The Kingdom's Crown (Inheritance of Hunger #3) - Kathryn Moon Page 0,105

we don't find a way to get him out. And I'm beginning to put together a plan."

Griffin twisted in her seat to look up at Sam, shrugging in agreement as he stared wide-eyed back at her.

"I could think of better treasures," Scrapper said with a huff.

"She's taken, Scrap," Aric answered, throwing an arm around my shoulder.

"I'll find something lovely for you too," I offered, grinning back at the man.

"What do you need, Your Highness?" Sam asked softly.

24

Daniel

It took me a moment of staring into the dark before I was certain Bryony wasn't in the bed. It was hard to tell with so many limbs thrown about, but she'd been slipping away the past couple of nights until one of us would carry her back again.

I found her in the sitting room, one of our trusted guards standing at the door, his eyes just fixed overhead of Bryony, who was curled up in a large armchair by the fire. She moved aside for me without a glance, settling her legs over my lap and her head against my shoulder as she continued to watch the fire. There was a book open in her hand, one of her novels, and I smiled when I realized how long it had been since I'd seen her reading.

"Want me to take over?" I asked, tapping the open page.

"No, I…I haven't really been reading. I tried, but all I can do is sort through possibilities," Bryony murmured.

I turned my head, pressing a kiss to Bryony's brow, closing my eyes as her sigh warmed my throat. "Any concerns?"

"Millions," Bryony answered with a faint laugh. "I can't predict what the council will do, I can't even really predict my mother. I feel like I've sat through the conversations one hundred times already, just in my own head."

If I were Owen or Aric, now would be the time I distracted Bryony with sex. If I were Cosmo, Wen, or Thao, I would reason through the problems with her. But they weren't awake. We'd already worn ourselves out trying to occupy Bryony's body, and I suspected her mind really had run through every scenario by now.

"You present your case, that's all," I said, pulling her a little closer, combing the tangles out of her hair slowly as she nodded.

"And if the case fails?" Bryony whispered.

I doubted it would, but all of us had more faith in Bryony than she usually did in herself.

"You transform into a tiger and bite Lord Thomlinson just for fun," I suggested.

Bryony snorted and pressed her face to my throat to stifle her giggles.

"One way or another, you're giving your mother a great deal to think about tomorrow," I said. "You haven't given up yet, and if the case doesn't go the way we hope, you won't give up then either, right?"

"Right," Bryony said, kissing my neck. "Thank you."

"My pleasure," I said, smiling at the fire. It was the truth. I was easily pleased perhaps, but for all of Bryony's troubles and worries, life with her was strangely…simple for me. She asked very little of me, aside from the care of a lover and friend. After a lifetime of chasing approval, gaining it with so little effort felt almost like cheating.

Bryony's breathing was starting to grow heavy and slow, exhaustion rather than desire, and I pulled the book carefully from her fingers, tucking it into the cushion of the chair.

"Carting me off?" Bryony murmured.

"You'll want your wits in the morning. Better sleep for the rest of tonight."

She hummed and wrapped her arms around my neck, letting me carry her back to bed. Owen had already rolled into my spot, but Cosmo was awake when I headed for the edge, smiling briefly at me before making room.

"Did she fuss?" Cosmo whispered.

"I did not," Bryony mumbled, too tired to sound annoyed, and Cosmo grinned, sharing the work of wrapping her up tightly between us.

Sam was pacing in the staff yard of the castle, in and out of the shadow of the courtyard, high morning sun catching in his hair. Griffin was leaning in a dark archway, and if it weren't for the way her eyes tracked every footstep of Sam's, I would've said she looked careless.

"They're bringing Darby up from the dungeons," I said.

Sam's steps faltered, and I suspected he was seriously considering taking flight for a moment, before he spun on his heel to face me.

"And she—she'll be—?"

"Bryony called the meeting with the council and the queen only. The council might demand Camellia attend when they realize