I sang a song to the setting sun, listening to it love me back.
It was grand. It was lovely.
It was…my soul mate staring down at my face and slapping my cheek, while shouting my name. “Trixie! Can you hear me?”
I raised my right hand and touched his cheek with a fingertip. “You snore so handsome, and your face is dreadful.”
Solid black shifter eyes stared down at my face. “Fucking Fae, are youdrunk?”
“I hugged the sun and smoked the clouds.” I waved my hands like a bird. “Can you hear the fire and blood? It is our love song.”
Instantly, King Athon slapped his palm over my mouth and looked up, shouting furiously, “King Traevon! Get over here!”
Father rushed into view and stopped next to my soul mate. “What is happening, King Athon? Why are you covering her mouth?”
“Your heir is drunk.”
I licked his palm and smiled when he snatched his hand away. “You sound like forests and pain. And I hug it joyfully.” I grinned even wider. “The smoke filled my heart, but no rain poured down my throat.”
His hand instantly covered my mouth again. He lifted his black brows at my father. “What are we going to do? They are waiting on us.”
“I do not know, but Trixie can hold her liquor better than this.” King Traevon bent at the waist and started sniffing at my face, moving around the Shifter King’s hand. He jerked back up and rubbed at his jaw hard, muttering multiple curses. “My daughter’s not drunk! She smoked a caster-made cigar, and I don’t think she’s ever smoked one before.” Baffled, emerald eyes turned to my soul mate. “How in the Fairy can you not smell it?”
“I was snoring so hard I damaged my nostrils and my throat. I put some cream on my nose…” King Athon shook his head. “That is unimportant. What do we do with this mess?”
I nipped at his palm, digging my fangs in. Not enough to make his blood sing in my mouth, but enough to know I was still here.
Solid black eyes peered down into my gaze. “Elf, youarea mess. And I know you feel pretty damned fine at the moment, but when this is over you will hate yourself a little.”
Father rubbed at his forehead and stated, “Go on inside, King Athon. I will wait out here with my daughter until she is better. Tell the other rulers the truth. There is no better way around this.”
“Do you want us to start the interrogation without you?”
“That is acceptable. Between the four of you, I’m sure nothing will be missed.”
My soul mate moved his hand off my mouth to cup my cheek and brushed his thumb tenderly against my skin. He stated softly, “I think your drooling is beautiful and your face is annoying.” Then he winked at me and started walking backward.
I beamed at him and said, “My toe is a nose gremlin.”
King Athon burst into laughter, his white teeth flashing in the growing twilight. “I understand. But I’m guessing we’ll merely be sleeping this eve.” He pointed at me. “And drooling.” Then he pivoted on his booted feet and strolled out of my line of sight.
I sighed and looked up at my father. “The wind sings a sad song.”
Father blinked down upon me. “Daughter, I don’t have any words for this.” He shook his head in amusement, sat down in the grass next to my chair, and looked expectantly at me. “While I may not have any words, you seem to have many. I am listening.”
So I sang a small tale of apples and ashes.
And nothing about fire and blood.
Because my fatherlistened. And laughed.
My Fae, did he laugh.
