Page 296 of Sky’s Edge

Predictably, it had been a super busy day.

Shit was getting real.

Needless to say, Aleksei and Laura were still in Night’s Fall, dealing with the fallout of Arnaud’s escape.

They couldn’t contain the news, so it was all over the media.

And obviously, the citizens of Abyssinia did not miss that they went to sleep with a snow packed castle on a rise in the middle of the city and woke up to a fearsome black bastion looming over the place.

As such, earlier that day, I’d stood at the back of Tanyn’s study next to Mira and Jorda and among a bunch of mediabeings as Tanyn leaned casually against the desk (Mira’s idea, a good one), making a statement (that Mira wrote, also a good one) that the lore was true.

When the king of Sky’s Edge found his mate in troubled times, the curse holding Berg Castle frozen would lift.

And the king of Sky’s Edge had found his mate.

Me.

He then went on to share—allegedly (huh)—that the former queen, Tatra, and the disgraced, dethroned pretender king, Arnaud, had conspired to murder King Riland and Queen Darynda. The murders had been confirmed. The evidence was pointing to Tatra and Arnaud. And the citizens of Sky’s Edge should rest assured every effort was being made to conduct a thorough investigation, and as the evidence was mounting, seek them throughout the realms and return them to Abyssinia to answer to these charges.

The language around how Arnaud had circumvented the truth serum was very careful.

And no mentions were made of the attack on Sigil, the attack at Berg last night, of Tatra controlling Riland for decades, or of the existence of the Sisterhood of the Tribe (in fact, that last had been sworn to secrecy between Tanyn, me, Nayden, Uly, and the other three couples).

Of course, after this was broadcast, the media and social tapes flooded with commentary, opinions, guesswork and conspiracy theories.

Though, I was coming out on top.

There were many who were pissed their fabulous snow castle was gone, and that “ugly black monstrosity” had taken its place.

But most thought it was rad.

“Way more demon. It finally represents us!” one vid on the tapes said.

And they were thrilled Tanyn found me, because, obviously, I was mega.

Although Aleksei and Laura had to deal with things in the Fall, Bain and Aleece, and Mac and Gayle had spent the day wrapping things up because they were returning early (they were due back in about an hour). Aleksei and Laura would return on Saturday morning.

Fortunately, nothing shitty happened to any of those four the night before.

But they weren’t fucking about with getting back to the crew.

Tanyn also wasn’t fucking about.

Manny and Zyra were already back from Nocturn.

He’d sent the Blood Scythe to guard Mom and Dad.

And he’d demanded Nayden, Uly and Estra move into the castle.

As for me, I’d had a long conference comm with Gayle and Laura, informing them what happened with Monique.

There was incredulity, and tears, mostly from Laura, unsurprisingly, because she’d learned our Monique had saved her life.

But they both perked up when I confirmed I was indeed Tanyn’s fated mate.

Laura confessed she and Aleksei had long since thought that was the case with some of the things I’d shared. She just hadn’t mentioned it because she didn’t want to get my hopes up.

That was very sweet, as Laura always was.