Crypts and Crimes (Trixie Towers Book 3)

by Scarlett Dawn

  “Shifter, I know that. I learned it yesterday.” I crossed my arms and cast glares at the two men. “Do you know how many women are buried down there? From being raped over and over again. With one man to blame for all of it. I do not want to go anywhere near that evil creature.”

  King Traevon and King Athon shut their mouths.

  I spewed, “I would rather be spelled to death than sleep next to his carcass.”

  Father cleared his throat. He stated gently, “I will tell Queen Mikko that you and I are sleeping outside. Give me a moment to inform her.”

  “Allow me to do it, King Traevon.” The King of Shifters swiftly marched down the stairs. “I need to talk with her, anyway.”

  I sniffed. “Thank you, Your Royal Highness.”

  King Athon grunted.

  Father walked back up the stairs and stood next to me, squinting into the distance, attempting to see through the mist. “Where would you like to sleep?”

  My lips pinched into a thin line. I pointed to a statue far in the back. “Next to the woman who is holding the dagger in her hand, and appears as if she’s ready to stab that monster in his back.” It had to be the Queen of Nymphs, the single Fae the original caster had used his royal charmpower on—the woman who had eventually killed him.

  King Traevon rubbed his chin. “That sounds fair. Let us go and sleep there then.”

  “Are you making fun right now?”

  “Not in the slightest, my daughter.” He leaned down and kissed my forehead lightly, whispering against my skin, “Your mother would be proud of you.”

  I…may have sniffled.

  I cleared my throat and strolled forward through the mist. “I wish to be done with this day, my king.”

  “As do I.” King Traevon walked beside me.

  We rummaged through our traveling bags when we reached the correct statue, searching for the right provisions for a night under the stars.

  I laid down and draped my thick cover over my body, placing a balled-up sweater behind my head, ignoring the chill of the ground beneath me fairly well. While Father did the same, I chomped on dried fruit and dried jerky. I muttered, “The mist reminds me of the Blood Forest.”

  “I am grateful it is not as cold. This mist is normal.” King Traevon lifted a finger into the air and twirled it slowly, the mist spinning with his touch. “It is beautiful when it is not used as a weapon.”

  “I suppose so.” I popped another dried fruit into my mouth. I spoke around my food, “You and mother think much alike. That must be pleasant, having a soul mate you can connect with.”

  “It is.” Father’s fingers continued to play with the mist above us. “May I ask you a question, my daughter?”

  Both of my eyebrows rose. “Of course.”

  “What do you want in a soul mate? You speak of connection. Is that all you wish for?” King Traevon drew a heart in the mist.

  I sighed heavily. “I do not wish to talk about this.”

  “You are the one who brought the topic up.” King Traevon stopped drawing in the air and stole one of my pieces of dried jerky, gnawing on it with his right fang. “I do have another question.”

  “What?” I groaned.

  “Have you stolen anything recently from my castle? Your mother said that we are missing quite a few of our soul-mated anniversary gifts.”

  “No,” I stated slowly, my brows puckering in confusion. “What gifts are you missing?” I had only stolen one.

  “Too many to name off. You can ask your mother. She has compiled a list.” Father snickered softly. “My love is ready to take the whole realm down to find them.”

  “Tell Minnie to start with the servant who brought them to you while you sat upon your throne looking down at everyone.” King Athon’s voice came out of the dark. His form slowly appeared, the mist curling around his body as he prowled toward us. “She saw every gift that you received.”

  “Hmm. She is the individual who told us they were missing. I will give Minnie your sage advice.” King Traevon swiped another jerky from my blanket, eyeing the shifter king as he stopped at our feet. “Is there an issue? Why are you out here?”

  “I’m making sure you both stay alive,” King Athon snarled. He waved his hand harshly through the mist. “This Fae shit is only getting murkier the later the night falls.”

  I snorted softly. “I do not believe the King of Shifters finds the mist beautiful, my king.”

  “It would seem he does not.” Father continued gnawing on his food.

