Crown of Betrayal (Wicked Kingdoms Book 2)

by Graceley Knox

  I turn fully to face him. “What is it?” I look Dare over. He’s tense. His jaw is clenching and unclenching and the veins in his forearms are showing. I take a step toward him.

  Dare reaches behind him and whips the sheet off the bed before throwing it over my head.

  “What the hell, Dare!” I rustle through the yards of fabric before I can pop my head out. “What was that for?”

  Dare isn’t smiling, he’s glaring over my shoulder. I walk toward him. At least if I’m in front of him, he’s no longer flashing the maid. I place a hand on his chest. He’s still tense. “What is it?”

  A throat clears behind me and I turn around and face Calder and Calum. This time covered by a sheet, but it’s an improvement from moments ago. I don’t speak, I just wait for whoever cleared their throat to speak.

  Calder is still covering his eyes, but Calum’s gaze is glued to me.

  “Calder, I’m decent. You can stop shielding your eyes.” I try to make it a joke but it falls flat. Calder’s mouth is flat and he stares over my head at Dare.

  “Can someone tell me what’s up with the power stares? It’s creepy.”

  Calder coughs into his fist. “Uh, well we saw you naked.”

  I laugh. “Yeah, I know. I was here. So what? It’s not like you barged in on us on purpose.” I look up to Dare. He’s still glaring death beams at Calum. “By the way, how did you get here so fast, or was it just lucky timing?”

  “No, we were standing guard down the hall.” A blush flushes Calder’s cheeks and he wipes a hand over his stubbled jaw. “We heard the dishes shatter and came running. And then we saw you standing here…”

  Dare rumbles behind me and his hand finds my hip through the scrunched fabric of the sheet. Again, he speaks in their native tongue but faster than I can pick up. I look between him and the twins. Calder holds his hands in front of him in a defensive gesture. Calum crosses his arms across his chest and grins.

  “Oy. What the fuck.” I look to Calum. “Yeah, you.”

  Calum meets my stare and his grin widens. “Yes, Ever?”

  “What are you doing that is offensive right now? I don’t get it, but you obviously are. So stop it.”

  Calum laughs and Calder looks between Dare and Calum with concern.

  “Calder, explain it. Now. I’d like to get dressed before we draw more of a crowd.”

  Calder opens his mouth but Calum beats him to the punch. “Dare’s pissed that we saw you.”

  I look over my shoulder to Dare. “It’s no big deal. It’s not like I want to sleep with them.” I pat his chest. “No worries.”

  “We wouldn’t be sleeping if we were together…” the words are said quietly but have the effect of a tornado.

  Dare lunges for Calum and I rush after him. “Dare!” I grapple for his arm and try to pull him back but he evades me.

  “What did you say!” Dare pushes Calum against the wall with his forearm against his throat.

  More footsteps sound in the hallway and I look to the ceiling. Just my fucking luck.

  “Dare! What is going on? Why do you have Calder…” Dax trails off as he steps around Dare and sees me. His eyes go wide and he looks to Calder. “Please tell me what I think happened, didn’t happen.”

  I put my hand on my hip. “Excuse me?”

  Dax looks to me. “No, not that. That’s fine. But the naked part. Did someone see you naked?”

  I curl my upper lip and wrinkle my nose. “Why is everyone freaking out about this? It was for like two seconds.”

  Dax curses and turns to Dare. He places his hand on his shoulder. “Dare, you’ve got to let him go. Ever is fine, and he’s leaving.” Dax levels Calum with a look and Calum nods as much as he can in Dare’s grip.

  Dare mutters in their language. Dax shakes his head. “I know. Attend to Ever. It won’t happen again.”

  “What the fuckity fuck is going on around here? Did Calum do something mortally offensive that I’m unaware of?”

  Dare lets Calum drop and steps back. He keeps his attention on the other goblin while he backs up until he’s directly in front of me.

  “For the love of…” I reach back and grab a pillow and hit Dare with it. “Knock it off.” I look around him. “You two, go.” I point and they both leave, but not before Calum winks at me. I point at Dax. “Close the door, but give me a second. I’ve got questions for you. Don’t make me hunt you down.”

