“That would bewonderful,” Queen Mikko rushed to say.
Father tensed next to me. He asked, “Trixie?”
I smiled under my blanket. “I am awake and well—as well as I can be in the Blood Forest, anyway.”
His head shot up from the ground, and his blanket tumbled down to his shoulders. Red bloodshot eyes peered down at me with hope and swiftly ran over what he could see of my face. A beaming smile suddenly lifted his tired features.
He laughed with delight, even as his eyes began to glisten. “This is a glorious sight to see, my daughter. I feared for you something terrible.”
My eyes creased at the corners as my smile grew. “I am truly fine. You did well taking care of me. Thank you, Father.”
He bent and kissed right between my eyebrows, whispering against my skin quietly, “You almost died. I do not want to go through that again, so take care here, my daughter.”
I nodded subtly, letting him know I’d heard his warning.
Father leaned back. His gaze dragged away from my face as if it pained him to do so, and he evaluated the rulers where they lay. Father looked back to King Athon, where he squashed me in his slumber.
King Traevon grumbled, “Every morning, I wake up to find him like this. If he weren’t keeping you warm, I would be upset at his surprising, cuddling ways.”
I snickered quietly. “Think about how I feel.”
He snorted and nodded his head in agreement. “Quite so, my daughter. And he is an absolute ass to wake, too. Despite this humble representation he’s currently portraying, his true nature shows when he is awoken before he wishes to be.”
King Elon hissed, “I am not waking him this time. I do not want another busted lip when this one isn’t even healed yet.”
“I’m not doing it,” Queen Alora quipped instantly.
“Don’t look at me.” Queen Mikko grunted. “I’m not even close to him, and I wish to stay that way.”
I scowled up at my father. “Iam not doing it.”
I’d already witnessed his crabby side in the morning.
I didn’t want a repeat, either.
Father’s red brows furrowed in resignation, and then he leaned to tap—lightly—on King Athon’s shoulder. “It is time to wake up, King Athon. The sun is up, finally.”
The snoring didn’t stop.
King Traevon tried again, tapping alittleharder. “King Athon, you need to wake up.”
“Fuck the Fae off,” King Athon groused against my head.
The snoring started once more.
My father sighed and rolled his eyes. He kept his hands to himself this time, since the shifter king had already woken once. He growled in exasperation, “My daughter is awake, King Athon, and I am sure she needs to relieve herself by now. Sowake up!”
King Athon sniffled in his sleep and then snored again.
“By the Fae,” I griped. I absolutely did need to relieve myself. I poked the shifter king hard in his stomach where it was pressed against me. “Wake up, you Fae damned lout!”
The snore broke off, rumbling darkly, “Who just hit me?”
“Me!” I shouted. “Will you please get off?”
King Athon gradually lifted his head. His solid black eyes blinked in confusion. With his nose a mere inch away from mine, he squinted down at me sleepily, his long white hair a complete and utter mess around his head and tumbling around our faces. The sleepiness quickly cleared. His gaze narrowed with a swift glare, and with a rasping, freshly slumbered voice, he rumbled, “You didn’t die. That is a surprise, elf. I thought for sure you would croak soon. You have been an absolute hindrance to us. Why the Misfits said you should be on our journeys completely baffles the mind.”
“No. I most certainly did not die. I am here, with a full bladder that you are annoyingly pressing on, Your Royal Highness.” I narrowed my eyes, the only thing still showing on my body. “Now, would you mind getting the Fae fuck off me? I need to take care of my morning business.”
