Page 89 of Night's Fall
“Don’t look so downhearted,” she assured. “Ifthey’re the only problem, then they’re the problem and everyone loves the story of a plucky heroine plugging away at life against all the odds and eventually finding her prince.”
I was realizing why this female was the royal spin doctor.
Her gaze shifted back toAleksei. “Weneed to plan her introduction.”
“We have other things going on at the moment,Maine,”Alekseidrawled sardonically.
“A week,” she haggled.
“A month,” he stated.
“That is not going to fly either, my prince.Ifyou make them wait, you both will be hounded, even if you escaped to theClanCaves,” she returned.
“We’re going to be hounded anyway,”Alekseipointed out.
This was sucky too.
But indisputably accurate.
Germaine suddenly disappeared from the display andQueenCalisafilled it. “Twoweeks.That’sall you have, son.Two.Andshe’s getting the purple topaz ring.There’sa matching coronet that will work perfectly for the wedding, and she can make it her signature.”
At what the queen was referring to,Istopped breathing.
“Perhaps you’d allow me to select my own engagement ring for my mate?”Itwas sheer sarcasm fromAlekseithat time.
And yep.
That was whatIknew the queen was referring to.
“Like males can pick jewelry,” she muttered.
And seriously.
The queen really had a thing about males.
“Fine,”Alekseigrunted. “Twoweeks.”
“We’ll chat,”Germaine’svoice was heard.
“And we’ll have tea, dear,”QueenCalisasaid to me.
Fabulous.
Eek!
“Au revoir, you two,”QueenCalisafinished it, and the display turned blank.
I looked up atAleksei. “DidIjust have a vid comm with the queen of our realm, also the king of our realm, and a masterPRguru?”
Aleksei didn’t bother confirmingIdid since he didn’t have to.
He asked, “Howare you doing?”
“About what?”Iasked in return. “Theassassination attempt?Theknowledge all thoseIhold most dear are right now sweating under the heat of a lamp aimed two inches from their faces as royal agents fire questions at them?Orabout the fact someone out there wants to torture me, and not only that, they succeeded, and they’re very good at it?”
WhatIdid not add was howIwas not real thrilled to learn, when he got angry,Alekseiwas more than a little bit of an ass.
“Any of that,” he answered quietly. “Allof it.”