  My beastly soul mate dumped his traveling bag on the ground and started digging through it. “At least, it is not as cold as the Blood Forest.”

  I flicked my eyes to my king, my lips twitching. “You two do agree on one thing, at least.”

  Father snorted.

  The King of Shifters sprawled out beside me, fluffing his blanket over himself. “Queen Mikko is waiting outside for Queen Alora. They will be joining us.” He sniffed at the air and lifted his head in my direction, scanning the food I had laid out.

  “You may have some,” I muttered reluctantly.

  A fast shifter hand grabbed half of them.

  I blinked. “All right. No more for you.” I quickly stuffed three pieces of dried fruit in my mouth. Around my too large bite, I grouched, “Didn’t you bring your own provisions, shifter?”

  “Of course, I did.” His crunching was loud in the stillness. “But yours smell better. And, I dare say, tastes better? Is this from your own stock?”

  “Yes, it is.” King Traevon snatched a small handful. “I’ll give you some of mine tomorrow, my daughter.”

  I huffed. “I hope so. The shifter over there will be stealing the last of mine if he doesn’t slow down.” I stuffed two pieces of dried jerky in my mouth, truly fearing the tiger would steal the rest of my food.

  “It had crossed my mind.” King Athon chuckled darkly. He shoved the last of his portion into his mouth and gazed upward. His eyes evaluated the statue above us. “Do you suppose this is Queen Brin?”

  “I believe it is.” I followed his eyes all the way to the dagger in the statue’s hand. “But you are missing the real threat, King Athon.”

  He turned his head in my direction, cocking an arrogant eyebrow, his solid black shifter eyes hardly visible in the dark. “What would that be?”

  “All of the women standing with her.” I pointed to all of the women who stared seductively at the original caster, each one blatantly showcasing their bodies, trying to woo him. “They are distracting him while she creeps in the shadows.”

  It was quiet for a few moments.

  “I believe you are correct, my heir,” Father muttered in wonder. “That was quite the deduction.”

  King Athon’s gaze never left mine. He stated softly, “You have a great father, Princess Trixie.”

  My king snapped his mouth shut.

  I drew my brows together, muttering, “I am confused.”

  “Your father didn’t let royal life—distractions—change him so horribly that he couldn’t focus on you to be a great father.” He growled in slow ticks, almost as chilling as the crypts beneath us. “You should believe my words. I know what it is like to have a father who did not love me.”

  I squinted at him. “Are you feeling unwell?”

  “Not at all. I am king enough to speak the truth.”

  I turned my head to my own king, worry etching my forehead with wrinkles. “Is there a spell in the mist?”

  “Fucking Fairy, elf. There is no damned spell,” King Athon snarled at the back of my head. Then he grouched under his breath, “Why does everyone automatically assume there’s a spell happening?”

  I waited for my king to speak.

  Father’s brows were creased. He opened his mouth, and then he shut it. He scratched at his chin for long moments. Finally, he stated calmly, “No. I believe he is just…talking…to you.”

  “Huh.” I turned my head back to my soul mate. “I do not wish to speak on that topic, but I appreciate
the thought.”

  King Athon flashed his tiger fangs. “You are a very bizarre and perplexing individual. I don’t even know why I try to help you, elf.” The King of Shifters rolled in my direction and shoved his blanket over his head, blocking out the moon’s glow. “I am going to sleep now. Everyone shut the Fae fuck up for a few minutes.”

  I slowly put another jerky in my mouth, chewing silently.

  Four minutes later…a loud snore erupted.

  “That was a most unusual conversation,” I whispered in confusion, grabbing the last of my food. One piece of dried fruit. I ate it slowly while I continued to think. “Whatever do you think caused him to say all that?”

  Father stared up at the stars. “His birthday. He is off-balance around his birthday every year. The King of Shifters would prefer everyone forget it.” He turned his head to face me, his emerald eyes—exactly the same as mine—held my gaze fiercely. “But what he said about me is true, my daughter. I love you dearly.”

  I sniffed and yanked my own blanket up over my head. “What I told him, applies to you as well. I really do not want to speak about it.” I was not ready to speak about our relationship. “Please, leave me be.”

