Beasts and Baubles (Trixie Towers Book 4), page 1
Beasts and Baubles
A Trixie Towers Novel
Scarlett Dawn
Contents
Preface
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
About the Author
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
SCALES AND SKELETONS
All rights reserved.
Copyright 2022© Scarlett Dawn
Cover - Manuela Serra Book Cover Design
Format - Down Write Nuts Book Service
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author / publisher.
Created with Vellum
Preface
Seven tears, seven years.
Heave-ho, swelled fears.
Coaxing the abyss,
Not all is clear.
Where topside is down,
Hold tight to the crown.
Savage tides still hunt,
Round, round, round.
I’m having feelings. For the King of Shifters.
How in the realm did that happen? He may be my soul mate, but he is still my enemy. Granted, he’s a fine specimen of male flesh...but he’s still my enemy.
With the five kingdoms in crisis and new visitors knocking on our door, the rulers and I are up to our Fae damned eyeballs in stress. And...did I mention the feelings already? It deserves repeating.
Our quest this time? The Merfolk Kingdom.
The stakes? Our lives. Our realm. Our people.
But, in the end, who is really playing whom?
My name is Trixie Towers. I’m the heir to the Elf Kingdom. My father is nosy and my soul mate is a beast. And I’m beginning to believe it should be that way.
Yes, I said that, Fae. King Athon is mine!
Dedication
To my grandmother,
You know that life was hell for a long time. I still miss you, but it's funny how things change as time passes. You never explained to me what it would be like losing the most important and kind person in your life, and I kinda just fumbled through. I gotta admit though, it would have been a saving grace to have you here the last few years.
But hey, I survived, right?
Love forever,
S.D.
P.S. Tell the Big Guy I finally got the message. Ask Him kindly to maybe give the blessing in a smaller package next time.
Chapter 1
Rage of a princess:
The day I always wondered about has arrived.
It waves its banner and shouts, “Come one, come all! It is the happiest day of your life! For I am here to make all your sweet dreams come true!”
But, nay…not for me.
Never for me.
This is my life. Part nightmare, part joke.
What a conundrum. What a mess.
From the bottom…and I mean the very, very bottom…of my cold, shriveled heart: Thanks, Fae. You’re the best. We should discuss your love of me over tea sometime. I’ll make sure yours has an extra dose of sugar.
“I’ve never been so broken. It’s like the veil of night has descended and pulled me down into a stinking pile of shame.” Caspian kicked at a pebble, sending the small rock skittering across the cobblestone street. “Nothing has been so humbling in my life, Trix. I don’t know how this happened.”
I glanced at him from the corner of my eye and tried not to laugh. “I shall guess what has humbled you so.” Then I tapped on my chin with a single finger, pretending to think hard. “Hmm. Performance issues?”
He whispered so quietly I almost didn’t hear him. “Yes…”
A bubble of laughter burst free, unable to be suppressed any longer. I grabbed at my tender stomach and stopped walking so I could double over in my mirth.
“This is not funny!” Caspian’s deep blue eyes blazed down on me with enough heat and rage to rival the sun above us. “I had a bed full of women! And I couldn’t get it up!”
“Caspian…” I sputtered through my laughter and wiped a tear from my eye, ignoring the pain in my lower gut. “Did you eat those mushrooms again from the Caster Kingdom?”
Caspian froze in place with his hands raised in the air. “What… Oh…” His eyebrows pulled together so far that they were almost touching. “They brought treats with them. I wasn’t paying attention to what I ate beforehand. My mind was elsewhere.”
I snorted hard and stood up straight to rest my right hand on his shoulder. “There you go, my friend. The grand mystery of your manhood has been solved. You know how those mushrooms affect you.”
“Fucking Fae.” He breathed out a deep breath, and then his chest puffed out with vitality. “We will never speak of this again.”
“Of course not.” I lifted a red eyebrow, and a sly gleam entered my gaze. “If you will do me a favor.”
“No.”
I patted down my tattered clothing, making sure my disguise still hid my face well enough. “Yes.”
“No.”
“Yes.” I pointed a finger straight at his nose. “It’s needed for our kingdom. It’s not up for debate.”
My cousin cursed under his breath. “What is it?”
I explained bluntly, “Watch our king. Make sure he doesn’t try to kill King Athon.”
His blink was slow. “Ah, fuck. What did you do this time?”
The glare I sent in his direction was fierce. “It wasn’t me. It was my blasted soul mate. I don’t know what he’s really doing, but he has caused issues. So I need you to spy for me.”
“On our king.” It wasn’t a question.
