definitely when it did, there was a division of who was welcome where.
The continent was very long, but somewhat narrow.
The western coast was where the shifters stayed.
The northern lands were the haunt of the demons.
The eastern coast was where the witches practiced.
The southern shores were the land of the fae.
And the humans huddled in the mountains in the middle.
This had all integrated, and mixed, even before they tried (and failed) the Unification.
But even now, the majority of species in each realm held true to the old populations.
Now, I had to deal with the fact that, overnight, I’d become famous, fodder for chatter, speculation and outright lies.
And I had to get over it, because I had no choice.
A sound chimed from Aleksei’s tablet, and he took the comm.
“Your highness, Germaine Newleaf and Madam Garwah are here. They’d like to come up,” the agent on his display reported.
“Fuck, I should have expected this,” Aleksei muttered. “One moment. Audio and video mute.”
Aleksei turned to me.
“I’ll be needing to have a chat with Maine about her ambush tactics and when they aren’t necessary. Like now. But this is good. She and Madam Garwah can guide you through what’s expected at the photo op a lot better than I can. I’ve lived it my whole life, I can’t see it from where you’ll be approaching it.”