Page 20 of Night’s Fall (The Four Realms #1)

The Zone

M y eyes were bleary. My sketchpads were scattered. Pages torn from them were tangled in the mess.

Nova was asleep in a front window. Comet was also asleep, flat on his back on the floor, his pudge spreading, his paws dangling in the air. And Jupiter was batting around one of the many scrunched up rejects of paper I’d tossed aside.

This was in my studio, which was populated with a host of dressmaker dummies, deep shelves stuffed full of bolts of fabrics, a wall of painstakingly organized bins, cannisters, drawers, pots and binders filled with tokens, trimmings, pencils and past sketches.

There were large tables for pinning and cutting.

Tucked by the shelves there was a used mid-level Pro Seam - Stitch I bought that had been malfunctioning, but Mr . Tanugu’s brother fixed it for me.

There was a cozy corner where I had another drafting desk.

In another corner was a counter, a Bev - Buddy and small-size Cook - Companion .

Yet another corner held a curtained dressing area, and in the last, a walled-off bathroom.

But I was ensconced in the center of the room in a loveseat sitting atop a thick, circular rug and flanked by tables where I could put drinks, plates, pencils, pens and swatches.

This was where I was when the display on my Palm lit, and the tinkle of bells (my tone to tell me I had an incoming vid comm) sounded.

I grouchily turned my attention to the display, annoyed I’d been interrupted.

The grouch exited the building, and maybe even the planet, when I saw HRH Prince Aleksei on the display (of course I programmed in the HRH and the Prince , because… duh , it was hilarious and hot).

I snatched it up, saying, “ Engage video comm.”

His glorious face filled my screen, and he didn’t look bleary-eyed at all.

“Hey,” I greeted.

“Bloody hell, have you been up all night?” he asked.

I should be concerned about the state of my face.

I was not concerned about the state of my face.

“Look!” I cried, grabbing at the pad I’d set beside my chair.

I showed him the sketch.

“That’s the heroine’s wedding gown,” I announced.

I flipped the page. “ That’s the gown she’ll wear when she meets the hero.

” I tossed the pad aside, seized another one and showed him that.

“ Hero’s costume for when he battles his first troll.

And this!” I exclaimed, flipping the page. “ Troll in loincloth!”

His chuckle sounded, and I dropped the pad to see his face soft with humor.

Maybe my favorite look on him, though, it had stiff competition.

“So the answer to my question is…yes. You were up all night,” he remarked.

Again, I should probably worry about looking a fright, but I didn’t. I was far too jazzed, far too hyped, far too caffeinated, and far too happy to be chatting with him.

I also didn’t confirm, because I figured he got the gist.

“Are you on Thoth ?” I asked.

“Just finished my first meeting. I have a few minutes before we need to head to lunch for another one.”

He’d finished his first meeting?

He’d already arrived?

I glanced around distractedly. “ What time is it?”

“Eleven forty.”

Whoa.

I probably should lay off the coffee, wind down and crash. At least for a few hours. Then I could hit it again.

“Listen, darling, I had a brainstorm,” Aleksei declared.

“ I’ve asked Sirk to take you to the showing.

He’s agreed. Muriel is juggling my schedule in hopes I can get back in time, even if we won’t be at the place to appear in public together yet.

But Sirk can take you, and I can trust him with you.

My beast considers him a member of my clan, even if we’re different species of shifter. He won’t come off as a threat.”

My stomach twisted at the mention of his beast, something I didn’t have.

Though, I suspected, through his vetting—which at this juncture probably was no longer preliminary, but instead very thorough—he knew that.

And I liked him even more because he hadn’t brought it up.

He, specifically, knew how much it would hurt. Far worse than talking about my parents, and it meant a lot that so far, he’d let it lie.

Maybe one day he’d go there (alas, it was unavoidable), but I loved the fact he didn’t broach the subject or even allude to it now.

“I’ll attend on my own,” he continued. “ That way, we can spend time together, because no one would question Sirk and I doing so. But I’ll warn you, there’ll be hawks who note your presence, and when we do go public, they’ll think that was where we met.

This has ramifications for Sirk , who it will be assumed is romantically interested in you.

But there’s no one else close who I can trust you with, save one of my brothers.

And sadly, that trust excludes my brothers.

No one but Aleece knows I’ve found my mate, but even if I told them, only Lilith knows what those two would get up to, even with my mate. ”

I was feeling all happy squidgy that he’d thought up a way to keep us private, but we could still be out in public, spending time together…not to mention how much of a hit it would be for Cat if he attended.

