Marvels and Misfits (Trixie Towers #1) - Scarlett Dawn Page 0,64
hit it by accident.”
King Athon strolled by holding the tent, chuckling under his breath. “I bet that’s from the third time your father dropped you yesterday.”
I stared at his retreating back, calling after him, “Three days is a long time to hold someone! It’s not his fault.”
King Elon sniggered. “You hit the ground hard that time.”
Queen Mikko tossed me my bag, stating kindly, “It was later in the day, and we should have stopped before then. It really wasn’t his fault.”
“I know. I’m not upset at him.” I rubbed at my right hip softly. “I hope it will heal soon, though.”
Father walked from behind the black trees of the men’s area. “Are we ready?”
“We are,” I answered instantly. I didn’t want anyone teasing him about the bruise. “What way are we headed today?”
“To the south.” Queen Alora pointed to the left, her multi-hued hair swinging in her ponytail—only a few leaves were stuck in it. “We tried the north, but it was all uphill, and the terrain was too risky.”
My lips pinched together. “We’ll have to go that way eventually to get to any other sections of the Blood Forest.”
She nodded her head. “But not now. We’ll do this section before tackling that.”
King Athon stalked to our group, shouldering his bag. He rumbled in his deep tone, “Let’s go, everyone. We have about six hours of decent sunshine before we’ll need to make camp again.”
“Wait a moment.” Queen Mikko scratched at her dirty forehead, tiny bits of deer blood flaking off. “Last night, Queen Alora commented on the Fae wanting us to be worthy of saving the realm. I believe she is correct. Would it not be worthy of hiding the artifact in the most dangerous location we would have to go? That we would have to care enough to risk our lives together to save our kingdoms?”
Father nodded gradually. “That would be worthy if that is what the Fae wish us to prove.”
“Is the location of High Pointe the rough terrain?” I asked slowly, a thought coming to mind.
King Elon stated, “It is. It’s not too far away from here. Where we are now is basically where we first entered since we backtracked.”
King Athon’s solid black eyes narrowed on me. “What do you know that you aren’t telling us?”
I rolled my eyes but sighed heavily at the end. “Everyone here knows that my grandmother Isabella was my teacher. She taught me much. I remember now an old nursery rhyme I never understood then. She’d say it to me at night to help me fall asleep when I was barely old enough to walk. It is about High Pointe.”
Queen Mikko’s eyes widened. “My good Fae, that is why the Misfits think you—”
“Or maybe they simply know I am capable,” I groused, shutting the queen down. No one understood why I was here—including myself—but I was getting Fae damn tired of them saying as such. “Anyway, here is the nursery rhyme…
‘High Pointe, oh High Pointe.
Why so, so high, thee say?
These trees do thee see. Yay, see. Yay, see.
High Pointe, oh High Pointe.
Why so, so high, thee say?
To show thee thy worth. Thy worth. Thy worth.
High Pointe, oh High Pointe.
Yay, see. Thy worth. Thy treasure is found.’”
Father shook his head with a fond smile on his face. “Brilliant. Mother did it in a way you would remember when she wasn’t there physically to help you.”
King Athon rubbed at his chin and gazed to the north. “That is where we need to go. We can get there by tonight since we don’t have any dead weight to carry.”
I sniffed. The shifter king really was dreadful.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Confession of a princess:
My, my, my, what a big mushroom he has.
One would think the size of a mushroom wouldn’t be important, but in the Blood Forest, it is. I must admit to being jealous. If I had it, I would rejoice. But nay, I am green with jealousy.
My blasted soul mate is always one step ahead of me.
There is one way to fix that...
I could always chop off his feet.
In the fading light of the day, the five rulers and I stared up at the mountain that was High Pointe. Our heads tipped all the way back to try to see the top. It was impossible from our vantage point, but it did give us a decent indication of the sheer size of what we would need to accomplish.
“Well, let us set up camp,” King Athon ordered. “Same jobs as the other nights for everyone. Princess Trixie,