My order was absolute. “Yes.”
Caspian ran his fingers through his white hair, creating a more disheveled look. He stared off to the side, peering at the marketplace. “As you wish.”
I grunted and rubbed at my stomach, the ache there not lessening. Ever since I’d eaten the ovary of the flower last night, my stomach had been restless. I was hoping that wasn’t a bad omen.
“Come now. I want to get my purchase done, so I might lie down for a bit.” My stomach plagued me again…for perhaps the hundredth time today. “Mayhap, I need to use the facilities, too?”
Caspian snorted. “Don’t go into the bakery. That bathroom is horrendous.”
“Because of the baker.” I nodded in agreement.
That man was a filthy rat. Actually…rats were cleaner.
“That really doesn’t bode well for his goods, does it?”
“No, it does not.” I chuckled under my breath. “Do you want to tell him, or shall we leave it up to our king?”
My cousin’s snicker went well with mine. “It seems like a kingly issue to me.”
“Quite so.” I waggled my finger to the right, where the merchants from other kingdoms had set up their booths for the day. “That’s where we need to go.”
“What are we shopping for this time? And there, of all places. You know you should be spending your coin with our own people.”
I messed with my disguise again and mumbled softly, “A ring.”
Caspian was quiet for a long moment before he tripped over his own feet as we trekked down the grassy knoll, his groan long and heavy with understanding.
“Hush you.” My sigh was profound. “I understand how this looks. You don’t need to say anything.”
“He already has a bloody ring for that.”
“I know.” I cleared my throat. Then I spoke quickly to alleviate my embarrassment, “But-it’s-not-my-ring.”
My cousin cast a long look in my direction, his intelligent eyes not missing much. “Oh.”
A damnable blush stole across my cheeks, completing my utter humiliation on the matter.
He took his dark blue eyes off me and started rubbing his fingers deep into his forehead. “This is even worse than I thought.” More rubbing. “And believe me, what I was already thinking was bad before.”
There was no need to lie at this point. “Unfortunately, you are correct.”
Caspian dropped his hand from his forehead and hissed his accusation, “You like that beast.”
“Well…I wouldn’t go that far.” But my chest heaved with the acknowledgement of my detestable condition. This was a sad, sad day for the history of the Elf Kingdom. “Do I like what happens in the bedroom? Yes. But do I like the man? No. And still, am I possessive of him? Yes. And, most importantly, can he be trusted? Fuck no. It’s not an ideal circumstance any way you look at it.”
Understatement. Death this way comes…
“And yet, here we are. Buying a new caster-spelled ring for the bastard, so you may put your stamp all over his furry ass.”
I scratched at my chin. Then…I shrugged.
That was about the truth of it.
He moaned, “I don’t know if I can watch this.”
“Then go elsewhere. No one’s going to attack me here.” I shooed at him as we stopped at the edge of the booths. “I can handle myself.”
Caspian rolled his eyes. “I’m not going anywhere. Let us be done with this.”
Another weighty sigh escaped me, but I merely rubbed at my aching stomach before marching along to find the correct booth, enjoying the haggling and boisterous shouts of patrons and merchants alike. It was always a lively affair when the people of five kingdoms were in one place, just one step shy of catastrophe. The only reason they didn’t jump over that edge of complete civility was because of the narrow-eyed elf sentinels wearing red and keeping watch over the market, ready to detain the outsiders should this sectioned-off area become perilous to our people.
Weaving through the raucous crowd kept me and Caspian close, my cousin miraculously managing to keep anyone from touching me, and then, a caster jewelry booth came into view. I stopped and breathed for a long moment. I’d always wondered what this day would be like for me. To anyone else, it would have been full of elf joy and lovely dreams and sparkling rainbows.
And, somehow, this is what I’d ended up with.
Hidden in the shadows. Unable to tell my parents. My kingdom’s people in peril. Afraid for my life. When it should have been so much more.
Instead…I got this. This shit.
This was what happened when the Fae fucked up.
My burden. My curse. My soul mate.
I nibbled on my bottom lip. Because that conniving bastard was mine. I would burn this Fae fucking realm down to a black stain of cinder if anyone tried taking him away from me.
Oh. Wait. Wait…a moment.
I gulped down a heavy breath. That was deep.
My feelings would do well to step no further.
What I felt for him was quite enough already.
I needed to cage those emotions up…right along with my soul mate.
Now there was a thought! A nice sturdy cage for the tiger, if the bastard ever tried to pull a stunt like he had with the flower.
Another woman in bed with us. That shifter was out of his Fae fucking mind. Truly, how that asshole thought I’d agree to his asinine plan for an heir was beyond even the twinkling lights in a night sky.
