“It’s all I can give right now,” I growled reluctantly, swiping my right hand through the air. “Do not ask any more questions. I don’t have time for this.”
King Elon crossed his arms and tapped two fingers against his lips, watching me closely. “I suppose, for now, that will suffice, considering the circumstances.”I seriously hated this bitch.“So we must go to Fairy to retrieve them.”
My head jerked back in surprise. “We?”
“Yes, we.” The asshole chuckled under his breath. “Unless you want to be eating the floor again soon. Which would you prefer? Another loss? Or assistance from me to track down the real enemy?”
“Neither sounds fucking great,” I grumbled and evaluated my options silently. I started pacing again, flicking my attention to his waist-length, thick shamrock green braids—unfortunately, hewasformidable in the right situations. Finally, I asked guardedly, “What would you suggest?”
“There’s only one way for us to get to Fairy, and that is with the Fae.” King Elon cracked his neck and wrinkled his nose in revulsion. “But the only Fae we captured, we killed. So that leaves three Fae we know about and can contact.”
I sucked in a slow breath to steady my breathing while an idea progressively unfurled in my mind. “The dragons.”
He nodded once in agreement. “The dragons.”
“Shit.” I tilted my head back and stared up at the stained glass ceiling. “They aren’t going to like this. Not when they hate Fairy and don’t want to return there.”
“No, they won’t like it.” The gorgon hummed again, sending a slithering shiver down my back. “We will simply need to make them somehow. As much as it pains me to say, we need King Athon and Princess Trixie alive and well right now.”
My chuckle was ugly as shit. “Fucking Fae, I hate you.”
The jackass bowed elegantly at the waist. “I assure you, the feeling is entirely mutual.”
Blowing a heated breath between my lips, I instructed, “If we’re traveling to Trumbalay, we need to change our swimwear into warmer clothes.” I turned on my heel and stalked toward the private door leading upstairs to the rulers’ chambers, despising having the snake at my back. “Then we meet in the air.”
His footsteps dogged my heels. “Is it wise to fly in?”
“That’s the only option available to us currently.” I held the door open for him—and let him go up the stairs in front of me. “Time is of the essence.”
The gorgon king glared at me but didn’t hesitate to go first, hissing over his shoulder, “Let us hope it doesn’t end with our deaths.”
“Quite so, King Elon.”
The door clanged shut behind us, loud and ominous.
* * *
Lockingmy bedroom chamber’s door behind me, I stomped further into the bedroom and narrowed my eyes at the empty room. “Mother, what in the Fae fuck is happening over there?”
The soothsayer’s translucent body suddenly appeared sitting on my bed, wavering in and out of existence like the wraith she was. Mother sat cross-legged on the soft bed, no indention underneath her form on the mattress, as she cocked her head at me and muttered in disappointment, “You made a right mess with this one, son.”
“I know that already,” I griped and dropped my traveling bag beside her. Then, placing my hands on my hips, I questioned brutally, “Have they hurt her?”
“No…not yet.” Mother folded her fingers together on her lap. “But you are correct. Time is of the essence in this situation. Fairy is a damned mess right now. If they are taken from the woodland sprites, there will be a bloody issue.” Her silver eyes stared hard into mine. “And I do not want that to occur to my granddaughter.”
“She is my daughter,” I snarled, pointing hard at my heaving chest. “If they harm one precious hair on her head, I will annihilateall of them.”
The soothsayer’s lips curved into a wicked smile. “Aptly put, my son.” Mother quirked up one eyebrow. “But do stay away from the pixies.”
I snarled, showing all of my teeth. “That won’t happen again.”
“Make sure it doesn’t. Pixies can be tricky when they wish to be, so ensure you are on your guard for those tiny beasts.” She waved her see-through hand at my writing desk. “But first, write to your brother so he knows you won’t be coming home on time.”
“Mybrother,” I spat and snorted. Though I did stalk to the desk to do as told—I had learned long ago to listen when my mother spoke. Sitting heavily at the desk and lifting a sheet of paper, I grumbled peevishly, “I’m sure that man will enjoy my time away, spending it with my soul mate.”
Mother’s sigh was long and drawn out behind me. “Must we have this conversation all the time? It is getting rather old after five hundred years.
“Then he should quit flirting with her.”
