Page 41 of Night’s Fall (The Four Realms #1)

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. ”

Actually, this sounded good to me. I suspected I’d need all the help I could get. And due to reasons no need to explain, I’d missed my instruction with Madam Garwah last night (though, of course, I’d commed her to let her know I would).

“Are you okay for them to come up?” Aleksei asked.

“Full disclosure, I don’t know how to feel about Germaine ,” I admitted.

“Which shows you have excellent instincts. Allow me to assist. She’s brilliant at what she does, but her loyalty comes from her salary, which I’m sure you can imagine, is considerable.

If she got a better deal, and if she hadn’t signed an NDA that would mean we’d take everything even her grandchildren might earn, she’d turn and share every detail she knows about us if it benefited herself or her client.

She’s a master at weaving tales, telling lies and harnessing the art of manipulation. ”

Well then.

There you go.

“That said,” he carried on, “ I genuinely think she cares deeply for my mother. I wouldn’t say she’d take a stream for her, but she’d shed an actual tear if something happened to her.”

“And how does she feel about you?”

“We have mutual respect, as it were. I don’t like that we need her, but I know we do, and she excels in her role. She knows I don’t like that we need her or what she does, but she knows I understand the game needs to be played. And I trust her to do right by my family, and now you.”

“So, cautious acceptance?” I asked.

He smiled with approval. “ Another good instinct, darling.”

I smiled back.

“Allow them up?” he inquired.

“Sure.”

He turned back to the tablet. “ Resume video and audio.” Pause and, “ Send them up.”

“Yes sir.”

The agent blinked out.

Aleksei sipped coffee.

I gratefully closed down my Palm .

The lift didn’t open, but I heard a rustling from the back of the flat.

“Freight lift,” Aleksei murmured, and I saw his brows had titched together in surprise.

The need for a freight lift was explained when Germaine and Madam Garwah emerged from the back hall where the door to the landing pad was, and they had a long, stuffed-full clothing rack floating with them.

I wasn’t thinking good thoughts, because I was who I was, I did what I did, and even at just a glance, I could tell the clothes on that rack were terrifying.

“Of note,” Madam Garwah barked. “ Attempts on your life are the only excuse to miss my class.”

“I’ll be there tonight, Madam ,” I promised.

“See that you are,” she said, and then she dropped into a curtsy. “ Your royal highness.”

“Always good to see you, Madam Garwah ,” he said. Then he turned his attention to Germaine . “ Have you lost your Palm ? Or Allain’s sequence?”

“You weren’t very happy with me the last time I was here,” she pointed out. “ And this needs to be done.”

“I didn’t ban you from my penthouse, Maine .”

“Good to know,” she said as she put a box on the kitchen bar and slid it down to us.

Aleksei threw out a hand and stopped it from crashing into his breakfast plate.

I gasped in delight.

It was an Ultra - Paint 5000, the enchanted moonstone of cosme-masks.

It had twenty more settings than the closest top model.

It had a scanner so you could scan your outfit, and it would take that into account when it manifested your look.

It administered the premier serums, moisturizers, primers and dews, had advanced cleansing that gave it spa-visor functionality, and its cost was astronomical (but it came with its first year of reloading free, though I’d heard the yearly subscription after that was super steep).

I nearly knocked the coffee cup out of Aleksei’s hand when I reached beyond him to snatch it up.

And I held it to my chest like the beloved treasure it was.

“Is this for me?” I breathed.

“Of course,” Germaine replied. “ Now we need to talk wardrobe.”

My delight turned to horror as she touched a button on a remote in her hand, and an outfit Madam Garwah would wear cycled out from the others on the rack.

I fought retching.

I was now very worried that this visit would not help me to face what was to come that day at all.

“I’ll just go get some work done,” Aleksei , ever the male, murmured, sliding off his stool to escape what was to come next.

Instead of grabbing his arm and begging verbally, I gave him don’t leave me alone with them eyes.

He bent, kissed the top of my head, straightened, turned to Germaine and reminded her, “ My mate knows clothes.”

“And I know that sixty-seven percent of the population of Night’s Fall value their royal family due to nostalgia, historical protections, the inherent wealth, status and glamor of it all, and you remind them of esteemed traditions,” Germaine retorted.

“ And you can’t have traditions without being traditional. ”

I was not traditional.

I had not a traditional bone in my body.

I kept begging my mate with my eyes.

He winked at me, and although that was hot, he followed it by sauntering away with his coffee mug.

I watched him go, and then I watched Nova scurrying after him like a fluffy badger.

Traitor!

“No!” Madam Garwah barked, bringing my attention back to the matter at hand. “ Next !”

“This green is—” Germaine began.

“Putrescent,” Madam Garwah finished. “ I said next.”

Germaine cycled to the next.

“No,” Madam Garwah said before I could. The next. “ No .” The next. “ Lilith , no. Who picked these? They’re dire .”

I was stunned I had an ally in Madam Garwah and was kind of enjoying how red Germaine’s face was getting.

“No,” Madam said again. “ No ,” to the next. “ Balls , no. What on earth?”

Germaine cycled, and out came a deep rose, skim-body-fitting, to-the-knee, lightweight wool dress with long sleeves and a simple crew neck. It was plain, but classic, and clearly exceptional quality.

“That one!” both Madam Garwah and I exclaimed at the same time.