Page 54 of Right Next Door
Misty was the only thing that had changed that Tsok could think of, but he couldn’t see why that should mean the High Imperium needed to visit.
Unless there was some alternate reason that they had to come here. But no matter how long he sat pondering, he couldn’t figure it out.
Eventually, he dismissed Davard to get on with the rest of his tasks for the day as he sent the High Imperium back a message ensuring them that they were free to stay in his manor as long asthey needed and that he would provide anything they requested. At the very end, he attached a question regarding the nature of his visit, being sure to phrase it so that it didn’t sound like a demand for information.
He sent it off and tried to return to his human courting research. But he could barely focus, and right when he was starting to get back into it, he got a return message. That quickly. Like the Imperium had just been waiting for his reply.
‘Looking forward to seeing you.’
-was all it said.
Tsok frowned at the words. They had very deliberately not answered his question about the reason for their visit. They had given no further information at all, and at this point, he couldn’t demand more without seeming rude.
And no matter that the High Imperium didn’t rule over Kree, or even Tsok, in any capacity, he was highly aware of the differences in status between them. The Imperium would insist they were no different from any other representative, but they all knew that wasn’t true.
It was a mystery. But not one that would be solved now.
He began answering all the queries coming to him about the Imperium, thoroughly distracted from his research regarding his mate.
He’d get back to it soon though. He was going to plan the best date she’d ever been on. He’d make absolutely certain of it.
Chapter 21
Misty
There were leaves in the hallway.
Misty blinked at the dark blue detritus scattered about the floor outside of her room – like the forest was trying to move in. The leaves were darker than they would be on the trees, but she recognized fellbud leaves after walking under them for so long.
Why were they outside her door?
Not just outside her door but going down the hallway too. But only to one side. They lined the walkway like someone had opened a window for a couple weeks in the middle of autumn’s shedding period. Which she might have suspected had happened if the leaves didn’t only line the hall going right up to her door and no further.
In that way, it looked more like a path.
Who would make a path of dead leaves outside of her door? And why? It wasn’t even like the leaves were laid out like flower petals for her to walk over. They were against the wall, making more of a guideline situation.
Misty stood there for a moment, just inside her door, arms crossed, contemplating. The path looked like it led her to the front, which was where she wanted to go. She was done with work for the day and she had planned to spend some time chilling in the garden.
The kreecharma, she quickly discovered, were corpuscular as a species. They slept during the day and night, but were awake around dawn and dusk. She had adjusted her schedule at the salon accordingly, but with her own human flare thrown in.
She worked during the day, enjoyed herself while the rest of the city slept, then did a bit more work in the afternoon before taking a nap for a while. Then, she’d wake up, as she had now, and enjoy the sunset in this beautiful, alien, purple sky before touring the garden in the dark. She was planning on making a trip to the city soon. She had become very comfortable in the manor and run out of places to explore there, so she was ready to expand her territory.
Not tonight, though. Tonight she planned on drinking the new not-wine she bought, bathing in the moonlight like the proper goth baddie she was, and then probably snuggle The General later. It was a solid plan.
But now she had to figure out this leaf situation.
“I just know there’s something at the end of this,” She mumbled to herself. The only question was if she actually wanted to see what it was.
Conventional wisdom told her no. She should not follow the random leaf trail. She might get kidnapped by the fae – if Kree even had fae. The Kree version of the fae. Or she might find herself talking to someone she didn't want to see right now.
Like Davard – who she had decided to be mad at in perpetuity for being a little nark that constantly reported on her to Tsok andthought he had the right to change her schedule as he desired. Or maybe it led the char himself.
Who she wasn’t sure shedidn'twant to talk to.
It was kind of confusing. Part of her was in no way ready to forgive him. Another part was suggesting that maybe he was justreallybad at romance. Which, if he had absolutely no guide in how to do it, seemed likely.
Increasingly so as she looked at the leaf path.
