Page 228 of Night's Fall
I felt that nearly imperceptible shift of the bed when a feline lands on it, and sensing my mood,Cometshared none of his usual complaints when he approached.Hejust allowed me to add him to the pillowIheld in my arms.
The cats had been brought from the penthouse (obviously), as had a ton of my clothes, and other thingsI’dneed.
Palace staff moved me in.
Seeing asIdidn’t want my fur babies to get lost in this palatial maze or get stressed at another big change, the cats were sequestered inAleksei’ssuite, which was more like a flat, and not a small one.
There was the vestibule, and the sitting room.Therewas also a study, which was large, and a library, which was small.
The library had three walls full of books (yes, real ones, but they were so old,Iwas afraid to touch them for fear they’d fall apart), a comfortable armchair, foot stool, lamp and table, and that was it.
It was a cozy nookIcould seeAlekseiusing and wondered if he had.Ifthis was one of those quiet places where he retreated in order to escape his brothers and the duties he’d been born into.
I hadn’t asked him about this last night before he’d gone off to do whatever it was he’d been called to do.Hismood didn’t invite conversation.
But, becauseIwanted to know all about him,Imade note to ask him about it later.
In the suite there were also two bedrooms, both sumptuously appointed, butAleksei’swas bigger.Eachhad attached bathrooms and rooms that used to be dressing chambers that had been converted to closets.
The bathrooms were old-fashioned, though they’d been modernized since thePalacewas built, but before it was historically designated, so now, there could be no more changes.Assuch, they didn’t have bath pods, instead, bathtubs and showers.
The bedrooms were situated at opposite sides of the suite, andAlekseiexplained there were two, because in olden times, husband and wife didn’t sleep together.
That said, my stuff was moved into his room, and it was my mate who directed it there.
The last rooms were found off the old dressing chambers.Theyused to be the bedrooms of the prince’s valet and his princess’s maid.
Aleksei’s valet’s room had been fitted with a state-of-the-artBody-Toneunit.
The room where my maid would have stayed had been set up forQueenCalisato be her personal retreat when she was a princess.
That room was my favorite in the suite.
It was a stark contrast to the heavy masculinity that dominated the rest of the space (save the princess’s room, but even that was a feminine version of the rest, featuring furnishings and fittings in deep wines and bright roses).
The princess’s retreat was decorated in soft, cool tones of delicate green and misty blue, with a lush daybed, a big display and a cleverly crafted cabinet that held a small fridge and cupboard for drinks and snacks (due toBev-BuddyandSnack-Sensationsneeding access to supply tubes, they couldn’t be outfitted in thePalace).
I wondered ifQueenCalisahad a room like that to get away from it all in her current situation in thePalace, andIhoped she did.
KnowingI’dnever get back to sleep,IkissedCometon his downy head (he mewed mildly angrily at the indignity of that) and he scampered whenIslid out from under the covers.
I went to the bathroom and gaveAlekseia sleepy smile as his stormy gray eyes (apparently, the weather boded rain that day) followed me in the mirror on my trek to the little room that held the loo.
He’d showered and had a towel wrapped around his waist, and my vintage-loving mate was shaving rather than using aBeard-Raze.
This made me smile again.
I did my business, came out and used the basin beside his to wash my hands, doing so watching him wipe off shave foam.
“How are you doing, honey?”Iasked.
“Shit,” he answered.
Hmm.
At least that was honest.
“I was wondering if you thought it would be appropriate for me to contactAntheme’sparents.”Iinquired. “Totell them?—”
