Page 42 of Sky’s Edge

And then he was gone.

I stared at the closed door.

He would be sure not to wake me when he returned?

We weren’t going to have sex?

I should be happy for this reprieve.

I was not, because I’d psyched myself up for this, and now he just…

Left.

Maybe something big was happening with his realm. Something confidential he couldn’t share with me. Something that would weigh on his mind and make him act like he was acting.

Or maybe he’d gone off me.

Maybe those two big suitcases for two days away were that shade too far.

But if so, why did I have a sick feeling in my stomach?

I shoved that aside, moved into his space on the bed to manually turn out the light (nearly everything here was manual, and another shocker, that didn’t bug me), I turned off mine, and I settled in with the light from the fire gracing the room.

I stared at the paisley canopy of the bed.

It took some time (and in that time, Tanyn didn’t return), but I finally fell asleep.

Chapter 5

Porridge

I woke feeling warm and rested.

Then I opened my eyes to see a pillow enclosed in a marmalade-colored case with a dent in it from someone’s head.

Tanyn’s head.

I was on Sigil, in Tanyn’s bed.

But he wasn’t there, and I’d slept through him returning last night.

I sat up, and even groggy, I noticed the change in the room immediately.

The fire was still burning healthily, but the weak sunlight from a gray day transformed the space, making it a different version of sit back, tuck in and stay awhile.

I turned my head to check what time it was and saw on my nightstand a digi-note resting on top of a tablet.

I nabbed the digi-note.

It said:

This is your household tablet. Anything you need, you can handle from here. If you require coffee to be hospitable, order it up before coming to breakfast. I’ll see you in the dining room.

I stared at the note, observing the absence of a good morning or hope you slept well or sorry I checked out on you yesterday, and especially last night.

I then wrinkled my nose in irritation, set the digi-note aside, commandeered the tablet and ordered a pot of coffee to be delivered.

I had my Denti-Clean in my mouth when a bot knocked on the door to deliver my coffee.