I ignored him—as a daughter does.
“You said you wanted to play with her.” I rubbed at my head and shrugged my shoulders. “And you may need to use whatever shifter charm you have on the beast.”
“That is not what I meant. I am not a damned man-for-hire.” King Athon bared his teeth, and then looked back to where the creature was. “I’m in the mood to have a little fun. The killing kind. And she looks like she’d be a great contender.”
“King Athon.” Father stared forward. That was all.
“I won’t fucking touch her again. Pull your underwear out of your ass and calm down.”
Father sniffed. “These are the underwear my soul mate picked out for me. They fit me just fine, King Athon. She really knows my size, of course, because when she—”
“Father,” I groaned with disgust, cutting him off. “I don’t need to hear this. Pick another topic to make fun of King Athon with that isnotmy mother.”
King Traevon coughed into his fist, suspiciously sounding like bottled laughter. “I was merely going to say that she knows my size because she is also my stylist. You know she is, Trixie.”
“Sure you were,” Queen Alora mumbled.
“Oh!” I gasped in awe. “I see her now.”
“King Traevon, have you ever thought about having more children and using the stretching technique of old to make them taller?” King Athon chuckled darkly. “You never know, it could work.”
King Traevon jerked around to stare him straight on—making our entire group stop with him. “Are you quite done making fun of my child? I have been listening to it the entire time we’ve been here, and it’s been grating on my bloody nerves. I would never speak so rudely to someone else’s heir, even yours when you have one.”
Oh, if Father only knew the real reason behind it all.
I sighed quietly and took a step back.
I wanted no part of this. I took another step back.
King Athon ran his pink tongue over his white top teeth, and his glare was in full force—a predator studying prey.
“Well, what do you have to say for yourself?” Father asked bluntly, his tone serious and low. “Don’t just stand there mute. I asked you a question.”
The other three rulers also took a few steps backward.
King Athon rumbled quietly, “I speak to her the same way I do all royals. Ruler or heir, it does not matter to me. I won’t curb the way I speak to Princess Trixie simply because you have an issue—as a father—about it. And do not tell me that is not what is truly bothering you, your precious daughter being pinged with insults we throw at each other all the time as rulers. You brought her into our fold; you need to get used to it.”
King Traevon’s features remained utterly blank. He hadn’t allowed one ounce of emotion to show on his face the entire time since he’d started this conversation. I knew the wheels were turning like crazy inside his mind, the man never with merely a solo thought—he always had a great many thoughts. He simply had to put them all into place before speaking again.
Finally, he stated, “You may be correct, King Athon. I concede for now.”
The shifter king chuckled. “I am correct. You are acting like a father and not a king when it comes to Princess Trixie.”
King Athon was laying it on a bit thick.
I stuck my chin into the air. “He doesn’t all the time. Only in the Blood Forest has it been different.”
I did need to stick up for my king. He did treat me like the heir most of the time—outside of the Blood Forest.
King Traevon’s mien cracked. He scrunched his nose, and muttered, “Fae damned it, King Athon. Youarecorrect. My apologies.”
“It is accepted.” King Athon dipped his head of white hair—and twigs—to my father. “I think it is time we moved along and met the beast waiting for us so patiently.”
Queen Mikko whispered, “It is about time.”
We finally started hiking through the dark trees again, the grass here shining so black that it glittered in the sunlight, even under the mist. The trees eventually opened up to a circular clearing—the direct center and the highest point of the Blood Forest. The creature stood in the middle of the opened space, waiting silently.
The winged wolf sat on its haunches, ten feet tall, with fur so white it was iridescent. The wolf’s muscles bulged all over her beautiful form, and white feathered wings were held closely to her back. Sharp black teeth showed between her parted muzzle, and her fluffy white tail swished lazily behind her.
