Good Night
Page 36
Told you she’d come around.
Did… did you know?
Only that she’d softened toward you, toward us.
One of Rasa’s stewards stopped beside her and cleared his throat. “I apologize for interrupting, but it is time, Empress.”
Rasa’s gaze lingered on me for a heartbeat longer, but she said nothing more before turning toward the railing and her duties. The same steward lined us up beside her, a step or two back, but it barely registered as she schooled her features and began speaking to the citizens in a voice I was so familiar with, the voice of her role.
Only when Kovis nudged me did my attention return to hear Rasa say, “And so, it is with great pleasure that I present to you the crown’s champion and Prince Kovis’s intended, Princess Alissandra.” She was smiling, actually smiling as she turned.
She’d called me “princess.” I doubted many caught it. I was not yet a princess of the Altairn empire, but she’d recognized my nobility all the same.
I told her everything, Kovis said.
My heart soared as we stepped forward to a roar—Rasa knew and accepted me for me. As if mirroring my joy, the Lights glowed ever brighter, and I felt the magic as it washed over us. I couldn’t hold in a giggle.
Kovis turned me toward him then planted a long, sensuous kiss on my lips—it had to be The Canyon responsible. He would never do something so scandalous in public on any other occasion. Whistles and hoots rose in response.
They’re envious, he purred, deepening the kiss.
I burst out laughing before we turned toward our admirers and began waving. I couldn’t stop smiling, and my face started to hurt, but I wouldn’t cease. Only Kovis’s proposal eclipsed the happiness I felt in this heartbeat. This was truly what it meant to fill my life, our lives, up with all that was good so there was room left for nothing else.
The sun had set and a full moon favored us on this longest night of the annum. While they’d held the Solstice Ball at Mother and Father’s palace earlier, it was not in my best interest to attend, not with Dyeus after me—damn nosey god. So I’d spent the sun here at my brother Beto’s palace.
It’s where I’d come as soon as word reached me that Dyeus had struck Morfran, my commander, down. I’d known our plan might result in his death, we both had, but he’d never once balked, never questioned as we rehearsed countless times until he could impersonate me precisely, tells and all. I’d miss his loyalty.
Beto had, of course, invited me in without comment or judgment as I’d expected he would. And he’d diverted Dyeus’s sentinels since. Nothing like a reputation for having mares and other dark creatures about to keep even those do-gooders clear of here.
I took another sip of the aperol spritz I’d been nursing, sandaled feet propped on the table that stood in the middle of the courtyard. The stars were bright this night, and as I gazed at them, I wondered what the future held.
Selova had thwarted me, breaking that permanent bond I’d formed between dream weavers and their human charges. She’d gone so far as to find and release the citizens we’d captured and were using in our province, sending them home. I couldn’t help but growl. Thank the gods my soldiers had intercepted her messengers to the other provinces or my plans might have been in shambles. I needed those human rebels at my command if I hoped to claim Wake. I’d deal with her if she caused me more trouble, but for now, she needed to keep stitching dreams together so my plans could come to fruition.
Alfreda had been weak, but she’d at least been moldable. The new type of connection we’d forged with her charge would work to allow me to control many more humans at the same time. I just needed to finish testing it, then roll it out once my troops captured several dream weavers and brought them here.
I shook my head. It would be so much easier if I had access to all of those humans to plant a seed of loyalty in their minds like I had Alfreda’s charge, but no matter. I’d make do with what I had available.
I chuckled. Yes, things were looking up, for they would never anticipate my next move. They could try to thwart me, but they would never succeed. I would conquer Wake. And when I did, they wouldn’t just value me, they’d worship the very ground I walked on.
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Acknowledgements
This is always my most favorite section to write of any book because writing a book is a team sport. LOL. I mean that. If not for the input of the following folks, this book would not be what it is.
The first person I want to thank (who shall remain a nameless mystery, but you know who you are) is someone who loves literature and from that love graciously agreed to read the roughest draft of Good Night and give comments on the content. And when I say roughest draft, I mean exactly that. I’d barfed up the words on the page (lovely thought) but had done absolutely NO editing, so it was a labor of love to wade through several parts, but she did. The comments she came back with brought the draft up a whole level. For your comments I thank you, but more importantly, I appreciate you. Thank you for infusing yourself into this work <3.
I also want to thank my beta readers: Kirstyanne Ross, Lauren Hassan, Rachael Rousseau, Solaris Duvaniel, and Shannon Childress. Thanks to your comments and feedback, you helped make this book even better, and for that I am grateful, because you make every reader’s experience all that much better. <3 So much love.
The other group of very special ladies that I want to thank is my merry mayhem makers (aka Street Team moderators): Claire Manuel, Courtney Belaire, Georgina Gallacher, Kiersten Burke, Samantha Zeman, and our newest Cabiria Aquarius. Ladies, you make the journey as an author so fun, but it’s about way more than books. This group is about sharing life. Between hyperventilating walruses, sparkly nails, and book recommendations, sharing your journeys ha
s been rewarding as well as humbling: crying along with one of you when your brother was diagnosed with cancer, mourning the loss of a brother to suicide, celebrating when one of you got engaged then bought your first home, cheering one of you on when your hubby went through the rigors of training to make chief, seeing one of you triumph in your battle with weight then enjoy a much deserved vacation, rooting one of you on when you interviewed for a new job, celebrating one of you getting your braces off, and more. This group is truly what it means to embrace life, both its highs and lows. Thank you for allowing me to walk through it with you. I am truly honored.