Page 165 of Sky’s Edge

“Of course,” she murmured, dipped her head then, no other word for it, skedaddled out the door.

As if wanting to have the last word, Hurley barked at the door right before it snicked shut.

But I stared at it, shaken.

I expected this, to be sure.

However, to be confronted by it from a trusted member of Tanyn’s staff?

This didn’t thrill me.

But right now, I didn’t need to deal with it.

Tanyn certainly didn’t.

So we wouldn’t.

On that thought, I, too, left the queen’s study in search of Tanyn so I could say goodbye before he left, Hurley walking beside me.

I was turning the corner into the wing where his study was when I slammed right into him.

He caught me at my hips.

I steadied myself with my hands on his chest.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey. I was just coming to see you before you left.”

“Here I am.”

I smiled at him.

Then I slid my hands up to his neck, got on my toes and pressed a kiss to his lips.

After I rocked back, I assured, “I’ll keep an eye on Manny, Zyra and Hurley while you’re gone.”

“Thank you, baby.”

“Don’t worry about us. We’ll be good.”

He cupped my jaw and ran his thumb over my cheekbones, his gaze never leaving mine.

And he said nothing.

Then again, he didn’t need to, his touch and the look in his eyes said it all.

“Walk me to the bay?” he requested gently.

“Of course,” I whispered in return.

After he bent to give Hurley a thorough head rub, we started that way.

And it was only when we were closing in on the door that I realized he wasn’t going to stop to get a coat.

“Tanyn, you need a coat,” I declared.

He looked down at me, openly perplexed. “Why?”