“That wasnota great answer,” I grumbled to my father.
But all the royals nodded their heads in agreement.
“What is in the Blood Forest?” King Athon questioned slowly. “What should we prepare ourselves for?”
The three original gremlins snickered to themselves.
“The book does not say,” Black Louie responded.
King Athon stared at the still chortling gremlins. “I would like to put to the royal community a verbal bill to relinquish the previous bill on blades.”
“Agreed.”
“Agreed.”
“Agreed.”
“Agreed. And may I please borrow one from somebody? Mine was recently lost in a current.”
The last one was Queen Alora.
If the situation wasn’t so dire, I would have laughed.
King Athon’s solid black eyes snapped to me. “Royal community, Princess Trixie. That would require your vote, too.”
My emerald eyes shot wide. “My apologies. Agreed.”
That deadly gaze narrowed. “Do you even know how to wield a blade or are you merely a proficient student of your deceased grandmother’s?”
Pride almost tripped me. Almost.
I answered timidly, “I’ve only practiced a little.”
This was Father’s first rule that he taught me.
Never give away valuable information about yourself to the enemy. Keep your talents as close to you as you do your enemies, which is damn bloody close. And I wouldn’t mind gettingrealclose to my enemy right now…
I rubbed at the back of my neck, trying to push away the thought of his disgusting shifter body naked and lying on top of mine, even as King Athon glared right at me, hating my answer that I would be useless in the Blood Forest. Or maybe he was picturing me naked, and that was causing the loathing scowl on his face. That…was even more disturbing. I’d rather he think of me in a winter coat buttoned up to my chin, with a burlap sack over my head.
Queen Mikko answered, “When do we start this first quest?”
Red Louie answered, “Tomorrow when the sun is at its zenith, right here at High Pointe.”
Queen Alora stood abruptly. “We need to leave now and prepare for our journey.”
All the royals stood to their feet, seemingly in agreement.
I rose to stand and whispered against my father’s shoulder, “I need to use the bathroom again before we go.”
He tipped his head to the side, and grumbled quietly, “What in Fae fuck did you eat last night?”
“Everything. I was stress eating.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Prayer of a princess:
Dear beloved Fae,
