I untied the leather straps and opened the jotter, pleased with the fact the gorgon’s handwriting was legible. I flipped past the first page indicating the person’s name he was investigating and the location. The next page was more interesting. I scanned the first few lines and worked hard to keep my features blank at the details listed about where she’d lived—at one of King Traevon’s vacation homes.
I kept reading but flicked a finger at the page. “Do you have information on the elf she lived with for twelve years?”
The gorgon cleared his throat hard, working up his nerve to answer me. “The locals stated his name is Caspian. There are a few details about him in there. Also, there was a barkeep who hated him and happily drew a sketch for me—the last page.”
I flicked to the next page and paused in my research to look up at the informant, pegging him with my dark eyes. “What was their affiliation? Did they meet in Sugar Cove?”
The gorgon leaned back in his chair, away from me. “No one knew where he came from, just that he arrived when Princess Trixie did and disappeared when she left. As for their affiliation, that is also unclear. What I do know is that they were extremely close while in Sugar Cove. They went everywhere together and didn’t leave one another’s side. Very friendly and loyal to each other is what a few of the residents stated.”
I lifted a sharp black eyebrow. “Lovers?”
“Unclear. They had other lovers; hers are listed in the jotter, but no one knows if Princess Trixie and Caspian were intimate.”
My attention returned to the page below me, reining in that nasty, possessive fury that was coiling in my stomach. Twelve years was a long time for a thirty year old to live with someone. The gorgon was correct. They would be very close to one another—more information was needed on this Caspian. I scanned the page, stopping at the bottom and snorted.
I tapped one line, muttering, “You truly couldn’t get any information out of the neighbor? That individual would know the most.”
The gorgon quickly shook his head. “She slammed her door on my face more than one time. With the mere mention of the house next door, she clammed up tighter than a virgin. I think she was scared for some reason.”
That figured. I turned the page, murmuring, “I don’t blame her. The elven cunt is a menace.”
Bishop chuckled softly under his breath.
After that, both individuals at my table were silent, allowing me to read in peace. But I didn’t feel so peaceful. I needed to slaughter somethingverysoon—even before the challenge.
My head cocked. “So it appears she partied the majority of her time in Sugar Cove?” There were many accounts of drunken nights with the locals and the mischief that was had.
“Correct, Your Royal Highness.” The gorgon tipped his head to me in agreement. “I believe much of her time was, perhaps, a vacation? That is what all accounts point to.”
“And when she reached her majority, King Traevon pulled her back to Gatlin Grove.” Bishop hummed. He nodded his head, his features annoyed. “That doesn’t seem like a responsible action for a king to take, instead of spending the time to further her training.”
My eyes were stuck on the list of sexual partners she had while in Sugar Cover—a checkmark next to the ones that were caused by the urge, those that weren’t left blank. Her number of lovers were nowhere near close to my own sexual exploits since I was much older than her, but the list built a raging fire inside of me that was hard to tamp down. I ground my teeth together and quickly turned the page, my reaction to her partners completely unacceptable and disturbing.
It wasn’t jealousy. No, not that.
I wanted topossessher. No one could touch her but me—and I didn’t even want to fucking do that. Her scent of jasmine curled my lips away from my teeth, her elven accent grated on my nerves. She was so small she must have been underfed as a babe, and it stunted her growth, her tiny curves nowhere close in range to the shifters I loved sleeping with. And misfortunes consistently followed her around that were wretched. I’d rather slam my fist through her face than sink my cock back into her elven cunt. But, still, I wanted topossessher. The damn elf was somehowmine.
I hated my Fae damned life right now.
I explained brusquely, “King Traevon loves his daughter. That is why he did it. He’s nothing like my own father was.”
“Truer words have never been spoken,” Bishop rumbled darkly. “So he sent her to relax instead of to learn. Interesting. She must be half a fool.”
I shook my head and looked up, ready to argue his assumption. Princess Trixie was like a worrisome babe at the most inconvenient times, but she wasn’t completely senseless. Her emotions that filtered in through my Fae-spark told me as much, even if I couldn’t see the cleverness in her gaze. She was a young, curious, revolting elf—and that curiosity kept getting her into sticky situations and making her look a fool—but she was smart. Within a few more hundred years, she would be a formidable foe…
Right now? Not at all. But the bitch would eventually be.
The gorgon beat me to the rebuttal, much more candid with my personal assistant than he was with me. “I would disagree, Bishop. All my findings lead to a highly intelligent being—even when she was drunk most of the time. Whoever educated and trained her taught her well in her younger years.”
I lifted my brows at the gorgon. “Did you get the same impression about this Caspian she lived with?”
“I believe he is older than Princess Trixie, but yes, I think he’s just as intelligent.” His brows furrowed on his dark silver face. “One elf mentioned she might have seen blades in his bedchamber, but she wasn’t positive. I didn’t note it down. Blades were illegal then, and she wasn’t a reliable source.”
Illegal blades. It wouldn’t surprise me.
I flipped to the very last page where the sketch was.
My forehead wrinkled in unwanted anger. I was somewhat certain the man would be attractive to other elves, but I wasn’t entirely positive. I held the notebook up to the two men at my table, grumbling, “Do you think this Caspian is an attractive elf to his people?”