  I listened to King Athon snore, closing my eyes.

  “All right. Tonight is not the night.” My father cleared his throat hard, his voice gruff. “But one day, you will be ready, my daughter. And I’ll be waiting.”

  My lips pinched into the thinnest line. “Thank you, my king.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Knowledge of a princess:

  The flame of a fire can brand you. In your heart. In your mind.

  And in your soul.

  Be careful what you set on fire.

  The burn may last forever.

  I QUICKLY SHOVED my belongings inside my traveling bag. “Are you positive Kera is headed this way, Your Royal Highness?”

  King Elon threw my father’s satchel at him. “Yes. Hurry the Fae fuck up.” He waved his hands at us as if that would speed us along. “She and her guards are on their way.”

  “This seems too easy,” Queen Mikko stated quietly, staring up at the statue behind us. “Do you think my sister spotted one of us?”

  The Queen of Merfolk snorted, still staying quiet.

  King Athon rumbled softly—a warning, “I don’t think anything about today will be easy, Queen Mikko. Look at where we are. If she is coming here, it does not bode well.”

  The Queen of Casters froze in place, swallowing hard.

  King Athon grabbed his traveling bag, nodding once to her in understanding, and began walking far away, staring at the original caster’s statue.

  I sighed heavily at his truthful words—this location did not bode well—and shoved my strap over my head. I walked toward my Fae damned soul mate while the others finished up their work. I stopped beside him and looked far, far up at him. I whispered gently, “Are you feeling all right this morning, shifter?”

  The King of Shifters quirked up one black eyebrow. He answered quietly, “Yes, elf. Just as I was feeling well last night.”

  I squinted at him, still whispering, “Why did you say all of that?”

  His long eyelashes lowered over his solid black shifter eyes, partially hiding his gaze from me. My soul mate stepped forward, almost too close for decorum’s sake, explaining softly, “You cried in your sleep the last night we spent alone together. When I asked what you were dreaming about, you said your father.”

  My shoulders tensed as my cheeks flamed with heat. I bit my bottom lip with my fangs, my nose scrunched, as I looked at him in embarrassment. I begged quietly, “Is there any way that you can forget that? Please?”

  King Athon chuckled quietly, his gaze roaming my face. He stated gently, “It is not likely, Princess. I don’t forget much.”

  “Fine.” I flicked my hand at his amused expression. “But you can quit gloating.”

  An eyebrow lifted as he sharply whispered, “You are lecturing me about gloating? I have an entire bedchamber full of your gloating.” The King of Shifters blinked. “You may need more of those Merfolk Kingdom bath beads. I found the bubbles very pleasing while taking a soak—and I have a large tub. They did not last long.”

  “Those were expensive,” I hissed, my brows edging together.

  “How would you know, Princess?”

  “Well…I don’t. But I am sure they were.” I lifted my chin into the air and sniffed. “They worked far too well to not be.” I leaned forward into his space. “But more importantly, they were mine.”

  “They were in my room, therefore, mine.”

  I continued searching his features. “Why did you really say all that last night? What game are you playing this time?”

  His lips quirked up on one side, arrogant as Fairy. “You don’t believe I said it out of kindness?”

  “Not in the slightest. You’d never say anything that…friendly…to me in front of my king. You are not that foolish.”

  King Athon cocked his head to the side. “As you shouldn’t have followed me over here, away from everyone else? Most would call that foolish.”

  Unease fluttered in my stomach, realizing my blunder too late. “That…is true.” My emerald eyes flicked back and forth between his. “So you simply made a mistake?”

  King Athon bent and placed his face in front of mine—definitely crossing into my personal space, stepping over the line of propriety. His solid black shifter eyes stared hard into my suspicious gaze as he whispered, “I am not as young as you, Princess. I don’t often make mistakes.”

  My brows snapped together.

  The King of Shifters wore the tiniest of smiles at my expression, not moving his face away from mine. He rumbled quietly, “When do you think you might be gracing my bedchamber again with your presence?”