  I wait for the click of the latch and then drop the sheet. I start searching for my clothes a piece at a time. “Dare, what the hell was that?” I stop my search and look up at him. “Huh? Why did you do that? He’s meant to guard me and you freaked out.”

  Dare stands there and watches as I gather up my clothes. The veins in his neck pulse and I stop and look at him. He’s tense. And he’s flushed. I step toward him and place a hand on his chest. “Hey, what is it?” I ask softly.

  “You don’t get it, Ever. He saw you. For another to see you as I see you goes against every instinct I have. It was all I could do to not break him in two.” He runs a hand over my hair and cups my face.

  “Break him in two? My crew has seen me naked tons of times. And vice versa. I don’t get it. It’s just something that happens when you need to trust each other to have your back.”

  “Calum may be your guard, but he is a goblin male. He sees you as someone he could mate with.”

  “Mate with? Me? And Calum?” I jerk my head back. “I’m not mating with anyone. And if I was, he certainly wouldn’t be at the top of my list.” The thought of mating with anyone other than Dare shoots panic through my chest until it hurts to draw in breath. I know that Dare can’t mate with me, and that what we have will end, but while I’ve got it, I’m going to take it. I push thoughts of him with his true mate out of my head before the tears itching at the back of my eyes can spill. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know it would upset you this much.”

  His lips curl up at the corners. “I know.” He bends down and presses a kiss to my hairline. “Get dressed.” He spins me around and smacks my ass. “Before I have to kill someone.”

  I look over my shoulder and smile. “We good?”

  He smiles back. “Perfect, little álainn.” He rubs at his stomach. “Now finish getting dressed. I’m starving.”

  I laugh and throw my boot at him. “Rude!”

  We finish dressing and I’m left with one foot unbooted. I hobble over to him on uneven footing and reach for the boot he holds above his head. “Give it here, goblin.”

  “Not without something in return.” He shakes the boot above his head.

  I huff. “I gave you an orgasm last night. Give it here.” I try to keep my lips from twitching at this playful side of Dare that I’ve never seen.

  Dare leans down, but keeps the boot well out of my reach. He nudges my shirt out of his way until he’s got my shoulder exposed.

  “What are you doi–”

  Dare bites down hard until I know he’ll leave a mark. I swat at his head.

  “Ow. What the fuck.” I rub at the sore spot. “What was that for?” I pull at my shirt to try and look at the mark.

  Dare stares at the mark he made and his shoulders finally relax. “Now, I’ll be calm.”

  “You did that so you’d be calm? Hurting me makes you calm?” I reach for my boot but he holds it out of my grasp again.

  “No I did that so they will know you’re currently not available.”

  “They? Not currently available? Who’s they?” I stomp my foot as he evades me again.

  “The other goblins who want you. Now they will leave you alone. My scent is all over you, but now you bare my mark as well.” He smiles and hands me my boot.

  I throw my hands up. “Goblins. I swear you guys should have stuck with the name of cavemen.” I shove my foot into my boot and head for the door. “Fucking goblins.” I mutter it under my breath.

  Dare catches up to me and pulls my hair to the side. He places a kiss against my neck on the same side he marked me and
a rumble sounds in his throat. He opens the door and gives me a gentle push through.

  I ignore the rumble and walk forward. I’ll have to ask Kirin, Doyle, and Axel about his behavior. Obviously, it was like a gag order was on my guards, which meant that I’d get nothing from them. As we walk toward wherever he’s leading us to, which I’m assuming is breakfast, I notice the change between us.

  We aren’t bundles of nerves and scowls. We’re both smiling instead of insulting each other. The tension between us is no longer so thick you can cut it with a knife. Instead, the energy ebbs and flows between us. I nudge him with my elbow and he smiles down at me.

  “What, little álainn?”

  “Nothing.” I shrug a shoulder. “So where are we going?”

  “Back to a private hall where your crew should be eating.”

  I blink at him a few times. “I can’t eat with them right now.”

  “Why not?” He stops walking.

  “Because I’m in the same clothes I wore last night. I’m not walk of shaming this shit for everyone to see. The guys this morning were more than enough in my opinion.”

