Page 271 of Sky’s Edge

“Catty—”

“Gayle and Mac need room to maneuver whatever is going on between them. Bain is going to release Aleece from her spell, and then there’s that. They should have privacy for those things.”

“I understand, but⁠—”

“And you and I need to be out and about. We can’t all go traipsing around as a foursome to the symphony and ballet. Beings will wonder what the hells is going on. I shudder to think what they’d think if they knew we were all hunkering down in Berg Castle.”

I finally let Tanyn speak, and he said, “We already knew we’d need to go about our lives and duties as they came about.”

“And I know this contradicts all I just said, but I feel weird about us not being together,” I admitted. “Vulnerable, somehow.”

He reached to me, wrapping his fingers around my hips and pushing his chair back to adjust my position so I was in front of him.

Once he got me where he wanted me, he kept his hands on me, looked into my eyes and said softly, “I sense, with you saying that, you, and perhaps all the females, are feeling what we males are feeling. It’s mostly that I’m far more comfortable knowing you’re near and safe. But I settle even further knowing all of them are safe…and near. And since we discussed this very thing, I know the other males feel it too.”

And this explained another reason why they pushed us to stay close.

“That’s weird, isn’t it?” I whispered.

“It’s what we have to work with. We have enough to try to understand. That is what it is, and when we learn more about all the rest, maybe what we’re all experiencing will be explained.”

I wasn’t a huge fan of this.

Tanyn read it.

“Baby, it’s going to be okay.” His thumbs were drawing circles on my hipbones. “We live our lives. We stay vigilant. And we keep at this until we figure out what’s going on and put a stop to it.”

I let out a breath.

“You’re wound up,” he said, mild surprise in his tone.

“I need to go to Sigil.”

I did.

So did Tanyn (said me).

“I mean, who’s taking care of the lynx?” I asked.

“The Grendiers are still stationed there, and they’re looking after them. They’ve had good luck with weather, not many snowstorms, so construction on the new base is coming along smoothly, the same for the renovations. The new windows have already been installed, the repointing done, and the heating system has been upgraded.”

I was mildly bummed about that last.

Thank the gods for temperature control, I could turn it down if I felt like snuggling up with a blanket, cocoa and/or Tanyn (my choice, obviously: and).

“They’re moving onto the interior,” Tanyn continued. “Plastering. Replacing some floorboards, refinishing all the floors, deep cleaning. They say within two weeks, maybe even sooner, the decorating can start. A week more, enough work will be done on it, the Red Wing substation can house fighters and Manny and Zyr can return.” He gave my hips a squeeze. “Things are getting done,” he assured. “Patience, baby.”

I was not good with patience.

“Cat?” he called.

“What?” I asked, focusing more attentively on him.

At what I saw, my breath caught.

“How do we take your mind off things, hmm?” he asked, voice low, eyes fading to black.

But I knew his answer to that question, because his hands were skimming down my hips, my thighs, to the bottom part of my skirt.