  I huffed in irritation as he redirected our conversation. “Why?”

  He stood up straight to his intimidating height and scrubbed his hands over his face roughly. “It has been ten days.”

  “I do not understand.” I shook my head.

  King Elon shouted, “What in the Fairy are you two talking about? Get your Fae asses over here. We are about to have visitors.”

  I turned and started walking quickly toward the other rulers, but I glanced at the shifter king who strolled next to me—then I raised my eyebrows in silent question.

  “Sex,” King Athon whispered, barely loud enough for me to hear. His solid black eyes met mine, his tiger fangs slightly peeking between his parted lips. “I want to fuck my soul mate. I want your tiny body under mine. Understand, elf?”

  “Oh.” My eyebrows climbed high on my forehead. “You do know I’m angry with you, correct? About the flower? About another woman?” I cocked my head in thought, asking curiously, “Are we having another communication error?”

  “I know you’re angry with me, elf. You don’t have to like me to cum all night long.” His tiger fangs showed more. “Ten. Days.”

  “All right. I think I understand now. But try to calm yourself, shifter. Your surly attitude will not help today, and they are already looking at us oddly.” I whispered, “Think of a lie. Fast.”

  “No, I won’t fuck you,” King Athon thundered—loudly. He placed his hand over his heart. “You are truly disturbed to ask me such a thing, elf. Is this the kind of behavior that happens in the Elf Kingdom?” He flashed his fangs at my father, but humor crinkled the edges of his eyes. “Your heir needs many lessons on protocol, King Athon.”

  Oh. My. Fae.

  Flames lit up my eyes. I snarled, “What in the Fae fuck?”

  What was this behavior all about?

  He tipped his head down, the hood on his cloak hiding the side of his face. “You wanted me to lie.” Then he laughed—loudly.

  “Leave the lying up to me next time,” I hissed, bumping into him slightly—my right hand working. I whipped my face to the rulers who stood completely still, their expressions hovering between shocked and confused…and furious—my father. My
eyes gradually turned back to their usual emerald green. “Ignore him. He is upset that I stole his crown again.”

  King Traevon’s nostrils flared, his own eyes simmering with his royal firepower, flames whipping inside—losing control, which he rarely did.

  This was bad.

  That deadly gaze turned to the man next to me. He stated slowly, “What in the Fae fuck?”

  “I think I’ve heard that one before,” King Athon rumbled darkly as we stopped directly in front of them. The King of Shifters kept his eyes on my father—smartly—and held out his hand to me, grousing coolly, “Give me my fucking crown, elf.”

  “First, apologize for speaking foully about my name,” I stated primly, lifting my chin high into the air—time for another grand performance. “That was quite uncalled for.”

  The shifter king grunted. “Apologies, Princess Trixie.”

  I pulled his crown out of my cloak and slapped it into his hand. “And I didn’t steal it. It dropped out of your Fae damned bag. I tried to tell you that.” I snarled. “Listen to me next time, shifter.”

  “Not a chance in Fairy, elf.” King Athon grunted again, shoving his crown down into his traveling bag. With his eyes still on my father’s, he asked softly, “Are we going to have an issue here, King Traevon. If so, we should get it over with before Kera arrives.”

  The King of Elves blinked. His eyes were normal once more. He stated oh, so calmly, “I think I will save this for another day.”

  That…was not good. In fact, it was rather terrifying.

  Father only did that when he was bloodthirsty furious.

  My lips thinned. I would need Caspian to spy on him.

  Me. Spying on my own father. My king.

  As dread pulled in my gut, King Traevon’s rage was only confirmed by his glance in my direction. Father’s eyes held no warmth right now—his eyes that looked identical to my own, gifted from him to me.

  What was King Athon up to?

  Did he want a rift between my king and me?

  Or did he want my father to know?

  Between his actions last night and this morning, it could be either. Or it could be both. But, most likely, it was a plan I couldn’t even fathom right now—just like his other Fae damned plan I hadn’t seen coming to save his kingdom. I hadn’t the foggiest what was churning inside his despicable mind.