Page 128 of Sky’s Edge

And she was where she needed to be, just not how she needed to be there.

“So,” Gayle said fake chirpily in my direction. “What’s going on with you and King Tanyn?”

Now, I really didn’t want to share.

But I also didn’t want to keep anything from her.

“It was bumpy, to say the least, but in the end, we found we…suit.”

That didn’t come close to explaining it, but it was the word I needed to use so Gayle didn’t feel about me and Tanyn how I knew we all felt about Laura and Aleksei.

Like they had what we wanted, and now what I might grow to have, but it didn’t seem Gayle would.

“I’m guessing there’s a longer story there,” Gayle prompted.

I got into it, focusing more on the getting-to-know-you parts, and elaborating on the fighting parts, finalizing with the we’re-exploring-this part.

Even downplaying it, and through a holo, I could see her envy. It was loving, also happy for me, but it was envy.

We finished things with Laura promising to talk to Aleksei about him having words with Cormac, me keeping my mouth shut on that score (but I would oh-so be having words with Tanyn about this, so he’d have his own with Cormac), and everyone doing an update.

We worked our way through a lot of snacks and two bottles of wine before Gayle bid adieu.

When she blinked out, Laura immediately turned to me, which was good, since I was already turned to her.

“We need to get our males on this,” she decreed at the same time I said, “Our males need to intervene immediately.”

“I’m not a fated mate expert,” Monique put in. “But maybe you two should let this play out as it will.”

“Love you, but I have to ask, how would you feel, you’re parched, dying of thirst and locked in a cage with a glass of water just out of your reach?” I demanded.

“See your point,” Monique mumbled.

I bet she did.

After that, we didn’t linger, and they left (Laura’s RS pilot was dropping Mon home).

When they did, I cleared away the bottles, glasses and food (I didn’t own bots, because of Mom, instead, I had a weekly cleaning service, and they were beings).

I then went right to my Palm, saw a text comm from Tanyn that said Home. How’s Wednesday for you to come up?

I did not text back.

I threw myself on my couch and audio commed him.

“Hey, baby,” he answered.

“Prince Cormac is holding Gayle prisoner,” I announced.

He was silent for a second before he requested, “Say that again.”

“One. Of. My. Dearest. Friends. Is being held prisoner. By Prince Cormac!”

My voice was rising by the end.

“Prisoner?” he asked.

“It’s what we expected it was, only confirmed, but it’s also worse. He only sees her every once in a while, doing this to reiterate she’s staying until he’s assured she’s safe. Otherwise, she’s restricted to the Fleur de Flora grounds, and all her comms are blocked, except work, her gals, and her parents.”