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)
I grimaced at the reminder of that particular loss. “Prince Sollo.”
He nodded, his head moving on the pillow.
It was adorable.
“For obvious reasons, their public facing image is a close-knit family. However, I noticed at the Eyrie, Mac was very closed off. Not easy to get to know. Private in a way I understood, because he is who he is. You learn early not to trust because many beings will want to know you for reasons you don’t want to be known. Others will use you. I’m sure you understand.”
“I haven’t, until now, but I can empathize.”
“Well, it was more. For ten years, he was the spare. Then, after a tragedy, he was the future king. But I don’t think Niall ever let him forget he was born the spare.”
I couldn’t believe that. King Niall seemed so cool.
But I did believe it, because Tanyn told it to me.
“Oh my gods, what a dick,” I whispered. “It isn’t Cormac’s fault Sollo died like he did.”
“It wasn’t. And they lost a son. I know loss. I still can’t imagine. But Cormac also lost a brother, and I know for certain, because he told me, he and Sollo were tight. It was near on hero worship in Cormac’s eyes. I can’t say what it is, because he hasn’t shared the totality of it when it comes to his parents. I do know, whatever the dysfunction is, he’s almost as protective of Princess Rowan as he is triggered to be protective of Gayle.”
That was saying something.
And this was why I uttered, “Whoa.”
“Yes.”
“And you don’t know why?”
“No clue. But she visited him at the Eyrie, and I witnessed myself how he glared down anyone who even glanced at her. Including upperclassmen, and at the Eyrie, upperclassmen are considered a higher rank, so that is not the done thing.”
“Do you think something happened to her?”
He shoved his other arm under me so he could roll to his back and hold me pressed to his side. “I think beings process loss in a variety of ways. Some of them are natural and healthy. The hole is never filled, but they get on with their lives. Some of them are angry and bitter, and they cast about to find someone to blame, or someone to punish, like inflicting pain alleviates their own. I don’t get that. But I worry that’s what Mac and Row experienced. Sollo was the favored son. Neither of them are Sollo, and it was made clear they weren’t.”
My gaze wandered to the headboard as I murmured, “I think Gayle needs to know this.”
He got my attention back with a hefty arm squeeze. “I think you need to let them handle this as they handle it.”
“Tanyn—”
“It doesn’t matter in the short term. She’s spelled herself.”
“That’s true, but we’re not mated, and I’m falling for you.”
He smiled and rolled again so I was on my back and he was pressed down my side.
When his hands started roaming, particularly to my nightgown in order to pull it up, I remarked, “I sense we’re done talking about Cormac and Gayle.”
I liked the gruff timbre of his voice when he said, “We very much are.”
I wanted to tell him that I was going to show Gayle the picture of Selediel tomorrow afternoon.
And I hadn’t yet told him what Mira said to me.
But since he was now kissing me, I decided they both could wait.
And they did.
Chapter 22
Insult
Mid-morning the next day, I was standing at the window of the queen’s study, looking out at the fallow gardens, thinking what I’d never thought before, considering it was what it was and always had been during my lifetime: it was strange the castle stayed encased in snow while the world outside experienced the seasons.
Of course, Sky’s Edge was colder than the rest of the realms due to its position in the north, but they still had four seasons.
But the member of staff (I asked her name, it was Lesta) shyly shared when she was bringing me coffee that the forecast that day was for flurries, so if I wanted to go outside, I should dress accordingly.
In Night’s Fall, we’d never expect flurries at this time of year, even if it was late autumn.
However, I knew Sky’s Edge would be covered in snow that wouldn’t go away until next March, and it would be thus soon.
I was thinking these thoughts after spending a good deal of time thinking about what Aleece had to say about not connecting with any of the males she’d been with.
It made me wonder about myself.
And I started doing that again.
Sure, Tanyn was not crafted by the gods to be my mate, like the others were for theirs.
But did that mean, even as demons, we didn’t have some kind of…something that, deep down inside, guided us to who we were supposed to share our lives with?