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)
“The warning of a…fucking…threat,” he fired back.
“I have a detail.”
“And so did Laura, when one of them was shot dead on the pavement while protecting her.”
Since this happened, and it had messed Laura (and Aleksei) all the way up, I clamped my mouth shut.
“My father’s body has already been exhumed and is being autopsied. A crew flew out first thing this morning to get Mom.”
I flinched, because I hated that for him, for Zyra and Mangold. I even hated it for that peaceful spot where she rested.
“Preliminary reports are already in,” he continued. “My father was drugged.”
I gawped. “Are you serious?”
“It wasn’t a lethal amount. It was the poison he ingested that they believe killed him.”
“Oh my gods,” I breathed.
“My mother’s body was covered in five inches of snow by the time Manny found her. The circling lynx and a piece of her coat that the wind had exposed was how he found her. In other words, there’d been snow, and there’s always wind, so if there was a struggle, by the time he got to her, any evidence of that was covered by the elements. And as a matter of law, as a royal, even one deposed, she was autopsied by a doctor who was sent by order from this castle, which was under Arnaud’s command at that time.”
He’d said it, and he didn’t even know what he’d said.
She’d gone out on foot, without her Palm.
Both she knew not to do when no one was on the island, or perhaps ever.
And one could say, the pens were located at least twice the distance away than that cove, so it was at least a two-hour hike.
“Was there any security there for her? Them? Before you became king?”
He shook his head.
He pushed away from the jamb but didn’t move from it. “You are here until this threat is cleared.”
“But, what about Mira’s plans?”
“Fuck Mira’s plans.”
“You can’t hide me in this castle, Tanyn. Beings will find out I’m here.”
“Fuck the beings too,” he bit. “You’re to be my wife. I’d prefer you live to attend our wedding, not to mention all that’s to come over the years after it.”
I wasn’t sure about the wife thing, but I definitely wanted to keep breathing.
Since I knew I’d get nowhere with this discussion, I moved on.
“I’m going to get lost in this farging ice mausoleum, so will you take me to my parents?” I requested.
As answer, he stepped out of the doorway.
He strolled, but his legs were so long, his stroll was fast, and I had to rush to keep up with him.
I did this partially to see my parents and set their minds at ease, partially because I had no choice because he had a punishing grip on my hand.
Hence me needing to say, “I’m all right, honey.”
His head jerked so he could look down at me, the lightning crashing in his gaze.
Well, there you go.
One could say he liked the endearment.
“See?” I asked.
He aimed his attention to where we were going, but his grip on my hand lessened.
We descended some stairs (made of ice, but they were warm under my bare feet—strange, but cool). And then we went down a hall (the floors there also made of ice, and all the walls were made of packed snow).
And finally, we entered a room where my father was pacing and my mother was sitting on a winter-white velvet couch with silver gilding at the edges. She was fretting.
Dad whirled and Mom popped up when I arrived.
“Catty!” Mom cried.
But Dad was staring at Tanyn and my linked hands.
Tanyn let me go, so when Mom pulled me into her arms, I wasn’t attached to him.
I held her to me and whispered, “I’m all right.”
“What more have you learned?” Dad barked at Tanyn.
Mom and I didn’t quite let go, we just moved so we were standing side by side with our arms around each other.
“Daddy, chill,” I said gently. “He’s been with me. He can’t have learned anything new.”
It was like I didn’t speak.
Because Dad threatened Tanyn with, “You are aware that if this threat is not neutralized, promptly, I’m reneging on the marriage contract.”
I stiffened.
Mom stiffened beside me.
And we did because the heat that started pouring off Tanyn was immense.
I was about to let her go to try to soothe him, but he spoke before I could even begin to do that.
“The compatibility trial was successful, so you have no standing to break the contract,” Tanyn growled.
And oh yes.
His eyes were burning red and locked on my dad.
“I’ll find standing,” Dad retorted (mm-hmm, he had red eyes too).
“And I’ll drag you so deeply through the magisterial system of Sky’s Edge, you’ll use every last Truelock mark to fight that battle, and you’ll still lose,” Tanyn shot back.
“The contract was signed in Night’s Fall.”
“A realm that does not support marriage contracts, which is why there’s a clause that states any arbitration or litigation will happen in Sky’s Edge,” Tanyn returned.