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)
“Yes, sire,” Mira said.
“Great,” Tanyn replied.
And apparently that was that, because everyone milled out, Mira with a small, polite but distracted smile aimed my way, Nayden with a desultory chin dip, also my way.
I moved to stand in front of Tanyn’s desk and initiated the opening gambit I’d practiced.
“Hey. I’ve checked the tapes and heard nothing so far. How did the vote go?”
I was talking about the tax changes. The vote was today.
And I knew that was important to him, so I thought maybe starting with it, hoping it was good news, might set me up for all the rest.
“They’re still debating it on the floor.” He used his head to indicate the chairs in front of his desk. “Please take a seat.”
I wasn’t fond of his formal tone, but I sat.
I shifted to my second gambit. “Is there anything new on—?”
“I’ve spoken to your father,” he interrupted me to state. “And your mother. Along with being well aware of your own feelings on the matter, I’ve given it some thought and decided to release you from the contract.”
It felt, excruciatingly, like he’d punched me in the throat.
“Please know you’re free to stay here if you wouldn’t feel safe in Nocturn,” he continued. “However, also know I’ll be happy to provide you with a full detail so you can be safe if you choose to go home. That said, I’ve shared this decision with Aleksei, and he’s informed me he’ll have you covered with RS. My assumption is, once it’s clear to whoever is behind this that you and I do not have a future together, the threat will go away, and you can live your life as you see fit.”
I didn’t speak, nor did I even twitch.
“I apologize for putting you through this,” he said emotionlessly. “But rest assured, it’s over. I expect we’ll see each other at official events, considering your relationship with Laura, and should Gayliliel and Cormac mend their rift. I hope it won’t be awkward. But I can promise to avoid you, if that’s what you need.”
I remained very still and utterly silent.
“Will you be staying?” he queried. “Or would you like me to arrange for your return to Night’s Fall?”
“I’ll be going home,” I said through stiff lips.
“As suspected,” he replied immediately and indifferently. “Would you like to return with your parents or—?”
“No, I’d like to be alone. And I’d prefer Aleksei’s detail.”
Was that a mild tightening of his lips I saw?
I didn’t know.
And at that point, I didn’t care.
“It will take some time to arrange the soni-jet,” he remarked.
“I don’t need the soni-jet.”
He nodded. “So be it.”
I didn’t move.
He softened.
Slightly.
“Again, my apologies for putting you through this,” he said quietly.
“Liar,” I replied.
His oh-so-handsome head ticked. “Pardon?”
“You’re a fucking liar.”
His pupils started dilating.
“You lied just now,” I informed him. “And you lied when you told me you saw me. You never fucking saw me.”
“Catla—”
I stood. “Fuck you, Tanyn Firefierce.”
He stood too. “Cat—”
I squared my shoulders and declared, “Avoid me at official events. Alas, even though I never want to see you again, I’ll be supporting my gals when they need me to do so. Thus, on occasion, I’ll be forced to endure your presence. But I never want to speak to you again.”
“Cat.”
I said no more and was moving swiftly to the door.
He didn’t call my name again.
He did not come to the queen’s chamber to speak with me in order to right his wrongs he’d done to me while I packed my oh-so-many cases. Nor when I was writing the digi-note. Nor when I went to his room to place it on his bed.
He didn’t show at the landing bay to say goodbye either.
I took off in a royal UtiliSport without seeing him again.
Because King Tanyn said it was over.
And it was over.
Just like that.
Tanyn
Late that night, when Tanyn was heading to bed in order, he knew, not to sleep (because that wasn’t going to fucking happen), but at least try to rest, was when he saw the digi-note sitting on his pillow.
He picked it up, opened it, and read:
Tanyn,
I wasn’t given the opportunity to express how deeply sorry I am that you lost your mother—and your father—the way you did. I can imagine this is very difficult for you. As it was surely difficult for you to share the news with Zyra and Mangold. And I do not envy, not only you all having to deal with how this makes you feel, but whatever the fallout of it will be.
You should further know I deeply regret my insensitivity in the face of what you learned yesterday. I’ll make no excuses because it was inexcusable.
Obviously, I don’t know what will come of all of that, what more you’ll learn, what other treacheries you’ve been living under the whole of your life. But I hate that you have to live with the knowledge of your mother’s final moments, the decades your father endured, and all that the three of you lost in between.