Crypts and Crimes (Trixie Towers #3) - Scarlett Dawn Page 0,66
myself, staying as straight as I could as I squatted low. I waddled to the left, a thrusting ass in my face, and moved under the woman’s trembling leg. I used my hands to crawl out the other side faster, shooting up to my feet when I was free of them and quickly hurried away toward the rulers.
The four royals stood at the end of the hallway, all staring back at me with varying expressions on their faces.
Father sharply pointed at me, his face as red as our chief gardener’s prized tomatoes. He hissed, “You will never tell your mother about this.”
I couldn’t even speak to answer him, utterly horrified—my cheeks as rosy as his.
King Elon snorted hard in mirth, gurgling in his throat.
My soul mate merely glared death down the hallway, ready to maul the screwing couple, the very tips of his claws showing.
“Yes! Yes!” the woman screamed.
Queen Mikko hurriedly turned to the door we stood in front of, clumsily shoving a key hard into the lock.
Snap.
The caster queen stared down at the broken key in her hand, mumbling, “What in the Fairy is this place?”
King Athon didn’t even look, his attention still down the hallway. He reached out his right hand and shoved the door handle.
Crack.
The rotted door flew open.
The five of us filed inside.
We stood in the middle of the “room” a tight cluster, our backs to each other, not moving an inch.
I groaned loudly. “Is that a rat?”
“It is dead.” King Elon pointed. “Killed by that raccoon hiding in the corner.”
“Are its balls still there?” I asked curiously.
Queen Mikko abruptly laughed. “This has to be the most Fae awful hostel in the entire realm. And we’re staying here.” She slapped at her knee, keeling over in her shocked hilarity, peels of laughter falling past her lips.
King Athon growled. “Those beds are supposed to fit two people each?”
I peeked around our group at the beds. Oh my.
“At least, the sheets appear freshly washed…twenty years ago,” Father muttered dryly.
I questioned quietly, “Are those bloodstains?”
“Yes,” the shifter king rumbled.
I shuddered and leaned my head back.
Queen Mikko’s laughter finally dwindled, the room quieting once more. She wiped at her eyes and studied the place further. “I do not think we will all fit in here if we are lying down.”
King Traevon snorted. “Do you want to lie down on this floor?” Rat droppings were …everywhere.
A few were even in the spider webs on the ceiling.
I pointed up. “How in the Fairy did the rat manage that?”
King Elon grumbled, “The raccoon probably threw him into the air at one point.”
I stared. “Truly?”
“What do you think? I have no Fae fucking idea how rat shit made its way to the damned ceiling.” King Elon waved his hands at the room in irritation. “We cannot stay here. This is positively revolting.”
King Athon grunted. “King Traevon should burn it down.”
Father nodded in agreement.
I pointed in awe. “Holy Fairy. Is that a clean spot?”
“No, the raccoon pissed there,” King Elon hissed.
I sniffed. I wasn’t falling for that again.
“I wasn’t jesting. It truly is piss.”
My nose scrunched. Gross.
“There…is a place we can stay,” Queen Mikko said slowly. “It will have more room.”
King Traevon turned his head to look at her in our tight group. “Why do you sound hesitant?”
“Because we would be sleeping in the crypts.”
I blinked. “No.”
“Yes,” King Athon growled. He marched toward the corner of the room—two steps—and squatted. The shifter king grabbed the raccoon by the scruff of his neck and lifted him into his arms. “I’m saving this poor bastard, too.”
* * *
Statues rising into the night sky stared down on me.
I asked softly, “Who lies here?”
“It is the original caster,” Queen Mikko stated coolly, no warmth in her voice. She spread her arms out wide. “And his favorite lovers.”
His love slaves. The innocent casters he had used his royal charmpower on to slake his lusts, forever binding them to him in carnal slavery.
The original caster deserved to burn again and again…
For eternity.
My features remained blank, not allowing any thoughts to show on my face. “I am sorry we had to come here, Your Royal Highness.”
She grunted. “Nevertheless, it will be our shelter.”
“I’ll relieve Queen Alora from her post at Kera’s hostel,” King Elon hissed. “I will inform her where to come.”
“Tell her we will be where the original caster’s tomb is.” The Queen of Casters stalked forward toward the statues, her back as stiff as her tone. “It’s obvious which one it is.”