Page 259 of Night's Fall
And…
Yeah.
I was dismissed.
With no choice,Iwalked out of the room.
A stroke of luck, whenIgot to my bedroom,Inoted the staff were done moving me.
So whenIgot there,Icould close the door, bury my face in the rose silk of the pillow sham, and cry shamelessly.
Chapter39
Deepest Pit
My eyes puffy from crying, scratchy from lack of sleep, lying in a bed of sumptuous bedclothes, my eyes to the tall window,Iwatched the sky move from night to a murky dawn.
The weather, it would seem, was continuing to align with my mood.
I gave three fluffballs (yes, evenJupiterremained close) some pets before they were forced to scatter whenIpushed the covers back and got out of bed.
The cats stayed with me last night.AndalthoughIloved them for their show of loyalty, it was another stab in the heart that they’d had to choose, and they, too, didn’t get to spend time with daddy.
EspeciallyNova, who always had a doleful look on her face, but now she seemed miserable.
I wandered to the window, not the bathroom, sat on the cushion in the window seat and looked out at the sea.
I caught a school of the sea’s namesake dolphins leaping and playing while swimming south, toward theThreeRealms, seeking warmer water for the winter.Thebarely-there sun still glinted off their glossy skin.
Normally, this would enchant me.
I’d feltAleksei’spresence leave the suite an hour before, and he didn’t even bother to stick his head in, so nothing was delighting me.
I’d maybe snoozed for about an hour.Therest of my night was sleepless, so his goal of not disturbing it was for naught.
I needed a serious stint with my spa-visor.
I also needed to buck up, suck it up, and get on with it.
Tour first.Shootvid next.Havea meeting withNatato get stuck in on theMdVball, whichIhad decidedIwas going to spearhead.Weneeded more to do like we needed holes in our heads, but farg it.
I, too, was sequestered at thePalace, andI’dgo nuts without something to do.
That was something to do.AndI’dnever organized a ball, butIfiguredI’dbe good at it.
Time to get on with it.
I turned from the window, headed to the bathroom, myDenti-Cleanand my spa-visor.
* * *
“And we’ll be delighted to host five lucky winners, with their plus ones, at this event, along with providing feeds on social tapes, so you can tour the exhibition and be a part of the ball, even if you can’t travel toNocturn.”
I took a short breath, lifting both hands to hold them, one over the other, at my chest, my smile still pinned to my face, andIcontinued.
“I’ve lived my whole life fascinated by clothes, not only style, but function, construction, the textiles that make them, and history.Thisparticular fascination of mine is somethingIcannot wait to share with all of you.Ialso cannot wait to open the door to theRoyalCataloguesand share the treasures we store here with the citizens ofNight’sFallwith the hope you’ll be just as fascinated as me.”
I dropped my hands, holding them together in front of me, andItilted my head very slightly.
