Page 190 of Sky’s Edge

“Fabulous,” I mumbled.

“And again, we have to wait for the results of paperwork and investigations. Like we’re having to wait for every bloody thing.”

Oh, my poor male.

This was all too farging frustrating.

“Things will begin happening for us. Soon,” I encouraged.

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” he muttered.

Yikes.

“Now, we must go to Gehenn so we can do what needs to be done and be home by dinner,” he concluded.

I nodded.

But he didn’t get up and put me on my feet.

He sat there, holding me, his gaze roaming my face.

“Tanyn?”

His gaze caught mine. “Thank you for talking to Camaryn and Barret yesterday.”

“We’d discussed that. You knew I was going to do it.”

“I know.”

“So…” I tipped my head to the side. “I’m not understanding why this feels like a big deal.”

“Because there’s only one of me. And it feels unbelievably fucking good to now be part of a team.”

A team.

Shivers tingled all over my skin.

“What?” I whispered.

“The protests have calmed down, but the economic boycotts have gained traction. The Assembly’s decision on the tax issue not only remains unpopular, but this unpopularity is increasing. Edgians are connecting dots. Identifying assemblybeings who went along with Arnaud’s tyranny, and in so doing, hung them out to dry. We’ve had a record number of new candidates announcing their campaigns against incumbents. And there’s a demand for a general election that’s so vociferous, it can’t be ignored. In this, there’s a burgeoning cry to sweep the Assembly clean and give me a fresh one to work with. This means all the seats are in jeopardy, and the representatives are feeling it.”

That would be mega.

I didn’t have a chance to share that, Tanyn was still updating me.

“Currently, this is being characterized as frustration and disgruntlement among the population, rather than unrest. But the Assembly is nervous. They’re pushing now for tax reform. It just doesn’t go far enough because ‘far enough’ would make their contributors angry, and they need hefty contributions because their seats are being threatened. In turn, this is feeding the overall frustration of the populace.”

“Okay,” I said, because I wasn’t all that sure why he was telling me this.

“They’re also drafting legislation at an accelerated rate. This to right the wrongs they all blithely signed off on when Arnaud and Tatra were reigning.”

“Is this a bad thing?”

“No, but it’s taking a good deal of my time, along with trying to understand whatever Tatra is up to and attempting to find something that will clip Arnaud’s wings.”

“Oh. Right,” I mumbled.

And again, my poor male.