But something else took precedence.

“Princess Aleece knows?”

He nodded. “ She commed me this morning. She’d heard I brought a female to the Catalogues , and she was curious. I’m considering bringing her to the showing, but I don’t want there to be too much pressure on you.”

I weighed the pressure that would put on me (which would be a lot) versus the cachet Aleece’s additional presence would bring to Cat (which would also be a lot).

“If you, Sirk and Princess Aleece show, that would be huge for Cat ,” I noted.

“I’m sure,” he agreed. “ But it would be tough on you.”

“I’m going to meet her someday, right?”

His eyes warmed (they were back to night, then again, he was on a space station, which was constant night).

“I’ll consider it,” he murmured.

“Is Sirk going to be okay with beings thinking you stole his date out from under him?”

“Sirk gives a shit about food, his restaurant allowing him the means to travel to learn about and eat more food, ring ice, the members of his ring ice team, and last, finding females who will put up with these obsessions, at least long enough so he can bed them. He wouldn’t give two fucks about beings thinking I stole his female. ”

“Well then, this sounds like a plan.”

His lips curved up. “ Excellent . Do you need me to ask Allain to postpone your instruction with Madam Garwah while you’re in this zone?”

He was so sweet.

“No. I’ll need reasons to hit the bath pod and go out into the world, or I’ll become a vampire.”

“Vampire females are very sexy,” he teased.

“Yes, but they burn to a cinder under the sun, and I like wearing sundresses.”

He chuckled, I enjoyed it, then he said, “ I’ll let you get back to it, but I’ll do it suggesting you carve an hour out to get a nap.”

I rubbed my eyes, which were itchy with fatigue, unknowingly flaking off and smearing what was left of the mascara I hadn’t cleaned off.

“I think I’ll throw back a sleep smoothie and crash so I don’t lapse into unconsciousness at my desk at Madam Garwah’s . I don’t think she’d like that.”

“Probably not,” he agreed.

The screen flashed, telling me I had an incoming text comm.

It also reminded me I’d sent some myself the night before, telling my gals we were having a holo conference during their lunch hour ( Aleksei brought me home so late, even if the news was huge, I didn’t have the heart to wake them to share it, but also, I was raring to get to my sketchpads, so I flew off some texts, and then got down to it).

But that time was nigh, thus, I’d have to do that before my smoothie.

However, while I had him…

“Quick question,” I said to Aleksei .

“Hit me,” he invited.

And again, he could be cute.

“Madam Garwah explained about the ‘my lords’ and ‘your graces,’ but she didn’t share about this madam and mistress business.”

He smirked.

It was sexy.

And then he explained his smirk when he asked, “ Madam and mistress?”

Mm.

He was thinking of other uses of both.

“Be a good boy,” I ordered.

“I’ll do my best,” he purred.

“You’re failing,” I warned.

His lips quirked before he got serious and stated, “ You aren’t titled, neither is she, but you both have status.

It’s an informal, but important form of address to be certain others know where you stand.

” His expression grew even more serious.

“ Especially for you, darling. At this juncture, even not having a title, you outrank everyone but me and my parents. This is the case even over my brothers and sister.”

Wow.

This was news.

“I do?”

“You’re the future queen, Laura .”

Oh boy.

“Okay, we need to stop talking about this,” I said quickly.

“It’s a good deal to get used to, I understand that. But eventually, you’ll have to,” he cautioned.

“Can I get used to it tomorrow?”

He smiled. “ I’ll give you that.”

Another flash happened on my screen.

“I’m getting comms, Aleksei ,” I told him. “ I set up a holo conference with my girls to tell them about our mate thing.” Saying that, it hit me, maybe I shouldn’t, so I asked, “ Is that okay?”

“They’ve been vetted, along with you. There are no concerns. Though , please advise them to keep it to themselves until we’ve decided to go public.”

“Will do.”

“I’ll let you go.”

I experienced something I rarely did when I was in my creative zone. That being I didn’t want him to let me go.

But he had meetings.

And I had good news to share and a nap to take so I could do some more work.

So I said, “ Okay . Hope you get done what you need to do.”

“Hope you get some rest.”

“I will.”

His smile at that was soft and lovely. “ Until later, bissi .”

“Until then, Aleksei .”

We disconnected.

I ran to get a glass of water before I grabbed the fab tablet my mate gave me so I could program the holo conference.

Two minutes later, all three of my gals popped into my studio.

I told them about troll skin and loincloths.

I told them about delicious kisses.

And I told them I’d found my mate.