Page 260 of Sky’s Edge

We were taking up things for Laura and Aleece too. Aleece hilariously called them “go bags, the female kind,” because they were packed in order to cover them for wherever we were all going to be, but they weren’t packed light.

“Not a problem,” I said. Then took her pulse. “Are you okay?”

“Peachy,” she replied, sounding like she was.

Damn, whatever witch she found could sure craft a potion.

“Okay, well, keep in touch.”

“Will do.”

“Gayle?” I called before we could sign off.

“Right here.”

“Love you, babe.”

“Bad friend alert, I should be asking if you are okay. Last night was Laura and Lex’s, but it was still a big night for you too.”

“I will only confess this to you, but I’m not peachy. I’m rosy.”

I heard her laugh and it sounded genuine, so I was smiling as we said our goodbyes.

Case two whirred out of the minder, and case three floated in while I sat on the bench and hit the social tapes.

No, I hadn’t lied. I wasn’t going to become obsessed.

That didn’t mean I wasn’t curious.

My dress was getting a lot of positive buzz. Not more than Laura’s, but it was clear I was in the burgeoning stages of being set up as a style icon, with a lot of fashion vids discussing last night’s dress, along with the one I wore to the Masque.

I could deliver on fashion, so that wasn’t a problem.

Once I saw one snap, I went down a rabbit hole of inspecting every picture of Tanyn and me, though.

There were many of them taken outside as we walked in. But Laura and Calisa had some society photogs milling about during the first hour of the party (it was requested they leave after the first dance), so there were plenty of pics of us during the party too.

As I scrolled through them, I saw there was another way we were perfect together.

He was so tall, broad, lean, powerful, with his tan skin, that thick, dark hair and those dazzlingly luminous blue eyes.

He was regal.

He had gravitas.

I was not short, but I was nowhere near as tall as Tanyn, even in heels. My long coppery tresses were the perfect foil for his dark. My curves the same for his lean. My silvery eyes looked like mirrors while I wore a dress that looked the same. My alabaster skin was in stark contrast with the color of his.

We were opposites in many ways.

Looks.

Temperament.

And we fit together beautifully.

Every pic of us was a gem. A gift. A treasure.

“Hecate, female,” I muttered to myself with disgust. “You need to rein in the rosy.”