Page 230 of Night's Fall
He adjusted his cuffs under his jacket with short movements. “It’sinteresting how you trying to be there for me is all about what you want.”
It felt likeI’dbeen slapped.
And it felt like it happened again when he didn’t notice.
Instead, he informed me, apropos of nothing, “ThePalaceworks on an old bellpull or phone system.Youcan pull one of the cords in any of the rooms, and a member of staff will come up and attend to your needs.Orif you want something, say, to order breakfast brought up, pick up the receiver on the apparatus by my bed, hit the one button, and a member of staff will answer.Tellthem what you want.Ifyou don’t fancy that, there’s always a buffet in the breakfast room.That’snot the one we eat dinner in.That’sthe informal dining room.Ifyou don’t know the way, call a member of staff to escort you.”
It had been over a century since we’d moved toPalmsand wrist units, etc.Assuch,I’dnever used a phone in my life.
ButIknew what telephones were.
I didn’t share that.
“Okay,”Iwhispered.
“Again, since you’ll be here with little to do, you should arrange to have a detailed tour so you don’t need to trouble a member of staff to show you where to eat breakfast.Thiswill eventually be your home.Youshould know how to get around in it.”
He andIhadn’t yet found the time for that tour.
However,I’dbeen looking forward toAlekseigiving it to me, and although his suggestion was a good one (of course,Idid need to learn my way around thePalace), the way he suggested it wasn’t so good.
He gave me a close look and ordered, “Don’tact wounded,Laura.Ihave a lot on my mind, we both lost someone important to us yesterday, and for once, this is not all about you.”
I felt my lips part at this insult.
Delivering it, and all the rest, he didn’t want me to act wounded?
Was he mad?
Patience,Laura, patience.
“It isn’t your place to sit in on meetings like this,” he went on. “Likeit isn’t your place to attend sessions in theCenterand cast votes for the realm.”
“I know that,”Ireplied as evenly asIcould.
“So why are you looking at me likeIrehomed your cats?”
“BecauseIdon’t know the maleI’mtalking to,”Iretorted beforeIgot control of my mouth.Itook in a deep breath, reminding myself to be calm, rational and supportive, and continued, “Honey,Iunderstand you’re grieving?—”
“I’m not grieving,I’mangry,” he bit out. “It’sclearI’mnot theTrueHeirbecause my brothers are fuckwits.Somethingis happening, and for some fucked-up reason, you andIare at the center of it.Buteven ifImight be part of it, you always seem to be in the thick of it.”
I could see this was a lot for him.
I decided to address that.
“Can we talk a little about what happened last night?”
“What happened last night?” he asked.
“With the dragons, cats, wolves, bears,”Iexplained, deciding to start with that first.
“Dad told you.”
“I sense there’s more to it.”
He shook his head. “Ialso don’t have time to do what your mother should have done and give you an understanding of the mind of a male shifter.”
AsIthought, there was definitely more to it.