  Dare frowns. “Walk of shame?”

  “Like the day after a one night stand? You have to walk past the neighbors who saw you go in with the same clothes you’re leaving in?”

  Dare’s lips downturn. “I don’t understand. I thought you were hungry?”

  “Uh no, you’re starving. I need to change before I see anyone.”

  “We’d have to go in the opposite direction. The hall is right there.” Dare raises his arm toward the doors across the hall from us.

  I look around and see no one around. “Well that’s what I’m doing. Where is Calder? He can bring me there and back really quickly.”

  Dare’s entire body tenses and he bares his teeth.

  I push my hands out in front of me. “Okay, okay. None of that. He won’t come with me. Just point me in the right direction and I’ll go myself.” I look around to make sure no one is watching us still.

  Dare nods and takes a few deep breaths. “Let’s go.” He puts his hand on my lower back to steer me in the right direction.

  “Ev! Dare! You guys coming in?” It’s Kirin who called out.

  I stop in my tracks. Why me, gods, why me? I look up at Dare and scowl.

  He smiles down at me, happy he’s getting his way most likely.

  The jingle of the hoops on Kirin’s ear sound behind us and I spin around. “Kirin! Good morning! How’d you sleep? Good? That’s great. We were just heading to get something I left in my room!” I grab at Dare’s arm but he stays put.

  Kirin looks between the two of us, and then narrows his eyes at me. He gives me a once over. “Uh…”

  “Don’t. Don’t you even say it.” My mouth goes dry while I watch a smile spread across Kirin’s lips.

  He gestures between us. “You two.” He grins at Dare. “You two, did the deed last night.”

  I glare at both of them in turn. “Shut up, Kirin.” I turn to Dare. “Not a word.”

  Dare crosses his arms across his chest and leans against the wall, his smile still in place.

  “Dude… you’re going to walk of shame it through breakfast?” Kirin holds a closed fist out for a fist bump.

  “No. No fist bump. I am not walk of shaming it. Dare and I are going to go back to my room so I can change.”

  “I’m starving, but she refuses to listen to me when I say no one will notice.”

  Kirin chokes and his eyes widen. “Uh bro, they’ll notice in like the first five seconds.” Kirin steps closer to me and sniffs.

  I jerk back. “Dude. What the hell?”

  “You smell different.” Kirin looks to Dare. “That a goblin thing? I’ve never stuck around to find out.”

  Dare tips his chin up in acknowledgement. “Sometimes it is, yes. Ask Dax, he’ll explain it better than I can.”

  My jaw drops and I huff in frustration. “I’m going to change. Then I’m going to eat. Then I need to figure out the shit storm that is my life currently. Also, Kirin, find Arela.” I turn and stomp down the hallway toward where I think my room is.

  Dare catches up and grabs my hand. I look down at our hands, and then look up at him. He’s looking at me already. I keep my hand in his even though I’m annoyed with him at the moment. I’ve never seen him happy like this, so I’ll let him have his moment before he goes back to scowling at everyone and not talking.

  We arrive back at my room and I change at a speed that has to break world records. Before I know it, we’re entering the hall for breakfast. We step through and silence envelopes the room. Dare and I are no longer holding hands so I stop and look around for what else could be the cause for silence. Nothing out of the ordinary. I approach the table my crew is sitting at and take a seat. Dare sits next to me.

  I nod my chin at Doyle. “What’s with the silence at our entrance?”

  Doyle clears his throat and looks around. “Uh, well… you see…”

  I look at each of my crew who are each looking at me funny and the rest of the goblins at the table are all staring at me as well. “Spit it out, Doyle!” I slam a hand on the table, making the dishes and a few goblins jump.

  “You smell different!” He says the words so fast he practically spits them. His knuckles are white around his fork and he’s avoiding my gaze.

  I look around and meet the stares of everyone then I look to Dare.

  “So I guess everyone knows then…”

  Dare grins smugly. I pick up my fork and shove food in my mouth. It’s that or grind my teeth.

  Stupid, sexy goblin and his tricks.

