Marked By Lies: A Reverse Harem Series (The Marked Series Book 1) by Paige Orr (the red fox clan TXT) 📗

so much greed and jealousy comes from them in rivers whenever their eyes meet mine. I’ve never quite understood why humans need to know everything about our kind and their obsession with trying to be just like us. If they knew the full brutal truth of our kind, they would want no part in it. Unfortunately, they seem to see us through rose-tinted glasses, thinking that we’re perfect.

“How long do you think I must put up with the fawning of those humans before I can get away to do my fucking job? I'm getting tired of dealing with these little parties of my father’s. If he wants to kiss ass so much he should really do it himself.”

Elias laughs at me, used to the way I speak about the king by now, and I’m just thankful to have someone I trust around to juggle my responsibilities. Whoever said a royal life is simple, obviously never had to live it.

“I would say an hour at most. You know by that point that most of them will have had enough to drink that they wouldn’t even realize you weren’t there while they blow smoke up their own asses.”

“Okay, I think I can just about deal with that. While I’m busy being a circus attraction in my home, I want you to go up to my office and pull together the reports from each of the cases. I want to get stuck into this as soon as possible and I’ll be wasting enough time listening to bullshit.”

“You got it man! I’ll get the head enforcer to deliver everything they have on the disappearances and have a word with him when he drops it off. Hopefully, he won’t give us any shit like last time. I’m going to head back to my office to get everything ready and I’ll meet you at your place in an hour. We’ll figure this shit out man so just put it out of your head until you can get away from the party. There’s no point stressing until you can actually do something.”

With that, he gets to his feet, leaving me to think over the shit show my life is at the moment. If I don’t figure this shit out soon, then who knows what will happen. What I know though is that those that are missing need me to stop pitying myself and figure out how to find them. My father might not care about what happens to our people unless they are nobles, but that doesn’t mean that I need to be like him.

I just have to put up with his bullshit for a few more years before he passes the crown onto me, and then I can finally help those of our people who are overlooked. But until then I need to look like I’m following in his footsteps or I’ll never end up king. My people need me to hang on a little longer, and I intend to do exactly that. It’s finally time for a new king’s rule.

Chapter Three

Melissa

Jogging up the stairs of my apartment building, I pull my phone from my pocket, calling the closest person I have to a friend. Annika Craft is the only supernatural that I know personally as far as I’m aware, not that she knows what I can do. Even though she has her own powers, I’m still too ashamed of the things that I can do to tell a soul. It’s a lonely existence not being able to talk to anyone about the things that plague me, but I’d rather be lonely than see the typical look of disgust when they find out what I can do. After only three rings, Annika's melodic voice reaches my ears with her usual greeting.

“Annika Craft, hacker extraordinaire! There’s no code impossible to break when I put my mind to it. What can I do for you?”

“Hey Annika, It’s Mel. I have a job for you girl, one that I think you might like.”

“Hmm, you’ve got me intrigued Mel, what could you possibly need me to do that’s so exciting. Last I heard, the biggest job you had been on was finding a lost dog, and surely you don’t need my skills for that.”

Anyone else would have been offended with Annika’s straightforward attitude, but I just found it refreshing. I prefer the way she gets straight to the point instead of beating around the bush, it’s better than the way most people act around me.

“This one is a good bitch. I need you to get me into the Seelie Prince’s house. He has something that my client would like. You know I would just break in if it was anywhere else, it’s not like I don’t have the skills. But his house is bound to be drowning in wards on top of the normal security.”

The silence on the other end of the line stretches on as I unlock my door, pushing it open with my hip and stumbling into my apartment. Pulling the phone away from my ear, I quickly check the screen to make sure the call hasn’t dropped before bringing it back up to my ear and clearing my throat. It’s unusual for Annika to be lost for words, and the fact that she doesn’t even seem to breathe causes apprehension to shoot through me.

“Annika, you still there.”

“Y-Yeah, I’m still here. Sorry, it’s just I thought you said you’re going to steal from the Seelie Prince’s home and I’m sure you’re not that fucking stupid, right?”

“I’m not stupid, I just need the money. I’d rather not end up living on the streets when all I have to do is steal something from a Fae, Prince or not.”

“You’ve officially lost your fucking marbles! That man could chew you up and spit you out, yet you’re happy to go traipsing about his house. Please tell me you’re