Page 16 of Sky’s Edge

I almost smiled, because…

She wasn’t wrong.

“Honestly, two months ago, I’d be all for being a queen,” I admitted. “After watching all that responsibility land on Laura like a two-ton dragon, I want nothing to do with it.”

“I hear that,” she murmured.

“And you’re doing what you can to support me. You’re listening to me bitch about it,” I told her.

“Yeah,” she replied, sounding morose.

I would feel the same way if she was in my shoes.

Hells, I did feel the same way, considering Prince bloody Cormac was such a dick.

“It’ll be what it’ll be,” I said.

“I’m sorry,” she replied.

“At least I like to ski,” I noted.

She laughed. There wasn’t a ton of humor in it, but at least she laughed.

I saw blue filter through my closed eyes, the spa-visor telling me it was halting its business because my face was moving and it had come to a mode where I needed to be still, so I said, “I’m in the final throes of the visor program. I need to stop talking. But I’m okay. Or, I’m hanging in there. And I love that you checked in.”

“Always.”

“I also love you.”

“And I you. Always on that too.”

I smiled under the visor and the blue light started blinking.

“Letting you go,” I said.

“Okay, honey. Call me after you talk to Bash.”

The next pleasant task to look forward to.

“Will do.”

“Bye.”

“Later, babe.”

We ended the comm.

I shoved the straw back through the mouth hole. I sucked in a fortifying sip of vodka and olive juice. And the visor went into its final phase.

My Palm chimed again, and this time, I knew it was Mom. I also knew I had to give her something so she could stop worrying and sleep easy that night.

So I picked up the Palm, aimed it blindly at my face, released the straw, and called, “Engage Palm, audio and video.” I then said, “As you can see, I’m all right.”

“What the fuck is that?” Tanyn asked.

I scrambled, ripping off the visor, water splashing around as I sat up and stared at his amazing face on my display.

“What are you doing comming me?” I demanded.