Page 75 of Sky’s Edge

I would learn that the hits were just going to keep coming.

My day went like this:

After I quit laughing, I dragged Mom up to Tanyn’s bedchamber so I could get ready for the day.

And once we got there, Mom looked around and exclaimed, “Oh, Catty! This space is so you!”

And the crap of that was, she was correct.

I didn’t confirm that.

I told her how the weekend went.

I was relatively forthcoming (the part I left out was how Tanyn was getting to me—oh, and that it was getting to the point I was desperate to have sex with the male).

Mom’s reactions veered wildly as I shared, and as they would do.

I saw tears in her eyes (whenever I talked about Darynda, her loss, or Riland’s cruelty).

I saw humor in her face (the story of me climbing the lynx pen fence).

I also saw hope (even if I didn’t say it out loud, she totally knew I was into Tanyn (the holding hands and lip brush thing gave it away), and since she always thought Dad was a genius, it was clear she took this latest as further evidence of that fact, along with feeling relief there were indications I was going to be happy with this arrangement, and she was happy just thinking I would be, and me being that way would mend fences with Dad).

Through this, I carved out time to send a text comm to my head sales associate, Lua, so she’d know I wasn’t going to come into the gallery, sharing I’d send an e-comm later to explain (though I wouldn’t actually explain, just make up an excuse).

A member of staff came during this to share breakfast would be served in the king’s dining room, also to share where the king’s dining room was.

When we were about to leave the bedchamber to go to breakfast, more members of staff showed with six hover-crates (six!) filled with my clothes, shoes and accessories.

At seeing them, I sent an irate look to my mom because that was overkill.

She lifted a shoulder and mumbled, “I know how you like choice and never know what you’ll be in the mood for.”

True.

But totally lame.

Mom had always been a terrible liar.

From the size of those crates, I was practically moved in with Tanyn!

I didn’t have the energy to discuss it then.

I needed breakfast.

Mostly, I needed coffee.

We had both (Mom had spent the night organizing her packing, Dad’s packing, my packing and then journeying to Abyssinia, and she didn’t eat in all that time, and although she didn’t share this, I realized she also didn’t sleep because, tardily, I noticed she looked tired).

During breakfast, another member of staff told us that even another member of staff would be there after breakfast to give us a tour of the castle and “a brief briefing on etiquette and protocol.”

“Catla was in Queen Calisa’s court for two years,” Mom sniffed. “She doesn’t need a briefing on etiquette and protocol.”

The staff member bowed to her and murmured, “Of course, milady.”

Mom wasn’t a lady but neither of us corrected this being.

We ate.