Page 9 of Sky’s Edge

He had me there.

“We’re not mates,” I rejoined.

“Yes, we are,” he returned. “Or we will be, shortly, when I put a ring on your finger and a crown on your head.”

Bah!

“Right,” I conceded. “Will your beings tell my beings when I need to be ready? I can assure you,”—my eyes slid to my father before they went back to the king—“I won’t be late.”

Did Tanyn’s mouth tighten ever so slightly because Dad botched this? Or was I seeing things?

“My beings will be in touch with your beings,” Tanyn agreed.

“Excellent. Shall we cease wasting Mira’s time now?” I suggested.

Dad sighed.

Mom made a displeased pip.

“Of course,” Tanyn said.

“Engage holo with Mira Loreling,” Dad ordered his desk comm.

There were some beeps indicating this Mira female was being hailed before the demon herself, sitting behind a desk, blinked into the room.

She stood and curtsied to Tanyn.

I fought rolling my eyes.

“Your Majesty,” she greeted.

“Mira. Allow me to introduce my fiancée, Catla Truelock,” Tanyn said.

Now did I detect a minor sneer on her lips?

“Miss Truelock, a pleasure,” she said to me, sounding like she meant it, while totally not meaning it.

“And Mammon and Freya Truelock, my future in-laws,” Tanyn continued.

“Sir. Madam,” Mira addressed them.

“The compatibility trial is set,” Tanyn told her. “So please go over your preliminary plan.”

“Of course, sire,” she replied.

Sire?

Yuck.

“Naturally, it all depends on the results of the compatibility trial,” she was sure to add (oh yeah, evidence was suggesting with this one interaction, the demons of Sky’s Edge were not going to open their arms to their future queen being of a First Family of demons to bend a knee to the shifter monarch of Night’s Fall a handful of centuries ago). “But obviously, momentous news like this, especially considering all Sky’s Edge endured under the reign of Arnaud, the terrifying way that ended, and the resulting but sudden shift in leadership, this needs to be handled with care. In other words, we can’t spring it on the citizens of Sky’s Edge.”

I just loved sitting around listening to someone pointing out the obvious.

With a glance at Tanyn, I noted he felt the same way.

Mira was noting Tanyn’s response, I could tell, because she hurried on.

“Therefore, we’ll arrange a few pics to be leaked. Secreting out of a restaurant, obviously unsuccessfully. Being together in a craft. Things like that. These will be arranged with photographers and media outlets I trust. Of course, in turn, this will shift focus to Miss Truelock, the detail she’s been provided will be noted, tongues will wag, and the stage will be set for you, Your Majesty, to escort Miss Truelock to Prince Aleksei and Mistress Laura’s engagement party, which will officially declare your courtship.”