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Trinity

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The moment that Trevor opened the door, we were able to see why this house smelled like blood. Not to mention, why this place felt so evil. There was blood all over the house. The blood had long since dried, which meant that it was starting to soak into the essence of the house itself and was tainting it.

I didn't know what happened here yet, but I could tell that it was brutal. Someone had definitely tried to, or actually did, kill someone in this house. The furniture was overturned, there were giant slash marks in the walls, dishes were smashed all over the floor. There seemed to be no part of the house, or the main part that I could see, that was spared from the carnage that had taken place within these walls.

"What in the world happened here?" Kayda asked as she came into the house behind me. "Was there another murder?"

"I don't know. What I can tell you though, is that it doesn't look like Alloy or Sterling are here." I answered her in as calm of a tone as I could. I needed to find these men and talk to them. I needed to get the bottom of all of this. "Search the house. Do not skip a single room, cupboard, closet, basement, anything. We are to search for them everywhere."

"I saw two buildings out back when we were on our way up. Should we search there at the same time or wait until we're done in here?" Landon asked me with a serious tone in his voice.

"There are eight of us, I say we split into two groups and search in the house and outside at the same time." I turned my head to look at him as I said this. "Nathair, Kayda, Trevor, and Reece please search the other buildings. The rest of us will search the house."

"Yes, my Queen." The voices of everyone but Reece responded.

"Are you sure it's wise to split us up?" He asked me as he eyed the room.

"Reece, look at this place. This blood is drying. It's been here for over a day at least. Whatever happened here, whoever was here, they're most likely not a threat to us anymore."

"I know what you're saying, I do, but I am still not comfortable with this." He was just worried about me. I knew that, I really did, but I needed him to understand that I couldn't have him coddling me all the time.

"Reece, you're a warrior King, you can lead, fight, and rule. Don't you think that I am capable of that as well? I am a Queen, yes, I am a woman, yes, but that doesn't make me a fucking China doll. I can protect myself. Not to mention that Vincent, Rahim, and Landon will be here with me as well. And there are four knights back at the carriage. Tell them to keep an eye and ear out for things as well."

"Hahhh." He sighed and lowered his head for a moment. When he did look at me, I could tell that he had resolved to listen to what I had said. "Alright. I know that you are strong and can protect yourself, but it's just my job as your mate to protect you. It's instinct and it's hard to turn that instinct off." I saw a forced smile on his face as he thought about that.

"I know Reece, I understand that. But, for right now, I just need you to do as I ask, please."

"I will." He kissed my forehead after that and took the people that I ordered with him outside. "Come on, the Queen gave her orders, we need to get a move on. Nathair, please instruct the knights to be on guard."

"Yes, my King." He nodded and ran off to follow orders.

The rest of us started to search the house then. I wasn't going to leave here without some sort of clue. I was going to find out what happened here, as well as what was happening in the city.

I started to move things around the cabin with my magic. I was setting things like the broken chairs, shredded couch pillows, and splintered tables in a corner that I had already personally checked myself.

Now that the rest of the area was cleared out a little, it was time for us to look for things around this room and the other rooms. I didn't want to move too fast through the search, so I had everyone double and triple checking every place that someone might be able to hide. I had them searching for openings to hidden rooms or anything that might just look like it was out of the ordinary.

We weren't finding anything though, no matter how thoroughly we were searching. We had moved into the rest of the house as well, searching the bedrooms and the bathroom. There was something that I had noticed. It looked like Alloy and Sterling shared a bedroom since there was only one that seemed 'lived in'. There was nothing wrong with that, all I wanted to know right now was where did they go and were they both safe?

"Queen Trinity!" Nathair came running into the house calling for me. "Queen Trinity, King Reece has found something that requires your attention. I am here to escort you to him."

"Don't beat around the bush, Nathair, what is it?" Landon asked him, which was good because I was about to say the same thing.

"There is a magical door in the barn. Queen Trinity, King Reece would like to see if you are capable of opening it." He sounded frantic, like there was something else going on. I guess I would find out what that was soon enough.

"Take me to this door, Nathair. I wish to see it for myself."

Finally, there seemed to be some sort of progress for us. This could be the break in the case that we've been waiting for.