Keep wishing on that star, motherfucker.
It. Was. Never. Happening.
Quite literally, since I’d taken control of the issue.
With one more pat on my stomach—happily, this time with that thought—I stepped forward to peruse the goods.
The caster merchant nodded in greeting. “Good day to you. What may I assist—”
“Shush, I’m looking,” I cut him off with a raised, stopping hand.
The caster jerked his head back and stared.
“Way to blend in, Trix,” Caspian whispered as he squeezed between me and another elf looking at the rings.
“You’re here. I’m fine.” I hummed a little ditty as I searched for a ring that looked like the one my soul mate wore. Putting a ring on his finger was one thing. Arousing suspicion was a whole other battle I was not eager to accept.
Caspian shook his head and muttered under his breath, “I can’t believe you’re singing right now. Nothing about this is pleasing.”
“I’m thinking of building a cage.” I kept on humming.
My cousin’s attention snapped down on my face. “What in the realm would you need a cage for?”
“For him,” I sang. “Should he ever act the fool again.”
Caspian’s mouth opened and shut like a fish. He blinked more than a few times, clear shock radiating off him. “You know…I don’t want to know what put that look in your eye.”
I patted his chest twice. “It’s all taken care of, dear cousin. He won’t be trying that again.” After a moment, I spied the perfect caster-spelled ring, snatching it off the table to examine closer. It was a simple golden band with no fanfare or flair, just like the band he now wore. “After all, two heads are better than one. That saying definitely holds true when his addled thoughts run amok.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “So, a cage.”
“A very small one for a small brain.” I waggled the ring at the caster, who was haggling with the other elf. “Hello! Hello, caster peasant! I’ll take this one!”
Caspian cursed under his breath.
“What?” I glanced at him.
My cousin patted my head like a child. “Nothing. Nothing at all. Let us get you home. I have other duties to handle today.”
I heaved into my bedchamber’s toilet as the floor shook under my knees. There was no holding it in with this earthquake, not with the way my stomach was already aching. I groaned heavily once the shaking ceased and waved a hand above me, flushing the toilet.
I watched my sick disappear before stumbling to my feet to brush my teeth. My reflection showed a very pale elf staring back at me with white froth bubbling from her mouth as I brushed. It wasn’t a good look for me. Might as well throw me into the royal stables and call it a day. I spat in the sink and wiped off my mouth, unable to look away from my reflection.
Fucking Fae, I really did look like shit.
I cast a nasty look at the mirror and then dragged my feet to my bed, flopping down onto it to hold onto my lower stomach. Curling into a ball sounded like a fine plan, so I did, yanking the covers over me in the process.
Something was not right. That much was obvious now.
But a whisper of cool air floated across my forehead.
My eyes shot open in a hurry. I blinked a few times at the apparition before me before I muttered, “Where in the Fairy have you been?”
Grandmother Isabella sat next to me on my bed and ran her transparent hand over my forehead again. “I’ve been busy.”
I glared. “I’m beginning to not believe that excuse anymore.”
My grandmother merely shrugged. “I wish to discuss what you’ve been up to.” She had her scolding face out in full force. “What was it you said today? Two heads are better than one?”
Sitting up took some effort, but I managed it. “You’re spying on me?”
“Of course.” She waved off my offended look. “Pay attention, my Trixie. Two heads are better than one.”
My nostrils flared in clear aggravation. “I’m in no mood for riddles. Speak plainly for once in your life. Or…your dead life.”
Grandmother Isabella just stared.
I huffed. “Fine. Please.” My face started to crumble. “I’m really not feeling very well.”
Her spectral face leaned closer, with her nose almost touching mine. “There were two books that were created together, my reckless granddaughter. Two books. Mayhap, they should have been read together, too?”
What? What was she…
Two books? Wait…
Oh, no. That… Oh…no.
As her full meaning started to take shape in my mind, the darkest dread began to filter through my veins. I brutally shivered where I sat and watched my grandmother with growing horror. A heavy breath didn’t help my fear, either. Nothing would calm me down but for one answer.
I choked, “Tell me I didn’t screw up our kingdom’s salvation.”
Her right palm rested against my cheek, chilling my skin where her hand laid. “If you don’t fix this, not only will you have wrecked our future, you will also die soon.” Grandmother Isabella shook her head softly. “Fae gifts are very specific to how they should be used, and you are missing a key element.” Her thumb brushed back and forth over my cheekbone. “I don’t want you to die, my dearheart. You must fix your mistake.”
