Queen Mikko stated pleasantly, “You look much like your mother, Princess Trixie.”
My jaw began to drop, but I quickly snapped it shut. Without thought, I mumbled the first thing that came to mind, “Most people think I look like my father, Your Royal Highness.”
She smiled, flashing her pretty, blunt white teeth. It didn’t help to dispel the alligator image that kept flashing in my mind. The queen replied, “I’m sure they do. But if they’d only look past your coloring, they would see your mother’s face.”
My smile turned genuine, even as perspiration-filled desire coated the back of my neck. “Thank you, Your Royal Highness. My mother is stunning. If she passed any of her beautiful genes on to me, I would be grateful.”
I most assuredly did not get her curvy frame, but I’d take whatever I could get from her looks. My father was a fortunate man.
Queen Mikko didn’t stop smiling with that hungry look about her. “Did you know that she once gifted me with the most beautiful painting? It was of a crystal blue waterfall, surrounded by a rocky enclosure, with a young child that had the palest skin swimming in its crystal waters. I wonder if that child was you.”
Memories of the waterfall in question flittered through my mind, my grin only lifting further. “Yes, I believe that was me. Father and Mother would often take me there as a child.”
“I bet it was wonderful.” She dipped her head to me. “King Elon is headed this way, so I will leave you now. I am glad you are here, Princess Trixie.”
“Thank you, Your Royal Highness.” My Fae, she was nice.
Father glanced at me out of the corner of his eye as she walked away to speak to her one personal guard. Father turned so that no others could see his mouth, and whispered sharply, “Wipe that look from your face, my heir. Did you not listen to what I said about her?”
“Yes, she has a tender heart.” I quirked a red brow, speaking just as softly to allow our conversation to remain hidden with so many ears around us. “That much was obvious just now.”
Father sighed under his breath. “She is also a genius. The queen knows how to get to someone. Do not be fooled by her.”
My blink was slow, and my smile fell from my lips. “Are you saying that I don’t look like Mother?”
“No, of course, you do. But sheusedthe obvious to make you pliable. She pulled on your loving heartstrings. Don’t ever forget how smart she is. Understand?”
I straightened my back and lifted my chin…and pinched my legs together when my clit began to throb. “Do not make friends with her. Understood.”
“Alliance? Yes, most assuredly.” My father turned back around and brushed his hands over his black silk tunic where it had wrinkled. “Friends? No, that’s a death wish.”
I hummed in agreement.
King Traevon slicked a fake as sin smile on his face when the remaining king finally stopped in front of us. He announced with much cheer, “King Elon, allow me to introduce my daughter, Princess Trixie Towers, heir to the Elf Kingdom. Trixie, this is King Elon Haxx, King of Gorgons.”
I dipped into another immaculate curtsey.The white marble is unnaturally clean, I marveled as I eyed it. It was such a shame that I was growing even hornier through all of this tediousness.
I murmured demurely, “King Elon, it is so wonderful to meet you.”
“It’s wonderful to meet you, too, Princess Trixie.” His accent circled my toes—not in a good way—any of the S’s in my name hissed. There was a quick rap given on the crown of my head, none too gently. “You may rise.”
What a Fae shit prick.That had hurt.
I did as he ordered and lifted to my full height, which was nothing compared to his. King Elon stood at seven feet tall. The sides of his handsome face had hard green scales, the color of his skin a pale blush of silver. His molten green eyes had a vertical red slit, like a reptile’s, that stared directly at my father—not me. The king’s striking statue-like frame sported shamrock green, thick braids dropping down to his waist.
Each of those braids would become a snake if he wished.
It was always better to stare at a gorgon’s nose than into their eyes—unless you wanted to take a chance with your life and become stone. If they wanted you dead, it was best to kill them first. Much less hassle that way.
If anything should have lowered my desire, it would be standing in front of this man, and yet, I was only getting hotter. I discreetly wiped my brow, and then stood politely to listen to them speak.
King Elon’s flowing white silk tunic shifted when he shuffled his feet from annoyance, the material so long it brushed his silver sandals. He hissed, “What is she doing here? She is far too young for our business.”
He sounded like a Fae damned snake. It was disturbing.
Father did not flinch from his glare, bravely staring him in those gorgon eyes. “My heir will be accompanying me from now on to all royal summits. With what is happening, I thought it best to start training her here. Wouldn’t you agree?”
King Elon glanced at me. “What do you feel when the earth shakes, Princess Trixie?”