  CHAPTER

  SIXTEEN

  I let my head drop on top of one of the closed books with a thunk. “I don’t even remember what I’m supposed to be looking for at this point.”

  Wood creeks as someone shifts in their chair and I look up. I rest my chin on top of the book and look around the massive library we’ve been in for what seems like days. Eryn is engrossed in what she’s reading and so is Axel. Doyle went to look for a book in this maze of a library and Kirin just smiles back at me.

  “The crown, Ev. We’re looking for the crown and a way to get you reinstated into MECA.” Kirin rolls his eyes.

  I fling a pen at him. “I was being sarcastic, asshole. I know the crown and MECA.” I brush my hair out of my face and huff a breath. “Is it lunch time yet?” I look to Eryn who only levels me with a stern stare. I pout.

  “We just ate breakfast.” Eryn says. “Keep reading. We won’t be able to figure out a way to prove to MECA that you didn’t sell trade secrets to the goblins unless we read and find a way.”

  I lean back in my chair and balance it on two legs. “So, we thinking a magic spell here? A truth potion? Only this time without a block on it? What? What can we do here to prove my innocence with MECA? We need to be out after Freddy boy to get him to spill the truth. That’s what we need to be doing.”

  Eryn ignores me and goes back to her reading. “What do you say, Axel? Want to go on a little bit of a hunt? Go see what you can stir up about Head Guard Frederick?” I wiggle my brows.

  Axel’s lips form a deadly smile. “It would be my pleasure.”

  “Take Doyle with you. Check out the house while you’re at it if you’re going to be in the area. Check for anything new.”

  Axel whistles to Doyle and lets him know what’s going on before they both depart. Lucky bastards. I want to go on a mission. I look down the table to Dare, Dax, and Dagan. Dare is watching me as I balance precariously in my chair. I stick my tongue out at him and he raises a brow. Dax and Dagan are flipping through dusty old texts with scowls marring their faces.

  I look away before I start something with Dare that I can’t follow through with right now. “Kirin, did you find Arela?”

  Kirin looks up from the scroll in front of him and shakes his head. “No. She’s still with the queen from what I’m told.”

  I frown. “So you didn’t have eyes on her?�
� My stomach knots and a sense of foreboding creeps up my neck.

  “No. I can’t get near her since I’m not royal. Why?”

  I drop down on to all four legs of my chair and stand up. I march over to the three goblins sitting at the other end of the table. “Oy. Where is Arela? And why can’t we see her?”

  “She’s with the queen doing stuff for the festival.” Dagan doesn’t even look up from his text while he answers me.

  I tap a finger on the text he’s reading, messing up his view. “Hey! Either someone brings her to us so I can see her or I go tearing up there, and I won’t be kind when I go through the guards to get to her.”

  Dagan sighs and looks up at me. “If I get eyes on her will my word be enough?”

  I look to Dare who watches me with narrowed eyes. “Yeah. That’s fine. Bring Eryn with you.”

  “Hey! I’m busy over here.” Eryn slams her book down on the table in affront.

  “I need someone from our crew to see her too. No offense, Dagan. Crazy times and all.”

  Dagan says nothing before he jerks up from his chair and grabs Eryn’s arm and leads her out of the library. With Dagan gone from his seat next to Dare, I’m standing next to him with no one to block us. He reaches over and tugs at the loop in my jeans. I stumble into Dagan’s chair and purse my lips.

  “No need to knock me into shit.” I step around the chair and stand next to him.

  “What is it, Ever? Something is bugging you.”

  I look between Dare and Dax. “Yeah, something doesn’t feel right. The MECA thing, then the crown of elder branches and heather? Who would know about that tradition? Especially after both Kingdoms worked so hard to bury it? And then why is the Queen taking a special interest in Arela? She hates us, and has made no qualms about letting us know it.” I rub a hand down the side of my face. “I’m just trying to piece it all together. It’s all connected, I just can’t see it yet.”

  Kirin walks up and nudges my shoulder with his, his arm staying touching mine. “Never believe in coincidence, right, Ev?”

  One side of my mouth tilts upward. “Right, Kirin. Exactly right. We just need to figure out who’s behind this. And why. Who did I piss off this badly?”